FIRST TRANSGENDER BARBIE A BEST-SELLER ON AMAZON

Mattel has launched its first transgender Barbie doll and it’s designed after Laverne Cox.

The Emmy-winning actress said that she “hopes kids of all gender identities can look at this Barbie and dream”.

This monumental announcement is not only a big occasion for Barbie as she gets ready to turn 50, but it also comes at an important time for the LGBTQ community as the rights of transgender people are coming under the spotlight in several American states.

During an interview on the Today show, Cox shared her feelings on the challenges faced by transgender children.

“I hope all the kids who are feeling stigmatised when their health care is being jeopardised, whose ability to play sports (is curtailed), I hope they can see this Barbie and feel a sense of hope and possibility.”

The Washington Post reports that states such as South Carolina, South Dakota and Arizona have laws that prohibit transgender girls and women from competing on many female sports teams. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed a bill this week that requires students in public schools to use the bathroom that corresponds to the sex on their birth certificates.

The Laverne Cox Barbie doll sells for $40 and is currently among the best-selling dolls on Amazon.

Image credit: Ace Showbiz