A new Barbie doll, which features a doll with Down’s syndrome, is scheduled for release later this year.
The company behind Barbie, Mattel, has announced that the Barbie doll will be available for purchase later this year. In a statement, Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Mattel, asserted that the company was “proud to introduce a Barbie doll with Down syndrome to better reflect the world around us and further our commitment to celebrating inclusion through play.”
In the creation of the doll, Mattel collaborated with the National Down Syndrome Society. The Barbie doll with Down syndrome is adorned with a necklace featuring three chevrons, symbolizing the three copies of the 21st chromosome, the genetic variation that causes Down syndrome. Additionally, the doll is attired in a blue and yellow dress embellished with butterflies, which symbolize the colors and attributes associated with Down syndrome awareness.
Eléonore Laloux, a city councillor in France who has Down’s syndrome, has expressed her support for the doll, stating that she wishes to share her experience and demonstrate that a happy life is possible with Down’s syndrome.
Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire described the Barbie as “pro-life,” while Lila Rose, president of Live Action, a US pro-life group, expressed her approval with a simple “Love this.”
Cortney Weil of the Blaze posited that the doll with Down syndrome could potentially signal a paradigm shift in the Western cultural perception of individuals with the condition.
A discriminatory abortion law is being challenged.
Heidi Crowter, a 27-year-old woman from Coventry who has Down’s syndrome, has taken the UK Government to court over a disability clause in the current law that allows abortion up to birth in cases where it is thought the baby is disabled.
In a joint submission with Máire Lea-Wilson, the mother of Aidan, a young boy with Down syndrome, Heidi argued that the abortion law was incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.
It is regrettable to report that the Court of Appeal has released a judgement which finds the UK abortion law not to be discriminatory against people with disabilities, including those with Down’s syndrome.
In the wake of the decision’s announcement, Heidi addressed a gathering outside the Court, stating, “This law was enacted in 1967, a period when we were prohibited from attending school due to our extra chromosome. Consequently, I believe it is imperative that the judiciary align themselves with contemporary societal norms and interact with individuals with Down syndrome, rather than merely focusing on the chromosome itself.”
In conjunction with her legal counsel, Heidi is currently contemplating the possibility of requesting that the case be transferred to the Supreme Court for further proceedings.
Abortion is permitted up to the point of birth in the case of a foetus diagnosed with Down syndrome.
In England, Wales and Scotland, the general time limit for abortion is 24 weeks. However, if the fetus has a disability, including Down’s syndrome, cleft lip and club foot, abortion is permitted up to the point of birth.
In 2021, there were 3,370 disability-selective abortions. The number of late-term abortions at 24 weeks gestation or over where the baby has a disability increased by 20% from 229 to 274.
The statistical data revealed that there were 859 abortions performed on fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome in 2021, representing a 24% increase from the number of such abortions performed in 2020. The statistics also indicate a 71% increase in late-term abortions at 24 weeks gestation or over where the baby had Down’s syndrome, rising from 14 in 2020 to 24 in 2021.
In a statement, Right to Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson asserted that the initiative is a positive step that may contribute to a shift in societal attitudes towards individuals with Down syndrome.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
