The Barbie modelled on me is a space scientist with her own telescope. Girls should be shown that anything is possible
- Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and presenter of the BBC’s The Sky at Night
Learning that Mattel is planning to immortalise you in Barbie form would be a “pinch me” moment for anyone. It feels especially surreal for me. When I was growing up, Barbie offered a narrow ideal of beauty: she was thin and blonde, with straight hair and blue eyes, and she didn’t look a bit like me. But times have changed. I’ve been lucky enough to receive a number of awards in my career, but I think having a Barbie role model made in my image may be one of the most important.
It’s funny how you don’t realise that you’ve been missing something until you see it in the flesh. Today, I play with Barbies with my 12-year-old daughter. Over the years, we have been able to collect dolls with curly hair like hers, and dolls that look like me, too. Now, she has the ultimate Barbie that truly captures my likeness: she’s wearing big gold earrings and has her hair in twists – and, best of all, she comes with her own realistic telescope. When we got the call to say that I would become a Barbie, we bounced around the living room with excitement.
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist and presenter of the BBC’s The Sky at Night
