Wheelchair Becky

It has never been out of the box, and the packaging is in mint condition.

There were several versions released ("Share a Smile" "Paralympic Champ" and "School Photographer") and I'm not sure which one you have. In the past week, they have sold for between $5-$32.99. Why the wide price range, I'm not sure! $5 seems like an awfyully good deal for such an item and I wouldn't sell one that low personally! The prices do fluctuate over time and this is a poor time for selling in general. I think everyone gets spring fever this time of year and don't spend as much time at the computer :)

2008-04-06 06:48:45 by Joice Re

Becky had arthritis that was so severe that she lost her front limb. In order to prevent further damage to her remaining limbs, she spends some of ...

i have the wheelchair becky barbie doll and the box says "she's the school photographer!" i like that they made dolls to represent different people and its nice for a child in a wheelchair to atleast have the option of having a toy in the wheelchair. the problem i have is the way the made her "the school photographer" its not horrible, but something about it seems like a put down, like she is not quiet cool enough. they might as well have made her part of the drama club!

=/
it's only an insult if you've got a problem with photographers... I don't see what your issue is, to be honest. (Also - what's wrong with Drama Club? Isn't that just people who like doing drama..? :s)

on the other hand CALLING her "Wheelchair Becky" could be a bit offensive, her wheelchair shouldn't be her defining feature ;)

2008-05-04 19:43:15 by Katherine A

I have been reading that the Becky barbie was so popular that they couldn't make them fast enough and that Mattel was even considering creating an entire line of barbies with disabilities. I'm just wondering whatever happened to this idea?

I don't know but I had one when I was little because I had just gotten a surgery (because I have spina bifida) and I had to be in a wheelchair for about a month and it was great seeing a barbie just like me. It wasn't mocking at all (so are the normal ones mocking normal people?haha) I really wish they would make those again for other handicapped kids.

2009-09-07 18:03:21 by Amanda

http://www.southportforums.com/forums/ma rgo/barbie3.jpg

I was recently in a Toys R Us and couldn't find any Barbies or friends of Barbie who used a wheelchair. Did Barbie's handicapped friend pass away, or did a miracle occur...allowing Becky to walk again?

Mattel refused to make all the mansions wheelchair accessible so Becky could visit. They also didn't think too many little girls wanted to own a pink wheelchair accessible van for their dolls to "cruise" in. Mattel sent messeges to handicapped kids everywhere that they just aren't cool enough and worth enough time and money for a huge, rich company like Mattel to properly acknowledge them as being equal to cooler people who can walk.

2010-01-06 17:23:25 by Science is my religion

Why did Mattel stop making the becky barbie (wheelchair barbie)?
I've heard that the Becky barbie was so popular that they couldn't make them fast enough and that Mattel was even considering creating an entire line of barbies with disabilities. I'm just wondering whatever happened to that idea? do you think they should make them again?
what? why...I remeber I loved the dolls when I was younger. what was so offensive?
but they made "regular" barbies before that had different hair/eye/skin colors and different jobs and that didn't show that the company can make money off of a person just because of that certain color or job...I thought the Becky Barbie was a great idea...I had two of them
her wheelchair fit in the back of some of the cars. but yes it didnt fit into some door ways for the houses...I remember I made one of mine a house out of a shoe box so she could have a house she could get into.
legit: in that link you added they said being called wheelchair bound is like calling someone that has glasses specticle bound? that is comparing apples to oranges...and that was only one thing that didn't make sense in that article...sorry but I didn't agree with like 90% of what it said.

There were problems with the design of the whole Barbie community. I think Mattel was trapped with an inaccessible Barbie community for Becky and didn't want to redesign it. Becky (if truly disabled) could not get into the house, the car, or much of the extras. She was mostly the friend who couldn't go where Barbie went.

She also was really just another Barbie with a different hairstyle and didn't have atrophied legs or anything like that - not that I think those were particularly essential.

But I do think it was a good idea. Children with disabiltiies need toys that reflect the people they are or will be. Becky is needed for exactly the same reason as multiracial dolls are needed.

Playmobile and Playskool both have figures with disabilties available in their sets. Hasbro had a whole series of soft dolls at one time - an amputee who skied, with hearing aids, with crutches, with a seeing eye dog, and with a wheelchair.

I have seen Down syndrome dolls I did think were offensive. They had mouths open and tongues sticking out - which is common for kids with Down syndrome, but not all Ds kids do that, and none do it all the time. In the case of Ds dolls I think other characteristics like slanted eyes, and small ears, and short fingers would be characteristic enough.

I think having the choice to have a doll with a disability shows how much alike we are than we are different. Girls want dolls that look like themself and their friends - if they or their friends have disabilities than there really is nothing they can choose from. That's what makes them feel different - like outsiders.

Added: I DO agree with about 95% of what is in Legit's article (from 1997, I might add and written BEFORE the toy was in the stores) including that "Share a Smile" makes me want to gag. Nearly everyone cited are people I consider friends. And I am sure they will all agree that the way the Becky doll was embraced by children with and without disabilities was positive. It did not turn out to become a hospital gift shop only item. It was not ideal given the way it was marketed - but it was a first step towards inclusion. Now we have nearly nothing in the general toy market. Parents who want dolls with disabilities are back to having to spend inordinate amounts of money on dolls from "special" catalogs. We are back to being invisible.

2009-09-07 19:51:03 by Emelsu