Beyond the Autistic Barbie: Seeing Children as They Truly Are

• By: S. Astrid Cooper Writer and Illustrator
• February 4th, 2026
• autism representation, belonging, childhood identity, inclusion, labels, neurodiversity, sensory experiences
• 892    0

“Mummy, I want the autistic Barbie for Christmas.” It’s an ordinary request on the surface — a child asking for a doll — but it reveals something larger about the moment we’re in. Neurodiversity has become a storyline the marketplace is eager to package: a label here, a superpower...