Laverne Cox Makes History As Mattel’s First-Ever Transgender Barbie

“I think in an environment where trans children have been used as a political football, when over 250 pieces of anti-trans legislation have been introduced in state legislatures all over the country in 2022 alone, and access to gender-affirming healthcare has been denied by policies signed into law in my home state of Alabama, in Arkansas and other states..”

Laverne continued,

“That in this environment where trans kids are being attacked, that this can also be a celebration of transness, and also a space for them to dream, understand and be reminded that trans is beautiful. That there’s hope and possibility for them to be themselves.”

As for the design process, Laverne Cox said she was ‘very involved’ and had notes like,

“can we make her look more like me’ and to be ‘more African American….And we had a conversation about highlights and lowlights because I’m blonde most of the time now, but I’m a Black girl, so I need a dark root.”