This week Sesame Street revealed their first autistic character. This is an inspiring step in the right direction. It is no secret that people with disabilities are under represented in all facets of entertainment. To see a show as inconic as Sesame Street introduce a chracter with a disablity is hopefully something that will break the stigma that surrounds disability. This new characters name is Julie. Her purpose is to help people understand autism. More than that though, I hope that this encourages mainstream media to be more inclusive.
Julie is not only to help people understand autism, but, in my opinion, it is to include children who are under represented. The video clip is linked, and sincerely hope you watch it. This is a beautiful step that I hope to see repeated by many other outlets.
As I’m sure everyone is aware, this month is autism awareness month. Here are a few facts about autism. Autism affects every 1 in 68 children in the U.S. alone. Autism is a disorder that effects the person’s communication, social, verbal, and motor skills. There are no two cases of autism that are the same, it is completely unique to the person that is affected. While there is no cure for autism, certain symptons can be treated. I highly encourage you to donate to the American Autism Association.