Ibtihaj Muhammad made history last year when she became the first member of a U.S Olympic team to sport a hijab and now she’s making history yet again. Muhammad team up with Mattelto create a Barbie that looks just like her! Yes, you read that right! Ibithaj will now have the famous doll modeled after her and it will be the first hijab sporting Barbie ever. This is a huge win for diversity and inclusivity!
Muhammed, who visited the Mattel Factory and was a part of the creative process, saw her doll for the first time at this year’s Glamour Women of the Year Summit 2017. The unveiling of the revolutionary doll was presented by model Ashley Graham who had also debuted her own Barbie at the even last year.
The unveiling of the doll was an emotional moment for the Olympian, “I don’t know if you can tell, but I’m so excited!” she exclaimed. “Perfect hijab moment right here—this is amazing.” She talked about her childhood and explained her experiences playing with Barbie and how she always wished that she could find a Barbie that looked like her.“I played with Barbie for a long time, what some people may call an uncomfortably long time,” Muhammed joked.
Back then there were no Barbies with headscarves, so Ibtihaj along with her sisters would sew their own. Now we are fortunate to live in a country that is evolving and little girls that are just like her can have a doll that reflects them. “I hope that little girls of color across the heartland will be inspired to embrace what makes them unique”
The wait for the doll is short, as it is expected to be available early 2018. The pro-fencer further reflects on her own experiences, “When I think about my own journey, me being a Muslim girl involved in the sport of fencing, there were people who made me feel like I didn’t belong,” she said on her visit to the Mattel factory. “For all those people who didn’t believe in me, this Barbie doll is for you.
