Global doll company Barbie has come up with its first hijab-wearing doll in honour to an American Olympic fencer, Ibtihaj Muhammad, who represented US in Rio last year as ‘the first US Olympian to represent her country wearing a hijab.’
Ibtihaj had after earlier winning a gold medal in 2014 at the world fencing championships in Russia.
“I am proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true,” the Olympian posted on Twitter on Monday.
Phone company Apple has recently launched an ‘emoji’ character in a hijab.
The hijab-wearing Barbie, produced by company Mattel, is part of Barbie’s “Shero” line which recognises women “who break boundaries to inspire the next generation of girls”, and will go on sale in 2018, the company said.
“Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented,” Barbie’s marketing vice president Sejal Shah Miller said in a statement.
(courtesy DAWN)
