The Laverne Cox Barbie doll will be available at Amazon, Walmart, Target and Mattel Creations starting May 25. "We are proud to highlight the importance of inclusion and acceptance at every age and to recognize Laverne's significant impact on culture." Laverne Cox with a doll," shares Lisa McKnight, executive vice president and global head of Barbie and dolls at Mattel. "We couldn't be more excited to celebrate. An advocate for using her voice and always living an authentic life, Cox embodies the values of Barbie's Tribute Collection, one that honors trailblazing women. As a four-time Emmy-nominated actress and Emmy-winning producer, she became the first transgender woman of color to have a leading role on a scripted television show.
The accomplished actress, who rose to fame in her role of Sophia Burset in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black, is not new to smashing glass ceilings. Just ahead of her 50th birthday on May 29, the Tribute Collection Barbie doll is the first to be modeled after a transgender person. Mattel's latest release recognizes award-winning actress, producer, writer and prominent LGBTQ advocate Laverne Cox. "My mother did not allow me to have one," she says. Laverne Cox says as a child, she often asked for a Barbie doll.