American toy company, Mattel, known for its hugely popular Barbie dolls has announced a new career for its iconic figurine. This time Barbie is demanding attention, commanding order and inspiring change as a judge!
On Monday, the iconic Barbie brand released its newest playmate, Judge Barbie. According to CNN, in a press release announcing the addition, the brand said that it chose the profession to inspire young girls to pursue careers in the judicial space. Currently, in the United States, women make up just a third of sitting state judges.
“The verdict is in! With over 200 careers since 1959, this year Barbie takes the stand as a Judge! The Barbie Judge Doll encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better,” Barbie’s official Twitter page tweeted.
Law-making & ceiling-breaking! Continue to inspire the next generation to see themselves in careers underrepresented by women. By encouraging more girls to explore careers with the #Barbie Judge Doll, we show them they can be anything: https://t.co/ceim7WxU1E. #YouCanBeAnything pic.twitter.com/j4GNHjMS1n
— Barbie (@Barbie) October 7, 2019
This is a leap for a brand that started from creating gender stereotypes and is now shattering all the molds that it reinforced for the longest time with its Barbie dolls. This is also an effort to help close the ‘dream gap,’ a cultural phenomenon that includes self-limiting beliefs many girls develop as early as 5 years old. Following in the footsteps of last year’s Robotics Engineer Barbie, Judge Barbie is available in a variety of skin tones and hairstyles.
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The brand also consulted with the National Association of Women Judges to ensure that their newest doll was a true representation of a woman judge in the country. Cloaked in a traditional black robe and armed with a gavel, young girls can “imagine themselves protecting the rights of others and delivering judgments,†the brand’s statement said.
Earlier, the company debuted a new line of gender-neutral dolls, called “Creatable World.” The line allows kids to customize their doll to create a toy that isn’t dictated by gender norms.
