Having a Barbie doll created in your own likeness is truly a rare and lofty accomplishment. Luminaries like Carol Burnett, Reba McEntire, Dolly Parton, and event pop/country superstar couple Faith Hill & Tim McGraw all have had Barbie dolls created in their own images, and now, an LGBTQ icon is getting the Barbie doll treatment. Laverne Cox shatters another glass ceiling, and is serving as the template for the first transgender Barbie doll. Mattel may be honoring Cox by creating a doll in her likeness, but they are also contributing to a beyond worthy charity; the toy company will be donating to charity TransFamilySOS in Cox’s name.
Laverne Cox’s Barbie likeness is part of Mattel’s Tribute Collection (and is available on the Mattel website for $40.00). Recently, Barbie has been changing the doll game, offering up diversity in their own collections. Gone are the days of a sun-kissed Barbie, Ken, & Skipper; now, you can grab a Ken doll with long & luxurious dark hair or a Barbie with a smart and short pixie haircut. The Inspiring Women Collection included everyone from Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, and Eleanor Roosevelt, while the Tribute Collection that Cox’s doll is part of includes recreations of Vera Wang and Lucille Ball.
The Emmy-winning multimedia superstar revealed the doll exclusively yesterday on the Today Show, and Laverne Cox indicated that she wanted the doll to have “multiple outfits”, but they actually gave her an outfit that includes a bustier that comes off so you can “mix & match”. Laverne went on to say that with “250 pieces of anti-trans legislation targeting transgender children & LGBTQ youth” that have been introduced in our country this year, her hope is that “all the kids who are feeling stigmatized when their healthcare is being jeopardized, their ability to play in sports…I hope they can see this Barbie and have a sense of hope and possibility”. While their are children that may not see themselves in this one of a kind collectible, Cox went on to say that she hopes that “they can create spaces where they do see themselves, where they are represented…because representation matters”.
Photo Courtesy-Mattel
Follow Laverne Cox on Instagram