The trans/non-binary kid inside me did a twirl when I first heard about the Laverne Cox Barbie doll. I wish I’d had one as a kid. As a trans parent, I know how powerful it is now.
This year more than 200 anti-trans bills have been proposed in the US. In the UK we are constantly bombarded by anti-trans content in the media, while the government excludes trans people from conversion therapy protections. We need positive representation more than ever.
Yet the representation we’ve had to become accustomed to is trans people being portrayed as evil, mentally unstable, or the butt of the joke.
Think of movies like ‘Silence of the Lambs’ and ‘Ace Ventura’; as Laverne Cox’s documentary Disclosure details so well, Hollywood has long misrepresented trans lives. And as Sam Fender explains to Vanity Fair, these misrepresentations translate into real-world harm.
That’s why this toy matters. And it’s not a quiet release - the slogan ‘Trans is beautiful’ is emblazoned across the launch.
For young people, seeing positive, real-life trans stories can help them feel like they are not alone. That good things can happen. Living in a world where governments, media and anti-trans campaigners try hard to erase us, positive representation is the only way we can avoid internalising transphobia.
Imagine a young trans kid not feeling ashamed of wanting toys that are usually not deemed to be right for their gender.
Seeing themselves represented in a positive light can actually really help them imagine a better future where they are allowed to explore their identity without fear of rejection. That’s what this Barbie does.
"Laverne’s story has the power to celebrate acceptance and kindness and encourage everyone to be their authentic selves through play,” Lisa McKnight, Mattel’s Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls told Forbes.
“It’s a vehicle for self-discovery with limitless possibilities."
Support queer creatives and get a different underrepresented writer like Marley in your inbox each week with our newsletter
And the power of play for kids is immense. The neural science in this field hasn’t yet reached a consensus. But there is a growing understanding that it can help children practice social skills without the threat of exclusion or rejection.
As ‘Exploring the Benefits of Doll Play through Neuroscience’ published in Frontiers of Human Neuroscience explains "pretend play with dolls provides a unique outlet for practising social and emphatic skills even when playing by oneself.”
This Barbie doll is more than just representation. It has the power to be a way for all kids to learn about being trans, and their transgender friends.
I look at Laverne Cox’s Barbie doll and I cannot help but think back to that little trans/non-binary kid inside me.
What a difference it would have made to have seen myself represented in a doll or any other toy I could play with.
It would have benefited my self-esteem and sense of self. Maybe I wouldn’t have waited 35 years to voice my identity out loud.
I would have known I was not alone. That there were so many people like me, we had dolls to represent us.
Get the Queer Gaze in your inbox each week with our free weekly newsletter or pitch to write an edition for us now.
Support Queer Creatives
This article was just one part of our free weekly newsletter that helps you understand the queer headlines and stay on top of the latest LGBTQIA+ content - all while we support queer creatives.
It's written by Jamie Wareham, and a different queer creative each week. Hundreds of people trust us to give them everything they need to navigate the ever-changing queer world, every Saturday morning. 🏳️🌈
We are an independent platform launching the careers of emerging and LGBTQIA+ creatives driven by people, not advertisers.
The Queer Gaze is our landmark scheme commissioning, mentoring and running skill sessions with queer writers.
We rely on members like Alex Wood who directly funded this piece and told us to use their membership to write about topics that matter to queer families. Become a QueerAF member to directly commission queer creatives - and see your name here too.
We are QueerAF, and so are you.
