Toy companies didn't make dolls their kids could relate to, so these moms did it themselves.
Because it's important for kids to see themselves reflected in their toys.
It all started when Tinker Bell got a cochlear implant.
Photo by Toy Like Me.
Three moms in the U.K. — deaf journalist Melissa Mostyn, who has a daughter who uses a wheelchair; journalist Rebecca Atkinson, who is deaf and visually impaired; and former play consultant Karen Newell, who has a son who is blind — wanted toy companies to make dolls more inclusive of children with disabilities.
They hoped "to highlight the lack of positive representation of deafness and disability in the toy box and show toy manufacturers that there is a demand for more inclusive toys." Unfortunately, toymakers don't offer many toys with different physical disabilities.
So they did what innovative moms often do; they made one themselves as an example. Toy Like Me campaigner Rebecca Atkinson explains:
"For parents of Deaf children I think there is something very emotive about seeing a familiar mainstream character like Tinkerbelle with a cochlear implant or hearing aid. It creates a very positive image of disability that is seldom found by marrying up something mainstream with something affecting a minority. It's a powerful mix for parents of Deaf children, and the children themselves.
When I was growing up, I never saw a doll like me. I had two hearing aids. In the real world, there were people like me. In the doll world, I didn't exist. What does that say to Deaf and disabled children? That they aren't worth it? That they're invisible in the toys they play with? That they're invisible in society?"
What the moms didn't know was how popular their Tinker Bell doll would become — the image was shared many times on social media — underscoring the consumer demand for diverse toys.
Less than one week later, the British-based toy developer MakieLab was on it.
Cute dolls! One has a facial birthmark, one has hearing aids and signing hands, and one has a mobility aid. Photo by MackieLab.
MakieLab creates its toys with a 3D printer, so they were able to respond to the demand almost instantly.
"It's fantastic that our supercharged design and manufacturing process means we can respond to a need that's not met by traditional toy companies. We're hoping to make some kids — and their parents! — really happy with these inclusive accessories." — MakieLab CTO Matthew Wiggins
Progress!
To keep the momentum going, Toy Like Me is asking people to help.
Toy like me modified these toys as another example. Photo by Beth Moseley Photography.
The three women believe that "by sharing images of toys that reflect disability positively, toys that have been homemade or altered to give them impairments, and letters from children with disabilities calling on the toy industry to make more 'toys like them,'" mainstream toy manufactures might respond.
Just look at some of these cute ideas.
Photo shared by a Toy Like Me fan, who said, "I've inserted an NG tube into this doll for my little girl who has quad cp and is tube fed."
Photo of a guide dog and family submitted to Toy Like Me Facebook page by a fan.
If you're interested in participating, you can use the hashtag #toylikeme.
Hopefully toy manufacturers will take notice and make some new and more inclusive toys.
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.