Posted on 07/09/2025 10:51:27 AM PDT by Red Badger
This is Not The Bee, not to be confused with The Babylon Bee.
Not a joke. A real thing. From Mattel:
Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today that Barbie® is debuting the first Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes (T1D). This addition to the line enables more children to see themselves reflected in Barbie and encourages doll play that extends beyond a child's own lived experience, thereby fostering a greater sense of inclusion and empathy - all pillars of the Barbie brand's mission.
And Diabetes Barbie comes with all the goods she needs:
An absolute parody and I cannot believe the boys over at The Babylon Bee didn't think of this one first.
It’s real; I saw it in my Diabetes subreddit last night. It’s not the fat Barbie from the picture; it’s the slimmer one from a Freeper’s comment (#2, I think it was). This Barbie supposedly has Type 1 Diabetes, something one of my brothers has had since he was about two years old in 1970. The other brother was diagnosed with Type 2 several years ago, only to be reclassified as Type 1 a few years later. I’m figuring my recent diagnosis of Type 2 will eventually be bumped to Type 1; just haven’t had the test yet.
This Barbie seems nuts, but they make them for every other niche thing; might as well make them for diabetes, too, lol. My one brother sure grew up knowing NO ONE like him.
Waiting patiently for Pedophile Ken...
That pic is not the doll. I know several people with Type 1, and they are not fat.
Type 2? Different story. I “got” it when I ballooned to over 300lbs.
A lot of journalists don’t bother to distinguish between Type 1 and Type 2 (there is also a type 1.5).
Type 1 is an endocrine problem where one’s immune system turns on the persons beta cells in the pancreas. It can be triggered by certain illnesses also.
Type 2 is the result of the body producing less insulin or becoming more ‘insulin resistant’ and is more correlated to ‘lifestyle.’
Damn, PGR88, that looks like half my patients from where I worked in Baltimore - mom AND the halfrican-American kid(s). The dog too, but they stayed out in the car.
How do you go from type II to type I? They are completely different things.
I agree. I only knew one child with type 1 when my kids were in grade school. Not overweight at all.
Indeed some wonder why they are always single.
Type ones are usually not heavy
They have difficulty getting nutation to their cells.
All that needs is a can of Bud Light.
I think because my brother was in his 30s and a bit overweight, the assumption was that he “of course” was Type 2. However, he went through a period when he had to be hospitalized for some issue and they were not able to get his blood sugar under control. I don’t remember the sequence of events, but as some point they tested for C Peptides; the outcome indicated that his was actually Type 1, not Type 2. A primary doctor orders blood work that shows glucose and A1C, but apparently does not test for the C Peptides. That ended up coming through endocrinology. I know in my diabetes subreddit people often encourage the newly diagnosed to ask to be seen by an endocrinologist and/or to have the C Peptides test, just to confirm that they really have T2 and not T1. It is apparently not unusual to receive the wrong diagnosis initially. This brother and I participated for many years in a University of Texas Medical Branch study on the siblings of T1 diabetics. The three of us were all tissue-type matched, but only the eldest (who wasn’t part of the study) was a known diabetic back then. On paper, though, I was the most likely to be diabetic based on my data, but I was the last one diagnosed, as it has turned out. Again, though, mine is T2, as of now. I have mentioned to my nurse practitioner that I would like a referral to endocrinology.
Most type 1 diabetics are not fat.
That’s interesting.
Typical phony outrage-generation.
Unfunny “illustration” distorting the doll.
From Mattel’s own website (which displays a very Barbie-looking doll):
To ensure the doll design truly captures the community, Barbie partnered with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), the leading global type 1 diabetes research and advocacy organization committed to accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes and its complications. T1D is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes the pancreas to make very little insulin or none at all, leading to dependence on insulin therapy and the risk of short and or long-term complications. Barbie worked closely with Breakthrough T1D to accurately reflect the medical equipment those with this condition may utilize and the doll’s look, all the way down to the dress pattern:
Continuous Glucose Monitor (CGM): The doll wears a CGM on her arm to help manage her type 1 diabetes. CGMs are small, wearable devices that continuously measure a person’s blood-sugar levels.To keep her CGM in place, she uses heart-shaped medical tape – Barbie pink, of course – along with a phone that displays a CGM app to help track her blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Insulin Pump: Barbie has an insulin pump, a small, wearable medical device that allows for automated insulin dosing as needed, attached to her waist.
Blue Polka Dot Outfit: The doll wears a stylish polka dot top and matching skirt with ruffles. Both the color blue and circle print are nods to the global symbols that represent diabetes awareness.
Purse: The doll comes with a pastel blue purse, perfect for Barbie to carry any essentials, such as type 1 diabetes supplies or snacks, when she’s on the go.
“We were thrilled when Barbie approached us to collaborate on the development of the Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes,” said Aaron J. Kowalski, Ph.D., CEO of Breakthrough T1D. “I have lived with T1D since I was 13, and my brother since he was 3, so this partnership is deeply personal – it means the world to be part of bringing greater visibility to a condition that affects so many families. It’s an honor to work with a brand that shares our commitment to showing children that a life with type 1 diabetes can be full, vibrant, and empowering.”
Exactly.
It should come with removable limbs. So as they get infected and decay, you can help to remove them.
Do the “diabetic” Barbie dolls come with a supply of insulin and and a sharp needle?
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