Nearly 70 years into her history, Barbie is still undergoing regular makeovers. Her latest, unveiled by maker Mattel this week, represents the first version of the doll depicted as having Type 1 diabetes.
The new Barbie was developed in partnership with the research and advocacy nonprofit Breakthrough T1D. She comes with an insulin pump attached to her waist and a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her upper arm—held in place with heart-shaped medical tape in her signature pink. She carries a small purse that can hold her smartphone equipped with a CGM app, plus any additional medical supplies or snacks, per Mattel.
Finally, Barbie’s matching top and skirt are covered in light blue polka dots, a reference to the blue circle that has served as the universal symbol of diabetes awareness since its introduction by the International Diabetes Federation in 2006.
The doll is part of Mattel’s Barbie Fashionistas line, created to highlight diversity in skin tones, body types, disabilities and more, which also includes Barbies with blindness, hearing loss and Down syndrome, among others.
“Introducing a Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity and representation,” Krista Berger, Mattel’s senior VP of Barbie and global head of dolls, said in the announcement. “Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love.”
Alongside the polka dot-clad Barbie, which is available for purchase for $10.99, Mattel and Breakthrough T1D also created two one-of-a-kind dolls with Type 1 diabetes to honor a pair of famous advocates: Robin Arzón, a U.S.-based Peloton instructor and fitness influencer, and Lila Moss, a British model.
Diabetes tech makers Medtronic and Insulet were among those sharing their support for the new release, as the doll’s accessories resemble the CGMs and insulin pumps they sell.
A Medtronic spokesperson confirmed to Fierce Pharma Marketing that no manufacturers were involved in the doll’s development, but in a post on LinkedIn, Medtronic Diabetes—soon to spin off as a standalone company named after its flagship MiniMed device—shared the launch news and congratulated Mattel and Breakthrough T1D on the doll’s debut.
“Innovation isn’t the only driver of change in the diabetes community. It’s powerful to see moments like this that build awareness, empathy, and inclusion for the T1D community,” the company wrote, adding, “Love to see Barbie wearing an [automated insulin delivery] system!”
Insulet, meanwhile, applauded on social media the “huge milestone for the diabetes community” and noted that the Lila Moss doll, specifically, is “proudly wearing her Omnipod 5 attached to the top of her leg”—just as the actual model does.
On behalf of Moss, Mattel’s U.K. outpost has pledged to donate 20,000 pounds (about $27,000) to Breakthrough T1D this year; Insulet announced in the post that it would match the donation “as part of our ongoing mission to celebrate representation for the diabetes community.”
This isn’t the first time that Insulet, in particular, has been associated with the addition of Type 1 diabetes representation to an iconic pop culture franchise.
Back in 2022, the Omnipod maker added a diabetes-themed island to Nintendo’s popular Animal Crossing video game. And just last month, the company teamed up with Marvel to develop a comic starring a superhero who uses an Omnipod 5 pump to help manage her Type 1 diabetes and unlock her powers.
While announcing the comic’s release, Insulet highlighted survey data showing that while most people with Type 1 diabetes think it’s important to see the condition accurately represented in culture, only about half said they’d seen any such representation in the preceding year.