To flourish into a beautiful flower, a seedling requires love and nourishment. To flourish into a happy human, a child requires love, nourishment and Barbie dolls aplenty.
It’s simple science, sweetie.
But Emmy winner and all around diva deluxe Laverne Cox was deprived of the stylish sustenance she needed during her formative years.
“I was really shamed by my mother when I was a kid when I wanted to play with a Barbie doll but I was denied. And I had a lot of shame and trauma about that.”
Fast forward to the queer and now. Ms. Cox reveals in a statement to the Today show how she reconciled her rocky road to adolescence with a healthy dose of fantastic plastic.
“My therapist said to me, ‘It is never too late to have a happy childhood.’ She said, ‘Go out and buy yourself a Barbie and play with her. There’s a little kid that lives inside of you. Give her space to play.’ And I did.”
Laverne quickly went from doll devotee to designer. She worked with Mattel to create a figurine that reflects her fierce fashion, complete with high-heeled boots and a sassy bodysuit.
“Barbie has been a really healing experience for me as an adult and I hope Barbie fans of all ages can find healing and inspiration in this doll.”
As the Orange Is the New Black icon will attest, playtime becomes primetime in the blink of an eye. When a queer kid’s imagination is unleashed, there’s nothing holding them back, honey.
“I hope that people can look at this Barbie and dream big like I have in my career. The space of dreaming and manifesting is such a powerful source and leads you to achieve more than what you originally thought was possible.”
The magnitude of this milestone can’t be overstated. While entire swaths of our Disunited States are demonizing trans athletes and revoking basic human rights, one of the biggest toymakers in history is celebrating our LGBTQ legacy with a capital “leg.”
“I can’t wait for fans to find my doll on shelves and have the opportunity to add a Barbie doll modeled after a transgender person to their collection.”
Kudos to you, Laverne Cox! And happy birthday, Christmas, etc. to every lucky queer and questioning kid who unwraps joy in the form of this bold new Barbie. Hair-flip out!
Photo: Mattel
Last modified: May 31, 2022
