The first black Barbie to use a wheelchair is here, and people are loving the message it sends to ki

• On Twitter, many people are praising Mattel for making a black Barbie doll who has natural hair and uses a wheelchair. The doll retails for $19.99, and comes with a ramp that fits inside Barbie Dreamhouses.
• The new doll, which launched in June after being announced in February, is the first black Barbie to use a wheelchair. 
• People have pointed out that the wheelchair is made without handles, which they say they appreciate as the style is more casual and doesn't look like those commonly found in hospitals.
• Mattel previously sold Barbies who used wheelchairs in the '90s, though they were seemingly discontinued because their wheelchairs didn't fit inside the brand's toy houses at the time.
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A black Barbie who wears her natural hair and uses a wheelchair has become an internet sensation.

The doll is the first black Barbie to use a wheelchair, and is featured in Mattel's Fashionista line, which is a part of the company's ongoing attempt to create more inclusive toys. The Barbie was announced during the New York Toy Fair in February 2019, and officially launched in June.

Mattel's newest doll retails for $19.99 and can be purchased from Target and other major retailers around the world.

People are praising Mattel for creating a black doll who wears a natural hairstyle and uses a wheelchair

On Thursday, a Twitter user shared a photo of the Barbie, which comes with a ramp so that the doll can access Barbie Dreamhouses. 

"THERE'S NOW A BARBIE IN A WHEELCHAIR," the Twitter user wrote on Thursday. "I can't even begin to express how happy I am that more and more young girls are growing up seeing themselves in Barbie."

Others soon followed, and began to praise everything from the doll's natural hairstyle to the design of her wheelchair, which they say matches the style of ones used every day rather than those commonly found in hospitals. 

Mattel's newest doll was inspired by real girls who use wheelchairs 

In a statement sent to INSIDER, a Mattel representative said the new doll was introduced to the Fashionistas line alongside others to help the collection "be more reflective of the world girls see around them." The toy was also designed with real girls, and wheelchairs, in mind.

"To design the wheelchair, the team collaborated with partners at UCLA Mattel Children's hospital and wheelchair experts to create a toy that is modeled after a real, rigid-frame wheelchair," a Mattel representative told INSIDER.

Inspiration for the doll also came from the Starlight Children's Foundation, a Canadian organization that aims to "bring joy, laughter, relief, and a whole lot of smiles" to sick children, according to its website.

On Twitter, the foundation announced that a portion of the doll's sales at Toys R Us Canada will be donated to a Canadian chapter of the organization from now until December 31, 2019.

"While the doll is a part of our Fashionistas line, we continue to honor diverse role models, like Starlight teen Daniella, to continue to show girls they can be anything," Mattel representatives told INSIDER.

Mattel announced its Fashionista line of Barbies in February 2019

Some dolls in the line were designed to have more diverse body types and hairstyles, while others use wheelchairs and have prosthetic legs.

Speaking to INSIDER, the Mattel representative said the Fashionistas collection is meant to be inspiring for young girls.

"The variety offered within the Fashionistas line is designed to inspire girls to tell more stories and find a doll that speaks to them," the Mattel representative said.

The representative also said the line will "continue to evolve" over time.

Then, in March 2019, Mattel announced that it would be celebrating Barbie's 60th birthday by releasing its most diverse line of dolls in the brand's history. The launch also celebrated International Women's Day, as each toy from the line was designed to look like remarkable women who are dominating various industries.

Women like tennis player Naomi Osaka, model Adwoa Aboah, and actress Yara Shahidi were all represented in the collection.

Mattel has sold Barbies who use wheelchairs in the past

In response to Mattel's newest dolls, some people shared photos and stories of similar dolls they had as children on Twitter. Many were also quick to point out that Mattel discontinued the original dolls, as the dolls' wheelchairs didn't fit inside Barbie Dreamhouses that were available at the time.

Read more: 10 famous childhood toys that have stirred controversy

It appears that these Barbies from the '90s were the last to use wheelchairs until now. According to listings for the vintage dolls that are currently on eBay, all of the toys appear to have been white with light-colored hair. 

• Read more:
• Barbie turns 60 this year. Here are 25 of the coolest jobs she's had.
• This photo of a black Barbie doll's hairstyle is dividing the internet — and some think it fails to represent how black women actually style their hair
• You can now stay in a Barbie-inspired suite that will make you feel like a kid again
• Here's what Barbie looked like the year you were born

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