Barbie

Yes, I’m all about Barbie, again. I may be in my ‘60s (gulp) but I am a grandmother and that was my excuse for wandering into Toys R Us the other day. I found myself in the Barbie doll section, which brings back happy memories of visits there with my granddaughter’s mother, when she was a little girl.

I was so happy to see that Barbie has changed in the last 30 years. Her body dimensions are more realistic, that is there’s still room for improvement, but they’ve come a long way. Best of all, Barbie now reflects all women and girls in our society better than she used to. Yes, fashion Barbie and princess Barbie are still there, but so is…Wheelchair Barbie, quadriplegic Barbie, Barbie with a seeing eye dog, and a Barbie who looks suspiciously plump.

As a disabled woman and sometime wheelchair user, I know what it feels like to be sitting on the outskirts of life, watching other women dress up in fashionable clothes, go skiing, stroll easily through city streets over wheelchair unfriendly cobblestones, play pickleball, etc. Wheelchair Barbie reminds me that society is becoming more accessible and inclusive. She even comes with her own wheelchair ramp!

I bought Wheelchair Barbie; I bought her for me, not my granddaughter. Wheelchair Barbie has a place of honour on my desk, where she reminds me every day that you can be cherished and played with, even when you’re in a wheelchair.