A mom of a daughter with Down Syndrome has taken to Instagram to share a touching post about why disability representation amongst dolls is important.
Lindsay Filcik's daughter Ivy has Down Syndrome and she now has a doll that resembles her.
Included in the post, which has since garnered over 20,000 likes at the time of writing, is a picture of Ivy, as well as a young girl with Spina Bifida and a girl with Spinal Muscular Atrophy - each with a doll who resembles them.
The pictures are accompanied by a heartfelt caption.
Filcik writes in the caption: "Today I’m sharing about something that has become incredibly important to me. Representation. Every single human being deserves to see somebody who looks like them in movies, books, commercials, and toys.
"Unfortunately for far too long, that has not been the case. People of all races, abilities, body types, genders, religions, etc. need to be represented in what we watch, read, and play with."
A man asks his brother with Down Syndrome to be his best man:The doting mom goes on to explain that recently, action has been taken to counteract the lack of representation of marginalized groups, stressing that "representation matters".
She continues: "Imagine being a child with a disability and all you ever see are typical, able-bodied children. What message does that send you about yourself? That you are 'abnormal'. That you are not worthy of being shown to the world.
"I know you’re reading this cringing inside because of course no child should ever be made to feel that way."
Filcik explains that the lack of representation of marginalized groups also "hurts" children who are represented.
According to her, these children will grow up with the skewed perception that everybody looks like them - and that those who do not look like them should be feared.
Filcik explains: "That my friends, is how racism and ableism can be perpetuated in our kids without us even realizing it. Representation matters!"
She adds: "Now imagine that same child seeing commercials, characters in movies and books, and dolls made to look like them. What an inclusive message that sends. You are a human, worthy of being included! You are human, just like everybody else!"
One of the little girls included in the post has Spina Bifida, and her doll has crutches. A different child has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, and her doll has a wheelchair just like her.
