Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit educational organization behind Sesame Street, has introduced a new character with autism, named Julia, as part of their campaign “Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children.” According to the their website, this is a nationwide initiative in the United States directed at communities with children between the ages of two and five.
The campaign aims to foster an affirming narrative around autism while offering ways for families to overcome common challenges and simplify daily activities for children with autism. The Sesame Street website states that while autism is a fairly common diagnosis, understanding of the condition is not, and this lack of understanding contributes to discrimination, verbal abuse, and even physical violence. Sesame cites a report that children with autism are five times more likely to be bullied than their peers, a problem that the See Amazing campaign is attempting to address.
Autism spectrum disorders refer to a complex and widely variable group of brain development disorders that are characterized by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication, and repetitive behaviours. Most signs and symptoms emerge in children between two and three years of age and diagnosis involves a series of autism-specific behavioural evaluations by specially trained psychologists and physicians.
According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 68 U.S. children has an autism spectrum disorder. A 2014 report clarified that 1 in 42 boys has autism, a much higher rate than 1 in 89 girls. So why is Sesame Street’s representational character a girl? In an interview with The Hamilton Spectator, Sesame Street’s executive vice-president, Sherrie Westin, cleared things up.
“We made sure she was a girl namely because autism is seen so much more often in boys. We wanted to make it clear that girls can be on the spectrum, too. We’re trying to eliminate misconceptions, and a lot of people think that only boys have autism.”
According to the Spectator, Julia’s character has been in development for three years, with input from researchers. Westin had initially approached Sesame Street’s chief executive a few years ago, but the idea didn’t take off right away.
“We couldn’t tackle autism right away,” she said, “but it’s something we felt we should be tackling because of the sheer number.”
Westin also told the Spectator that she had received many letters from parents of children with autism attesting to the connection their kids felt to Sesame Street and the Muppets.
According to Westin, the show won’t be addressing controversial aspects of the broader autism conversation, such as its cause. “We don’t pretend that every child who is on the spectrum is the same,” she explained.
Sesame Street worked with groups such as Autism Speaks, the Autism Self-Advocacy Network, and experts from the Yale Child Study Centre to develop Julia’s character. Because there is such a wide range of traits and abilities among children with autism, they had to narrow down what characteristics Julia would exhibit. Some of Julia’s characteristics are that she can talk, she cannot make extensive eye contact, and she flaps her arms when she is excited.
Westin told the Spectator, “We chose things we thought would be most helpful and most typical.”
According to CBC, Julia will be incorporated into digital and printed storybooks alongside other Sesame Workshop characters, such as Elmo.
The See Amazing campaign is available as a desktop and mobile app, and includes daily routine cards that can help to facilitate easier transitions between activities for children with autism, among other resources. The first episode of Sesame Street aired in 1969, and according to The National Post, it is “the most thoroughly researched TV show ever.” Sesame Street producers have created over 1000 experiments to develop the show and test its impact, including research on the skills that watching the show helps to build in its young viewers.
Engaging in a conversation about autism is not the first time that Sesame Street has portrayed common issues for children on the show. Over the years, they have covered topics such as death, racial tolerance, and general differences between individuals. Some have argued that Bert and Ernie represent a gay couple, however, Sesame Street producers officially consider them just friends, according to The National Post.
Julia’s introduction to the show and the broader context of the See Amazing campaign bring autism into the discussion of difference that is so important to acceptance of diversity, and sends a positive message to parents as well as children to promote understanding.