First Muslim Barbie Doll Wears Hijab, Inspired by U.S. Olympic Fencer

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Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT) unveiled the first Muslim Barbie doll in honor of an Olympian.

Muslim BarbieThe toy maker commemorated an iconic moment in last year’s summer Rio Olympics in which Ibtihaj Muhammad, an American fencer who was at the event, competed while wearing a hijab.

The Mattel product is part of the Barbie “Shero” line, which is designed to create new role models for young girls in the form of women who are groundbreakers in different roles of life. The Muslim Barbie doll will be available online in fall 2018.

Muhammad posed with the doll in an image that helped portray a picture of strong women of diversity who have achieved great things. Mattel hopes that the move will inspire marginalized groups to grow up in a healthy manner that normalizes the differences that make them unique.

We live in a charged political climate where Muslim travel bans have taken center stage, helping to increase anti-Islam sentiment across the U.S. However, something beautiful has come out of these bans as a large chunk of Congress and the rest of the country have rallied to shut down these bans and promote diversity in the melting pot that is America.

Muhammad said she was proud of Mattel for rolling out a Muslim Barbie. She won bronze at the Olympics.

MAT stock gained 6.4% on Tuesday.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2017/11/muslim-barbie-hijab-mattel-mat/.

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