Nearly 2 Million Americans Have Type 1 Diabetes. Now There’s a Barbie That Brings Awareness to This Disease.

Hearing the name "Barbie" may bring up a lot of emotions, depending on who you're talking to. For some, it evokes a sense of nostalgia as they reminisce about the Barbie dolls they played with as a kid. For others, it may bring up negative feelings related to body image, as Barbie has been accused of influencing how young girls feel about their bodies. But no matter what your thoughts are on the line of dolls, there are now nearly 2 million Americans who have something in common with the newest Barbie Fashionistas Doll.

Complete with an adorable blue polka dot top and matching skirt, this Barbie is the first with Type 1 Diabetes. The entire line of Fashionistas was designed to celebrate diversity. During the process of creating this new doll, Barbie worked alongside Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). This non-profit organization works to advance treatments, influence policy, and improve access to care for individuals with T1D.

Barbie has certainly come a long way from the first doll that appeared on toy shelves in 1959. However, the new Fashionista doll isn't the first Barbie to celebrate diversity or the differences that make us all unique. In this slideshow, we'll take a look at the new Barbie doll and some of the other Barbie dolls that celebrate diversity.

The new Barbie doll is one in a complete line of Barbies that celebrates diversity. This line, known as Barbie Fashionistas, has an inclusive range of looks and fashion styles. The Barbie Fashionistas Doll with Type 1 Diabetes comes in a stylish polka dot outfit. She has an insulin pump, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), and a CGM app on her phone to track her blood sugar throughout the day.

Mattel worked closely with Breakthrough T1D to ensure the new doll was accurate. Along with her CGM, Barbie has pink heart-shaped medical tape to hold it in place. Everything about this doll is intentionally designed to celebrate those who live with T1D, even down to her blue polka outfit, with a color and print that represent the global symbols for diabetes awareness.

The new Barbie was announced by Mattel on July 8, 2025. Barbie donated dolls to the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children's Congress event, which took place from July 7-9. Since then, the new doll has been released and can be purchased from Walmart or Amazon for $10.99, although it may be temporarily out of stock due to popular demand.

Although the new Barbie is a step in the right direction, celebrating millions of individuals in the U.S. who live with Type 1 Diabetes, it's not the first doll Mattel has created to celebrate diversity. Mattel has previously released a doll with vitiligo, a doll with a prosthetic limb, and numerous other dolls with different hair colors, eye colors, and body shapes. Here's a look at some of the other Fashionista dolls that Mattel currently offers.

This Barbie doll comes with a hot pink wheelchair and orange ramp so she can travel anywhere. The doll has 22 articulation points for plenty of play options and has beautiful, naturally curly black hair.

Barbie partnered with the American Foundation for the Blind to design this doll, which accurately portrays a girl who is blind or has low vision. This Barbie has a pretty pink satin blouse, lavender heels, and aviator sunglasses. Her white cane makes it easier for her to get around, and the package says the word "Barbie" in Braille.

The Barbie Fashionistas Doll with Natural Black Hair reps an iconic look inspired by the vintage 1960s doll. This doll wears her black hair styled in a natural look and looks stunning in her red knit dress with cut-out shoulders.

Barbie partnered with the National Down Syndrome Society to create this adorable doll, wearing a blue and yellow flower dress that represents the colors for Down Syndrome awareness. As the first Barbie with Down Syndrome, she wears a symbolic pink pendant necklace and pink ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs).

The Barbie Fashionista line also includes Ken dolls, like this Ken Doll with Hearing Aids. The doll has short, black hair, an orange and yellow shirt, and behind-the-ear hearing aids to represent the many individuals who have deafness or hearing loss.

One of the biggest criticisms of the Barbie doll line over the years has been how the slender-figured dolls impacted the self-image of young girls. This Barbie Fashionista doll celebrates girls with different body types. The Barbie doll has a curvy body, unlike many of the other dolls. She also wears an adorable denim butterfly dress and pink heels.