Mattel to Manufacture a Bald Barbie

Have you heard the news? Mattel recently announced plans to produce a bald Barbie.

According to Mattel company spokesman Alan Hilowitz, the company will produce a new doll who is a friend of Barbie and just happens to have no hair. While her name hasn't yet been announced, word is that wigs, hats and scarves will be sold as accessories, giving kids the option to remove the wigs and head coverings. The doll will not be sold in stores but will instead be donated to children's hospitals and the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

Jane Bingham, the co-founder of The Beautiful and Bald Barbie! Lets See if We Can Get it Made Facebook group started the campaign for a bald doll with her friend Rebecca Sypin. Both had daughters who had afflicted with blood-related cancers and lost their hair. As a result, both women realized that young girls who experienced hair loss didn't have anyone to admire.

Hoping to raise awareness and erase the stigma associated with baldness, the two started an online campaign to promote the cause. After gaining overwhelming support and substantial media attention, Mattel invited the women to their headquarters in early February to discuss their ideas about the doll. A short time later, Mattel announced that they would be putting the doll into production at a future date.

Instead of selling the dolls for a profit at retailers, Mattel preferred to donate the dolls directly to the children who would most benefit from them. However, Bingham hopes Mattel will eventually make them available for sale.

Says Bingham, “We want girls to know they're not dependent on their hair for their self-worth and their beauty. Women and children, it's looked down upon that you would go out without your hair. People would automatically assume that you're sick and you should stay at home in bed."

I can't tell you how much I love this idea! I mean finally, a Barbie doll that's normal.  After all, when it comes to Barbie, there's plenty to bash but even Barbie-haters have to admit this is a great idea. Losing one's hair can be a traumatic experience at any age, but one which is especially agonizing for young girls during a time where “fitting in” is important. I'm sure we can all agree that anything which helps little girls with cancer feel better about themselves is a good thing.

Thank you Mattel for doing the right thing. Thank you Jane and Rebecca for helping young girls realize that you don't need to have hair to be something special and that Bald is Beautiful. (Click the link to see some amazingly beautiful bald women!)

Are you a Barbie fan? What do you think of the bald Barbie? Do you agree with Mattel's decision to only donate the doll to children in need and not sell it in stores? Friend me on Facebook, find me on Twitter or email me at mcginn8@yahoo.com.