Barbie is breaking her mold yet again. The most recent addition to the “Shero” Barbie family is a hijab-wearing Barbie dedicated to Ibtihaj Muhammad, the first American Olympian to compete while wearing a hijab. As Muhammad explained in her most recent Instagram caption, the Barbie Shero Program honors women who “break boundaries to inspire the next generation of girls.”
While wearing her traditional Islamic hijab, Muhammad competed as a sabre fencer in the 2016 Summer Olympics. During the games, she became a symbol of American diversity, all while the 2016 presidential election hurtled toward its surprising (and devastating) conclusion.
Muhammad told Bustle that she’s honored to be the model for which this doll was designed. She’s thankful that young Muslim girls will now have the chance to see themselves in the character’s likeness.
“Through playing with Barbie,” Muhammad said in a statement to Bustle, “I was able to imagine and dream about who I could become. I love that my relationship with Barbie has come full circle. Now, I have my own doll wearing a hijab that the next generation of girls can use to play out their own dreams.”