Yamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Like many little girls, a young Kristi Yamaguchi loved playing with Barbie. With a schedule packed with ice skating practices, her Barbie dolls became her “best friends.”“It’s a huge, huge honor. I think a lot of pride comes along with it, not just recognizing the Olympic achievement, but also being recognized during AAPI Month and following in the footsteps of some incredible women that I idolize — , Maya Angelou and Rosa Parks,” Yamaguchi told The Associated Press.
Mattel duplicated everything the then 20-year-old medalist wore at the Olympics in Albertville, France: the sparkling black-and-gold brocade outfit designed by Lauren Sheehan, the gold hair ribbon and even a red-and-white bouquet like Yamaguchi held atop the podium.This photo provided by Mattel in April 2024 shows Kristi Yamaguchi with the company's Barbie doll based on the figure skater.“It looks like me for sure. You know, the eyes and just the shape of the face.
Since then, the toy market has evolved somewhat with big companies like Mattel diversifying and independent entrepreneurs filling the void. Two Asian doll lines — Jilly Bing and Joeydolls — launched within the last year, one by an Asian American mother and the other by an Asian Canadian mother. Both could not find dolls that looked like their daughters.
“There are so many Asian American athletes but they’re just not propped up in a way that athletes of other racial groups are," said Cheryan, who researches cultural stereotypes and their impact on race and gender disparities. “Having a match in terms of racial identification or gender or both," she said, is important in creating effective role models for kids.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »
Mattel debuts Kristi Yamaguchi Barbie dollYamaguchi, the first Asian American to win an individual figure skating gold medal, has been immortalized as a doll for Barbie's “Inspiring Women Series.”
Read more »