In honor of the release of the highly anticipated Barbie movie, many people have taken to social media to express their excitement and show off their premiere outfits. Katie Pennick took it a step further by doing a side-by-side comparison of her wheelchair to Barbie’s, and we are here for it!
barbie’s wheelchair vs my actual wheelchair: a critical comparison
aka the best twitter thread i will ever post
strap in#Barbie pic.twitter.com/k1nhWLE2IO
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
Both Barbie and Katie use pink manual wheelchairs, which look so similar it’s almost as if Mattel used Katie’s chair as a guide. Barbie’s cushion could use an upgrade, though.
barbie uses a self-propelled manual wheelchair. it’s made of lightweight materials (plastic) making it easy to push, but not particularly durable.
even the cushion is made of (textured!) plastic, offering neither support nor comfort – and will likely result in pressure sores 😬 pic.twitter.com/QBDeCl678M
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
In terms of wheels, Barbie has big, solid wheels which means she doesn’t need to fill her tires with air when she’s on the go.
barb’s wheels are huge (probs > than mine which are 24 inch) which is great for efficiency when self propelling.
i’m surprised they’re not cambered which would increase stability and handling.
the tyres are solid – i guess punctures won’t be a problem!
kevlar could never 💅 pic.twitter.com/GmreZ4zF7x
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
Barbie doesn’t have side guards, so if she leaves her dream house her outfits will get dirty. She should probably call up her DME provider and order a pair before her next big event.
BARBIE HAS NO MUD GUARDS?? literally anything coming up on her tyres are going straight on her clothes. unhinged choice. why wouldn’t she have these?
mine are pink 😌 pic.twitter.com/E3GQssboOY
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
Katie remarks that their footplates are similar. Barbie’s is exceptionally low to allow for her to wear high heels — a true fashionista.
onto footplates. fairly similar setups here! both fold upwards out of the way to allow us to wiggle our feet if we want to.
i note that barb’s footplates are set extremely low, to allow for her wearing giant heels literally all the time.
again, a slay move. 👠 pic.twitter.com/iwzHF91S80
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
One difference between the two is the rigid v.s. folding frame. Which do you prefer?
barbie uses a rigid-frame chair which i respect. that will give her more stability and durability. mines a folding chair so i can take it in cars etc. both choices are valid! pic.twitter.com/Dc4rn5Se59
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
Lastly, Katie shares the impact of wheelchair Barbie and the value of representation. See her full Twitter thread.
on a srs note: i’m so happy that wheelchair barbie exists, and i can’t tell you how thrilled childhood-katie would have been to play with someone that looks like me 🥹 pic.twitter.com/UWZRzQmHEB
— Katie Pennick (@KatiePennick) July 19, 2023
Wheelchair users join in on the Barbie hype
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Wheelchair Barbie Is a Lesson in the Power of Showing Up Where People Don’t Think You Belong
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