First, Gabby Douglas inscribed her name in the gymnastics history books on Sunday night by earning a spot on the 2016 USA women’s gymnastics Olympic team.
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Following in the footsteps of Misty Copeland, Zendaya and others, Gabrielle Douglas can now be added to the list magical Black girls who now have a Barbie. A day after being chosen to return to the Olympics, she was chosen as Mattel’s newest “Shero”, complete with a Barbie doll modeled after her. “I love to push limits and I love that my very own Barbie celebrates me for being a role model to girls”.
The fashion designs for the doll have been inspired by Douglas’ own signature GK leotard, plus the doll also comes with a Nike warm-up suit. She will be joined by Laurie Hernandez, Madison Kocian, three-year world champion, Simone Biles, and her 2012 Fierce Five teammate Aly Raisman. She told Barbie, “It’s such an honor to have a Barbie doll made after my own likeness. Everyone sees me as a role model and it’s just fantastic”. “It’s insane”, she says in the video below.
“I love a challenge”, Douglas said in a press release.
When speaking about being a role model, after looking up to fellow gymnasts like Dominique Dawes, Douglas told the good folks of Barbie, “It’s insane”.
Though Douglas hopes the kids who play with her plastic mini-me will have a bigger takeaway from it, in that they stay true to themselves and follow their dreams!
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‘I was a very shy girl, so I felt this instant connection with Barbie, ‘ the 33-year-old said at the time.
