Barbie’s new doll has type 1 diabetes- here’s why it matters!

Written by: Deepa Reviewed by: Dr. Swati Mishra 11 July 2025

[{"selector":"#anim-4516194c-2c71-40b8-b2f5-2871ba33a346","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-45fa4a0c-9ba8-4d53-a37d-01636b2e5d74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.07191%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Mattel has launched a Barbie doll, specifically with Type 1 diabetes, to bring awareness, normalize medical diversity, and support kids living with this chronic condition. Photo Credit: Freepik

What Makes This Barbie Different?

[{"selector":"#anim-e1e6821c-d79a-4529-8daf-26efc16474f7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4c7211c1-8745-489f-90ac-5eda5fde155f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 139.1933%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c6668e7-e3ca-4c09-a875-b38b583629ff","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2a1fd229-d9b0-4deb-84a4-5404b3e19605","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 391.37659%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This doll comes with a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) and an insulin pump (devices used daily by these frequently younger children.) Photo Credit: Freepik

Why This Matters

[{"selector":"#anim-312d3f9e-043b-4763-9832-448c94378e3f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cdfe2c58-bc4c-4d31-9f6c-64c8bb9e6c5c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 118.99092%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3dfdb3f7-8370-42c8-b532-bca94082be0b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-87119b69-25e6-4b6f-b401-b499b363f9e8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 728.3954%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Many kids living with diabetes, do not see toys that reflect the realities of their day-to-day lives. This Barbie allows kids to feel validated, understood, and empowered. Photo Credit: Freepik

Type 1 vs Type 2 - Know the Difference

[{"selector":"#anim-afbbe08c-7498-47ea-bf3f-1729c8002b62","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ff99c1b7-5660-4371-be03-2e09b08a224c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 126.644%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2cb7439e-2946-45a0-b3b2-3a1f0aac205a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a00462c2-a3a5-4f05-9130-ec567e195b1e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 463.01841%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Type 1 Diabetes: autoimmune, usually develops when young, requires exogenous insulin. Type 2 Diabetes: often related to lifestyle, insulin-resistant, can sometimes be managed with diet/exercise/medications. Photo Credit: Freepik

Designed with Medical Experts

[{"selector":"#anim-5a83bdbf-bbfa-4fe9-90a8-f9eee9a8c25f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ee0726c2-95df-4a62-9eef-2eb2c52b2a33","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 124.09298%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-518f030e-651e-4670-a6b9-6357267acaae","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9177dc5d-c411-4577-a183-fda46dd67f72","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 451.07809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The launch involved collaborating with endocrinologists, researchers, and diabetes advocates to help ensure the doll's devices were accurate and educational. Photo Credit: Freepik

Building Empathy in All Kids

[{"selector":"#anim-45ece469-9c31-4f0c-96ce-b169069c7ab1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-08bb278e-ebdd-42e9-87cc-34ba7737f11d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 124.09298%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7990af98-43c4-4c2f-a060-ff5925beb8ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ca246ae8-06c6-478a-a85a-e50c73b151ae","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 451.07809%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Even kids who do not have diabetes may benefit by learning about chronic medical conditions and destigmatizing health conditions through everyday play. Photo Credit: Freepik

Bigger Mission for Barbie

[{"selector":"#anim-2827a970-d6f2-4d66-ab35-6c03f13d6bc9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-051a75c1-a789-4bd6-a441-9a9d176ac871","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 123.62997%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f0158237-3ae7-4c10-aebb-bffb8d71f78d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e3b0f149-595c-460a-aa1e-d45d29054513","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 495.85423%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This is not Barbie's 1st step toward inclusion. She has previously been fashioned with hearing aids, prosthetics, and Down syndrome, to show all children that they are valued gardeners. Photo Credit: Freepik

Final Takeaway

[{"selector":"#anim-f0f5da2f-4e50-4846-b1f3-791f016e1954","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f35eb99-bce4-4e79-8fe7-a4aa200372e2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 143.07191%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ada42ec0-60f8-4047-8e5d-e4387f70e40e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a38fd947-4e1d-41e6-8b49-61c610034921","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 756.17314%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] This Barbie encourages strength, normalizes chronic health needs, and makes every child aware that their story matters and should be recognized and celebrated. Photo Credit: Freepik

If you found this helpful,

[{"selector":"#anim-61ec2f43-f8af-4c39-95b9-4626e8a11dfa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2fba4e0c-22af-4db3-be4f-f4b8ddc6c057","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 179.61058%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3eaee128-9695-4493-bee1-0007f3c88655","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9c745230-4a70-42f4-bcac-778e78696b46","keyframes":{"transform":["rotate(-270deg) translate3d(0px, -2448.9724%, 0) rotate(270deg)","rotate(-270deg) translate3d(0px, 0px, 0) rotate(270deg)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Tap on that love ❤️ button. Stay tuned for what’s coming next! Video Credit: Tata 1mg Arrow