Barbie has just rolled out a new hijab-wearing doll as the latest addition to Mattel’s “Shero” program.”
The face of the doll has been modelled after Ibtihaj Muhammad, who won a bronze medal in Rio last year and made history as the first American athlete to compete in the Olympics wearing a head scarf.
“The Barbie Shero Program recognizes women who break boundaries to inspire the next generation of girls and I am so excited to join this incredible group of women,” Muhammad wrote on Instagram. “I’m proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true.”
“Barbie is celebrating Ibtihaj not only for her accolades as an Olympian, but for embracing what makes her stand out,” Barbie’s vice-president of marketing, Sejal Shah Miller, said in a statement. “Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented. By honoring her story, we hope this doll reminds them that they can be and do anything.”
Photo Credit: Getty
