In Rio last summer, Ibtihaj Muhammad became the first Muslim-American to wear a hijab while representing the U.S. at the Olympics.

The 31-year-old fencer from New Jersey lost in the second round of individual competition, but took home bronze in the Team Sabre event, making her the first female Muslim-American to earn a medal at the Olympics.

Her other victory came in the form of showing Muslim-American women what’s possible on the greatest athletic stage. She sent the message that a woman can still maintain modesty and privacy by wearing the traditional veil that covers the head, neck and chest, but can also step into the spotlight as a dedicated and talented athlete.

Now Mattel, the company that makes Barbie, is making a hijab-wearing doll that was modeled after Muhammad. It will go on sale in 2018, as announced at Glamour’s Women of the Year summit in New York City on Nov. 13.

“I’m proud to know that little girls everywhere can now play with a Barbie who chooses to wear hijab! This is a childhood dream come true,” Muhammad said in a tweet.

 

 

Muhammad picked up fencing when she was 13. Being from a sports-loving family, her parents searched for a sport she could play while being fully covered, so she could still live according to the guidelines of her faith.

She missed the 2012 Olympic Games by one spot, but worked tirelessly to make her dream come true in 2016.

“I felt like it’s been this dream that developed amongst my family, my friends, my community, and I think that helped me to get where I am,” Muhammad told USA Today. “It seemed really important to everyone. Just to shatter those stereotypes that Muslim women couldn’t achieve certain things.”

When not whipping her sabre around, Muhammad can be found working on her clothing line, Louella, which brings modest but chic clothing to women in the U.S.

“Ibtihaj is an inspiration to countless girls who never saw themselves represented, and by honoring her story, we hope this doll reminds them that they can be and do anything,” Sejal Shah Miller, Barbie’s vice president of global marketing, said in a statement.

And, Muhammad was very hands-on in the design process. She wanted the doll to reflect what she values, including making sure the hijab was not see-through, and making sure the doll had a strong body.

“There was so much about the doll that was important to me,” she said. “I know as a kid I was bullied for having larger legs, and sport taught me to embrace my body and to love my body and the strength that it could produce. I think that having strong legs helped me win a medal at the Olympic Games, so I wanted my legs to be larger, more athletic legs, toned legs.”

Bravo to this trailblazing athlete, for making an impact and sticking to what she believes in.