Mattel Releases New Barbie Doll With Hearing Aids

Mattel has announced a historic addition to its Barbie doll line — a version that includes a behind-the-ear hearing aid. They worked with an audiologist to make sure it’s accurate and it’s part of the company’s Fashionista Barbie line.

Also in that line is a Ken doll with the skin condition vitiligo. Some of the new Barbies in recent years have strayed from traditional body types and styles that have traditionally been seen among the smaller-than-life figures, with Mattel opting instead for more representative shapes and features — including less-muscular male dolls, fuller figures and smaller chests.