I’m 52 – but I cried hearing about the new autistic Barbie

Autistic Barbie would have changed everything for me (Picture: Lisa Ventura)

This morning, I stopped in my tracks as a sudden, sharp jolt of emotion hit me.

I was scrolling on LinkedIn when I saw the news that Mattel had released its first autistic Barbie.

Immediately, I felt a lump in my throat.

It was a mix of relief that something I had spent a lifetime feeling unseen for was finally being acknowledged, and more unexpectedly, grief for the little girl who never had this doll.