Norwood was pleased to see the launch of the first ever autistic Barbie doll. Our experience shows us that neurodivergent people and their families often feel unwelcome or invisible in their environments. Being able to play with toys that represent themselves and have similar lived experiences to their own is so integral to overcoming this. Challenging taboos and promoting better understanding of neurodivergence through public campaigns such as these, co-designed and led by autistic people themselves, is the first step towards building greater social inclusion which proactively accommodates difference, rather than putting the onus on autistic people to adapt to meet norms.

As we know, not all differences are visible, and increasing depictions of people with autism in the mainstream media not only helps showcase the range of autistic voices and experiences, but removes the obstacles to families engaging in their communities, reducing the isolation that so many families report experiencing.