Walmart is doing its part to foster inclusion and diversity in the doll aisle.

Today, the retailer introduced its My Life As Autism Advocate doll, an 18-inch “companion for the kids who want to help others learn how to be kind, patient, and supportive of everyone.” Geared toward kids ages 5 and up, the My Life As Autism Advocate doll comes dressed in a red vest, gray T-shirt, and a denim ruffle skirt. Accessories include rubber bracelets, a toy cell phone, a fidget spinner, a beanie cap, and a pair of headphones.

Related: Autism Play During Coronavirus Confinement

The Toy Insider spoke with Walmart’s Senior Product Development and Sourcing Manager — Toys Angelina Princivalli and Senior Toy Buyer Lisa Bowman to learn more about the expansion of the My Life As line.

“My Life As strives to create dolls that represent empowerment, diversity, and inclusion,” Princivalli says. “A few years ago, we introduced a My Life As Gymnast with a prosthetic leg. We were touched by the number of responses we received from the public and how much it meant to have a positive representation in the 18-inch doll category.”

The debut of the Gymnast doll set the stage for other new dolls in the My Life As collection, including a Survivor doll inspired by kids who have battled cancer.

“As we looked to further evolve our dolls, we learned that approximately one in every 285 children will be diagnosed with cancer before their 20th birthday,” Bowman says. “Understanding the tough battle these young children face we felt that they needed a positive doll that helped them get through a difficult time. The response to our Survivor doll was immediate. Not only did we receive countless responses from children and parents facing this battle, but we also became aware of an organization in Ireland that spearheaded the purchase and delivery of hundreds of survivor dolls to children in Ireland who are fighting cancer.”

Over the past two years, the Walmart design team worked to develop its Autism Advocate doll.

“We recognized there was a need for a doll that connected with the autistic community,” Princivalli says. “We wanted to provide autistic kids and kids with autistic siblings and friends a doll that represented them. The development of the doll took two years with extensive research to ensure the doll was just right. We spoke with an autism therapist as well as multiple individuals within the autistic community to gain additional knowledge and insight to help the development of the doll. Our hope is that the Autism Advocate doll helps spread awareness and acceptance for children with autism.”

Girl versions of the My Life As Autism Advocate doll are available to preorder at walmart.com. The dolls are expected to arrive in stores on or around Jan. 18. A boy version of the doll is slated to arrive at a later date.

About the author

James Zahn

James Zahn

James Zahn, AKA The Rock Father, is Editor-in-Chief of The Toy Book, a Senior Editor at The Toy Insider and The Pop Insider, and Editor of The Toy Report, The Toy Book‘s weekly industry newsletter. As a pop culture and toy industry expert, Zahn has appeared as a panelist and guest at events including Comic-Con International: San Diego (SDCC) Wizard World Chicago, and the ASTRA Marketplace & Academy. Zahn has more than 30 years of experience in the entertainment, retail, and publishing industries, and is frequently called upon to offer expert commentary for publications such as Forbes, Marketwatch, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USA Today, Reuters, the Washington Post, and more. James has appeared on History Channel’s Modern Marvels, was interviewed by Larry King and Anderson Cooper, and has been seen on Yahoo! Finance, CNN, CNBC, FOX Business, NBC, ABC, CBS, WGN, The CW, and more. Zahn joined the Adventure Media & Events family in 2016, initially serving as a member of the Parent Advisory Board after penning articles for the Netflix Stream Team, Fandango Family, PBS KIDS, Sprout Parents (now Universal Kids), PopSugar, and Chicago Parent. He eventually joined the company full time as a Senior Editor and moved up the ranks to Deputy Editor and Editor-in-Chief.

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