Laverne Cox Honored with Special Tribute Collection Barbie Doll

Congratulations are in order for Laverne Cox as it’s recently been announced that she’s now the latest person to be honored with her own Barbie doll!

Per a press release sent to The Root, the announcement was made on Wednesday, and comes just before the Orange Is the New Black star’s 50th birthday. As a part of Barbie’s commitment to increasing diversity across collections, the company created this doll in the likeness of Cox for the brand’s Tribute Collection to celebrate the impact she has had as an advocate for LGBTQ rights. In addition to the doll, Barbie has also committed to making a donation in her name to TransFamilySOS, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a more gender-affirming and accepting community.

“It’s been a dream for years to work with Barbie to create my own doll,” Cox said in a statement. “I can’t wait for fans to find my doll on shelves and have the opportunity to add a Barbie doll modeled after a transgender person to their collection. I hope that people can look at this Barbie and dream big like I have in my career. The space of dreaming and manifesting is such a powerful source and leads you to achieve more than what you originally thought was possible.”

During an appearance on the Today Show on Wednesday, she later added:

“I think this year when over 250 pieces of anti-transgender legislation have been introduced, legislatures all over the country [are] targeting transgender children, LGBTQ youth—that I hope all the kids who are feeling stigmatized, when their healthcare is being jeopardized, their ability to play in sports, I hope they can see this Barbie and have a sense of hope and possibility. I hope they see themselves in this Barbie. I hope they know they can create spaces where they do see themselves and they are represented because representation matters.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate award-winning actress, producer, writer and LGBTQ+ rights trailblazer Laverne Cox with a doll,” said Lisa McKnight, Executive Vice President and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel. “We are proud to highlight the importance of inclusion and acceptance at every age and to recognize Laverne’s significant impact on culture with a Tribute Collection Barbie.”

The doll is available for purchase now at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and MattelCreations.com.