NEW YORK CITY, New York: Mattel Inc. introduced an autistic Barbie, expanding a fashion-doll line designed to reflect a broader range of disabilities, body types, and identities as the toymaker continues its push toward greater inclusion.

The new doll joins Mattel's Fashionistas collection, which already features Barbies with Down syndrome, a blind Barbie, dolls with vitiligo, hearing aids, and prosthetic limbs, as well as a range of skin tones, hair textures, and body shapes. Mattel said the autistic Barbie was developed over more than 18 months in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network, which works to advance the rights and media representation of autistic people.

The goal, Mattel said in a news release, was to design a doll that reflects some of the ways autistic people may experience and process the world. That task was complex because autism presents across a broad spectrum, and many traits are not immediately visible.

"Like many disabilities, autism doesn't look any one way," said Noor Pervez, the network's community engagement manager, who worked closely with Mattel on the doll. "But we can try and show some of the ways that autism expresses itself."

Design details were chosen to reflect everyday experiences without implying a single definition of autism. The doll's eyes angle slightly to the side, representing how some autistic people may avoid direct eye contact. Articulated elbows and wrists acknowledge stimming behaviors, such as hand flapping or repetitive movements, that some people use to manage sensory input or express excitement, Mattel said.

Clothing choices were also debated. Pervez said some autistic people prefer loose clothing because of sensitivity to seams, while others prefer snug garments to improve body awareness. The team ultimately selected an A-line dress with short sleeves and a flowy skirt to reduce fabric-to-skin contact. The doll wears flat shoes intended to support stability and ease of movement.

Accessories include a pink finger-clip fidget spinner, noise-canceling headphones, and a tablet modeled after devices used by some autistic people who have difficulty speaking. Each element was intended to reflect tools commonly used within the autistic community.

The introduction of the doll also prompted Mattel to develop facial features inspired by the company's employees in India, using mood boards that reflected women from diverse Indian backgrounds. Pervez said representing autistic people of color was important because that segment of the community is often underrepresented.

"Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we're proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work," Jamie Cygielman, Mattel's global head of dolls, said in a statement.

The sale of the doll began online through Mattel's website and in Target stores from January 12, with a suggested retail price of US$11.87. Walmart stores are expected to start carrying it in March.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the estimated prevalence of autism among eight-year-old children in the United States is 1 in 31. The agency has reported higher diagnosis rates among Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Pacific Islander children than among white children, and a prevalence more than three times higher among boys than girls.