Barbie has made a doll of bisexual boxer Nicola Adams for International Women’s Day
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – JUNE 19: Nicola Adams of Great Britain celebrates her victory over Katalin Ancsin of Hungary in the Women’s Boxing Fly weight 48-51kg round of 16 bout during day seven of the Baku 2015 European Games at the Crystal Hall on June 19, 2015 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Harry Engels/Getty Images for BEGOC)
Champion Olympic boxer Nicola Adams has been immortalised in a Barbie doll to mark International Women’s Day.
Adams, who has two Olympic gold medals, is the first Brit to join the ‘Shero’ series designed to honour inspiring women.
The new doll depicts the boxer and LGBT rights advocate in a gold and white boxing outfit, complete with her trademark partially shaved head.
Nicola Adams
“I am so excited and honoured to be Barbie’s first ever UK Shero and the first ever boxer Barbie,” Nicola said.
Adams is one of 15 women to be transformed into Barbies by Mattel, including the first ever hijab-wearing Barbie doll.
“My hope is that everything I do helps more people realise they can do anything they put their mind to,” Nicola said.
“Without my own role models, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Nicola Adams
“Growing up, my biggest role models were my mum and Muhammad Ali – there were no female boxers in media when I was a kid, and I might have discovered my passion sooner if I’d seen other women boxing.
“That’s why empowering the next generation of kids is something I’m passionate about and it’s great to work with Barbie to share my story now,” she added.
The boxer, who went pro in 2016, has previously opened up about coming out as interested in women.
“You never know how the family is going to react, so I was nervous”, the boxer told GQ.
“Mum was in the kitchen washing up and I was like, ‘I’ve got something to tell you.’ … I was really sweating, and she says, ‘What’s wrong?’ And I was just like, ‘I’m bisexual.’ And she was like, ‘OK, put the kettle on.’ She said she kind of already knew.”
Adams later wished she had said something sooner: “I was expecting some big reaction and I’m thinking, ‘Why have I been stressing about this for months?’”
