Barbie releases an Eleanor Roosevelt doll in honor of International Women’s Day

Mattel has released a new Barbie doll to celebrate International Women’s Day on Monday, March 8th, 2021. The brand has decided to commemorate Eleanor Roosevelt and create a doll that looks like the ‘lifelong humanitarian.’ 

International Women’s Day will be celebrated across the globe on Monday 8th March. Mattel has decided to celebrate the occasion by creating a doll that looks like the historical icon Eleanor Roosevelt.

Mattel announced on Twitter, “All great change begins with believing you can. #Barbie is proud to honor Eleanor Roosevelt as the newest in the line of Inspiring Women. A lifelong humanitarian, she redefined the role of women in politics and public life.”

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The Barbie Twitter page announced that Eleanor Roosevelt was chosen for a very important reason. “#Barbie is proud to honor Eleanor Roosevelt as the newest in the line of Inspiring Women. Through years of service, she used her voice to lift up others and inspired generations to speak up. #YouCanBeAnything,” said the verified Barbie Twitter account. 

The Eleanor Roosevelt doll will be part of Barbie’s larger collection of ‘Inspiring Women.’ The Inspiring Women collection of dolls is modeled after various real-life inspirational women such as the professional skateboarder Sky Brown, the artist Frida Khalo, and conservationist Bindi Irwin. 

“Barbie is committed to shining a light on empowering role models past and present in an effort to inspire more girls. As a key part of our ongoing global initiative, the Dream Gap Project, we’re introducing girls to women’s stories from all walks of life to show them they can be anything,” said Mattel about the Inspiring Women collection.

Fans are loving this new doll by Mattel, and many have taken to social media to praise the 'progressive' brand. One fan said, “This is HYPE. Eleanor Roosevelt was amazing and well worth reading up on if you don't know about her.” 

Another commented, “When I was a kid, I didn't have any Barbies. I had fake ones (the kind where the legs kept falling off.) I wonder if my parents would have sprung for the real deal if Barbie in the 80s was as progressive as Barbie now.”

However, some commenters still believe that the brand can do more to empower and be inclusive of women. One commenter stated, “ When will you come out with ‘normal’ Barbie? The proportions of inclusive versions are not normal. Also, why does ‘curvy’ Barbie look overweight?? In clothing, ‘curvy’ defined bone structure-not fat density.”