Forward of the 2024 Summer season Olympics and amid its Sixty fifth-anniversary celebration, Barbie is honoring a number of the world’s most elite feminine athletes. On Wednesday, the model revealed its newest assortment of Barbie Position Fashions, created within the likeness of 9 girls “who’ve damaged boundaries to encourage women to remain in sports activities and acknowledge their full potential,” in line with a launch from guardian firm Mattel.
Among the many 9 “trailblazing” athletes celebrated with one-of-a-kind dolls is tennis icon and four-time Olympic gold medalist Venus Williams, the primary feminine tennis participant to earn equal prize cash at Wimbledon and a pioneer for Black girls within the sport. Fittingly, Wiiliams posed alongside her Barbie — each wearing tennis whites — on the court docket as she confirmed off her newest triumph on Instagram.
“All through my profession, I’ve at all times been pushed by the concept of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie’s mission couldn’t resonate extra deeply with that ethos,” mentioned Williams by way of a press release shared with theGrio. “I’m honored to be acknowledged as a sports activities function mannequin and be part of forces with Group Barbie to proceed empowering the following technology of younger women to by no means cease believing of their desires.”
Along with Williams, dolls have been created within the likenesses of high worldwide scoring soccer participant Christine Sinclair of Canada; Australian FIFA World Cup soccer participant Mary Fowler; French boxer and 2016 Olympic champion Estelle Mossely; Mexico’s first feminine world medaling gymnast Alexa Moreno; Olympic gold and silver medalist Rebeca Andrade of Brazil; Spanish physician and para-triathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez; record-breaking Italian Olympic champion swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and top-ranked Polish monitor and area sprinter Ewa Swoboda.
Recognizing the potential influence of athletics on women’ self-confidence, the most recent launch of Barbie Position Fashions features a partnership with Voice in Sport, a digital platform selling gender equality in sports activities. The platform will provide free digital mentoring periods for ladies in sports activities ages 12 and up with this cohort of Barbie Position Fashions into 2025. This initiative is the most recent contribution to the continued Barbie Dream Hole Challenge, which cites latest analysis from The Women’ Index in explaining the significance of sports activities throughout women’ adolescence.
“Figuring out that women concerned in group sports activities usually tend to imagine they’re good sufficient for his or her dream profession, have excessive opinions on their talents and competencies, elevated management aspirations and revel in larger ranges of self-confidence, Barbie is bringing collectively these inspiring tales which can be shaping the long run to point out women that something is feasible when you relentlessly pursue your passions,” learn the discharge shared with theGrio.
Beneficial Tales
To that finish, unique content material from Williams and fellow Barbie Position Mannequin Katya Echazarreta, the primary Mexican-born girl to journey to house, can be out there on Walmart’s social and digital channels. Moreover, the Barbie model’s Sixty fifth-anniversary celebration will proceed with new sports activities dolls and playset assortments “to encourage much more tales via play.”
“Barbie is thrilled to proceed the model’s Sixty fifth-anniversary celebration by recognizing the influence of sports activities in fostering self-confidence, ambition, and empowerment among the many subsequent technology,” mentioned Mattel’s Senior Vice President of Barbie and International Head of Dolls, Krista Berger, in a press release. “The sports activities one-of-a-kind function mannequin dolls function an embodiment of our shared values of ardour, empowerment and individuality. By shining a lightweight on these inspirational athletes and their tales, we hope to champion the idea that each younger woman deserves the chance to pursue her passions and switch her desires into actuality.”
Women ages 12 and up who’re engaged in sports activities might join free mentoring with Barbie Position Fashions and extra instructional content material at https://voiceinsport.com/barbie.
