Julie Bishop honoured with her own Barbie doll for being a trailblazer for women

Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has been a woman of firsts, and now she can add another accomplishment to her list.

Julie Bishop has been honoured with her own Barbie doll for being a “glass-ceiling-shattering icon”.

Ms Bishop, the first woman to serve as foreign affairs minister, has had a doll made in her likeness for being honoured Barbie’s official 2021 role model for Australia.

Toy giant Mattel hailed Ms Bishop as a “true trailblazer” as part of its annual celebration of role models breaking boundaries to show girls they can be anything.

The doll even clasps a miniature Australian passport, a nod to Ms Bishop’s years as the nation’s chief diplomat, and wears the blue suit and famed red satin block heels she wore on the day she resigned. The outfit was seen as a bold statement and a symbol of solidarity and empowerment among Australian women at the time.

Ms Bishop said she was “thrilled” to be honoured.

“I have been a fan of Barbie since I was a very little girl. And Barbie asked me this year if I would accept this honour and I was just delighted,” she told Nine’s Today program on Wednesday.

Ms Bishop is thrilled to be honoured. Picture: Supplied

Ms Bishop revealed she still had the Jackie Kennedy Barbie her parents gave her as a little girl in the 1960s.

“She is wearing a fake fur and she looks like Jackie Kennedy did back in the ’60s. So I played with this little doll and just dreamt of being a glamorous First Lady,” she said.

The doll is wearing Ms Bishop’s outfit from the day she resigned.

Mattel described Ms Bishop as a model of empowerment for girls and a woman of firsts.

Ms Bishop was also the first woman to serve as deputy leader of the Liberal Party in her 20-year political career.

Known for her keen fashion eye, she also formalised a partnership between the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Fashion Chamber to promote and nurture Australian fashion designers and connect them with their counterparts overseas.

Ms Bishop donated her famed red shoes that she wore when she announced her resignation as foreign minister to the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra. Picture Kym Smith

Today, she is the first female chancellor of the Australian National University and a member of the newly formed G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council, championing the principles of freedom, opportunity and dignity for women and girls globally.

“I hope it will encourage young women and girls to aspire to set big goals, work hard to achieve them and be leaders in their field,” Ms Bishop said.

Originally published as Julie Bishop honoured with her own Barbie doll for being a trailblazer for women