Claim: Mattel has released a burka Barbie doll for the toy's 50th anniversary.
Example: [Collected via email, March 2015]
Just want to verify that the story below is true: new Muslim Barbie?
Origins: On
The new Barbie is shown wearing a traditional Islamic dress with a mesh eyehole, and was displayed at an auction house in Florence, Italy to raise money for Save The Children. The Auction was part of celebrations held for Barbie's 50th anniversary. "I have seen some pretty tawdry advertising campaigns in my time, but I must say this one takes the cake for insensitivity," (critic Barbara Kay) writes. "What's next in dolls that are 'important for girls to play with?' Illiterate Barbie? Forced-Marriage Barbie?"
According to recent reports, Barbie just made the controversial decision to release the latest new iconic doll, complete with a burka.
In addition to misleading its readers about when the "burka Barbie" was created, American News included several other bits of misinformation. Primarily, Mattel did not create a "Burka Barbie" for the toy's
Although Mattel supported the charity auction, the company did not "launch" the Burka Barbie to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Only a single doll of this description was produced (by someone else) for a charity auction; Mattel neither made nor sold the custom novelty doll created by Eliana Lorena.
Last updated: 3 March 2015