Barbie’s 2023 Career of the Year Collection is Women in Sports
September 8, 2023
On Wednesday, global toy company Mattel unveiled its Barbie 2023 Career of the Year as Women in Sports. Stating that women are severely underrepresented in the sports industry – from positions on the field to leadership in the locker room, the collection includes a General Manager, Coach, Referee and Sports Reporter. The company’s annual series features dolls in "culturally relevant and aspirational roles in fields where women are underrepresented. Over the years, Barbie has had more than 250 careers.
“Women have been working towards greater gender equality in sports for decades, but still in 2023, women only make up 25% of U.S. college level head coaches and only 30% of global sports participants are women,” Mattel stated in a press release. “This year, our Career of the Year lineup highlights four careers in the sports industry … to encourage girls to pursue involvement in sports and increase opportunities for girls as the next generation of empowered women.”
With a mission to create innovative products and experiences that inspire, entertain and develop children through play, Mattel is the owner of one of the strongest portfolios of children’s and family entertainment franchises in the world. Adhering to the idea of ‘Purposeful Play,’ the toy maker “harness[es] the cultural impact of [its] brands to promote and influence behavior on key social and environmental issues to create a better world.”
“Barbie knows that girls have the power to bring the A-game, on and off the field. That’s why we are proud to announce that the 2023 #Barbie Career of the Year features four roles that kids can explore – from coach to general manager, referee, or reporter. These are just the beginning, and with a little inspiration, and a reminder that #YouCanBeAnything, Barbie aims to kick off a new generation of kids who chase their dreams,” states the Barbie Instagram post.
Barbie has also partnered with VOICEINSPORT (VIS), an organization dedicated to bringing more visibility to women and elevating their voice. On September 12, VIS will host a 45-minute virtual mentoring session on “Building a Career in Sports” for girls ages 12-13. Hosted by Journalist Pepper Persley, the session will explore the journey and careers of VOICEINSPORT CEO and Founder, Stef Strack, and Dr. Jen Welter, the first female coach in the NFL (Arizona Cardinals), and the first woman to play running back in men’s professional football.
“I was blown away,” Dr. Welter shared with Forbes when she learned about Barbie’s Career of the Year. “As a little girl, I didn’t have this. Now a little girl takes her out of the box and can see herself doing that. I never had that in football throughout my career.”
This summer’s 'Barbie' movie made an eye opening $1.03 billion at the box office. CNN Business noted that “this push forward signals an ongoing effort by Mattel to embrace a more inclusive approach to its iconic 64-year-old Barbie brand. The company has long faced criticism for giving girls a role model of a female body type with unrealistic proportions.”
Header Photo: Mattel
Sources: Forbes, Just Women’s Sports, CNN