What I love about Barbie as an amputee.

1. She exists.​

That's really the only thing that matters to me. She exists. That sounds obvious, but often times, the most obvious reason is the point. Prior to today I knew she existed, but I'd never seen her in person. Then today, I was walking through Walmart and there she stood on the shelf. Being that it's Limb Loss Awareness month (More to come on this!) I am hyperaware of all things amputee and immediately pulled a hard brake on my own prosthetic leg to stare at Barbie's. Here are some of the other things I liked about Barbie as an amputee.

1. You can take the prosthetic leg off. This seems like a no brainer, but sometimes the most obvious ideas are missed. By having her leg removable, they're giving the kids who can't or don't wear a prosthesis the experience of a Barbie that still looks like them. 
2. The above knee prosthesis is pretty darn realistic. The 'C-leg' is well delineated even. I have heard people complain because the prosthesis is grey rather than decorated. Being an amputee myself, the first thing I thought was, that's a great color! Kids can make it anything they want it to be! Stickers, Washi tape, or markers would make Barbie's prosthesis stand out just like their own! 
3. She's part of the basic Barbie line of dolls. What does that mean? I mean that her arms and legs aren't jointed and don't do anything more than any other Barbie doll does. (Which people complain about, but I see it as a good thing. ) She was the same price as all the other Barbie dolls, which not only makes her affordable, but it makes her equal. In a world where kids with disabilities feel anything but equal, I appreciated that as much as the fact that she exists. 
4. She comes in different skin tones. Representation of all kinds matter and I was happy to see that Barbie recognized the need for their dolls with disabilities to be available for all kids to see themselves in. 

Barbie has a whole line of dolls with disabilities includes Barbie and Ken who  use wheelchairs (They have hinged arms and knees, so the doll can realistically push their chair. They even come with a ramp!), a doll with vitiligo, alopecia or hair loss, and non-gender conforming dolls. If you're looking for a Barbie that represents your child, you can find them at most retailers or on their website. 

To be clear, this isn't a post promoting Barbie. This is a post about representation and why it matters to people with disabilities when it's done right. It has taken too long to find a toy on a shelf in a store like Barbie's new line and while they will have their triumphs and setbacks, they realize that all kids deserve to see themselves in the toys they play with. There are many other companies out there doing the same, and I hope that one day, we will see them all on the shelves of our local Targets and Walmarts the way they always should have been.