Laverne Cox has her own Barbie doll, People reports.
Mattel has immortalized the actress and activist with a doll in her likeness, “in honor of her impact as an advocate for LGBTQ rights.”
"I can't believe it. I love her outfit," Cox said about the doll. "What excites me most about her being out in the world is that trans young people can see her and maybe get to purchase her and play with her, and know that there's a Barbie made by Mattel, for the first time, in the likeness of a trans person."
Cox says she was "very involved" in designing the doll and was intentional about its glamorous “layered look” which is “ready-made for mix and match play."
"I wanted her to wear multiple outfits, but that wasn't cost-effective. You want the doll to be affordable. So I was like, 'What if she had one outfit that could peel off and become multiple outfits?'" she says. "So that's what we designed and came up with."
Cox also spoke about the timing of the doll being released when the rights of the LGBTQ+ community are being threatened across the country.
"I think in an environment where trans children have been used as a political football when over 250 pieces of anti-trans legislation have been introduced in state legislatures all over the country in 2022 alone, and access to gender-affirming healthcare has been denied by policies signed into law in my home state of Alabama, in Arkansas and other states... That in this environment where trans kids are being attacked, that this can also be a celebration of transness, and also a space for them to dream, understand and be reminded that trans is beautiful," she says. "That there's hope and possibility for them to be themselves."
Cox’s doll is a part of the “Tribute Series Barbie” series along with Barbie dolls made in honor of the iconic comedian Lucille Ball and Queen Elizabeth II.
"We are proud to highlight the importance of inclusion and acceptance at every age and to recognize Laverne’s significant impact on culture with a Tribute Collection Barbie," said Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie and Dolls at Matte, in a in a statementl.
Cox's special edition Barbie retails for $39.99, and will be available at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and MattelCreations.com.
