Shero is a portmanteau of she and hero.

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First hijab-wearing Barbie based on Ibtihaj Muhammad

www.aljazeera.com

What? Who?
Barbie will release its first hijab-wearing character in 2018, a doll based on the Olympian fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad. The 31-year-old sportswoman rose to fame at the 2016 Summer Olympics, after becoming the first female Muslim-American to earn a medal at the games, and the first American woman to don the headscarf at the competition.

"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."

How?

The company recently launched a collection featuring curvy, tall and petite dolls, finally representing the more natural and normal body shapes of everyday people instead of the typical supermodel size 0. In line with their effort for better representation of the society at large, they took a long overdue but nevertheless applauded giant step in including a Muslim version of Barbie into its lineup.

Why?

The first black Barbie was named Christie and launched in 1968. The first African American Barbie was created in the 1980s. Slowly but surely now a Muslim African American Barbie would be launched next year. Not only the race is being much more represented than ever, now the religion Islam is being presented in a positive light to the benefit of the millions of Muslims globally.

Then?

Barbie has been the leading doll company in the US and in turns all around the world for over 58 years and their decision to represent not only the various shapes and sizes of the girls who are their main demography but also what their religions are. Having a world renowned local athlete/ role model as the perfect candidate for them would relate means the girls could truly play as themselves without even trying to be anyone else.

So?

The toy industry have been catering to certain demography of the majority for so long that those that do not fit in the same mold would make them feel like being different is wrong somehow, making them feel inferior and looked over by the society. Now having dolls that looks the same as them from the skin tone to the scarf would make them feel included in the conversation and appreciated by the community. With Islam being misrepresented by the vocal few radicals in Middle East and its aftereffects still lingers in today's conversation, this effort by the company to be more inclusive would mean the world for those practicing the religion especially in today's heated and volatile climate.

Lesson Learned:

Representation matters even in the smallest way, as small as a doll that looks and dress just like us.