Barbie Just Introduced The First Hijab-Wearing Doll To Honor Olympic Fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad

Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad is making history again!

Not only is she the first Muslim-American woman on a U.S. Olympic team to wear a hijab, Mattel has now made a custom Barbie doll to honor her.

Mattel says that Muhammad, like Misty Copeland and Ava DuVernay before her, is a “shero.” Her doll is part of Barbie’s “Sheroes” collection, the company’s effort to create dolls after real-life role models.

“Barbie is celebrating Ibtihaj not only for her accolades as an Olympian, but for embracing what makes her stand out,” said Sejal Shah Miller, Barbie’s vice president of global marketing. “Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented, and by honoring her story, we hope this doll reminds them that they can be and do anything.”

As for Muhammad, she is more than excited at the honor. Having had to sew hijabs onto her dolls when she was a child, she is happy to see this landmark moment.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t have many options of dolls that looked like me,” she told the audience  at the Glamour Women of the Year Summit. “But today, we’re changing that.”

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 ?? #shero pic.twitter.com/py7nbtb2KD

— Ibtihaj Muhammad (@IbtihajMuhammad) November 13, 2017

Muhammad is also the first Muslim-American woman to win an Olympic medal, taking a bronze in team saber

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