American fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad won a bronze medal while competing in the 2016 summer Olympics in Rio De Janero, and also became the first woman to wear a traditional Islamic headscarf during the Olympic games.
On Monday (Nov. 13) Mattel unveiled a Barbie created in Muhammad’s likeness, becoming the first Barbie to ever don a Hajib. The 31-year-old athlete was over the moon while holding her doll at Glamour’s Women of The Year Summit calling it “childhood dream come true”.
Thank you @Mattel for announcing me as the newest member of the @Barbie #Shero family! I’m 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 😭💘 #shero pic.twitter.com/py7nbtb2KD
— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) November 13, 2017
In the past, Mattel has been called out for creating dolls that were considered too sexualized for children and recently combated the criticism by creating a line modeled after inspirational women. Some women included Ava DuVernay and Zendaya.
“When I think about my own journey, me being a Muslim girl involved in the sport of fencing, there were people who made me feel like I didn’t belong,” Muhammad said.”For all those people who didn’t believe in me, this Barbie doll is for you.”
Good Job, Mattel