And now, Julia is being used to promote a resource that suggests parents of newly diagnosed autistic children go through the five stages of grief for their (still-living) child, among other regressive and dangerous narratives about autism. Sesame Street has become the latest television show to introduce a character with autism. Ironically, a felt puppet with a traffic-cone-orange nose is one of the most realistic, informed, and positive representations of autism to ever appear on television. Meet Julia, an old buddy of Elmo’s and the newest friend on Sesame Street. It’s only when you click through to the resource itself that things begin to get murky. The 100 Day Kit features a persistent narrative that having a child like me or Sesame Street’s Julia is like having a child who has died. Julia, new Sesame Street character with autism. The Altogether Thrilling Fashion of the Inauguration, Reviewed, On the Eve of Her Father’s Ouster, Tiffany Trump Has Her Most Pathetic Moment Yet, “What Do I Do? Marybeth Nelson Her introduction came with the announcement of " Sesame Street … The way we talk about autism’s impact on families matters. by Zinnia Ramirez August 13, 2019. written by Zinnia Ramirez August 13, 2019. Then you get a link recommending the Autism Speaks 100 Day Kit for Young Children. After nearly a decade of featuring the same Muppet characters, Sesame Street added a yellow Muppet named Julia. She can be a little shy, but Elmo … But she speaks volumes about life on the spectrum What happens if the test comes up positive, though? If you value our work, please disable your ad blocker. Julia is so refreshing because she is portrayed as a normal child—she plays, she has friends, she has a family. Unfortunately, the campaign provoked the Autism Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) to end their partnership with Sesame Workshop. Sesame Street welcomes first autistic charact... 01:41 The folks who have been bringing us "Sesame Street" for 46 years say their mission is to help kids grow smarter, stronger and kinder. The writers at Sesame Street understand this challenge, and consulted with a number of different autism organizations to develop their character. The Sesame Workshop says she is being introduced as part of a campaign to take the stigma away from the disorder. She has fun with her good friends Elmo and Abby Cadabby, two of the most popular characters on Sesame Street. Parentology is your information destination for parenting in the digital age. “It recommends compliance-based ‘therapies’ and pseudoscientific ‘autism diets,’ but fails to educate families about communication supports. Now, the program is breaking new ground by introducing a character with autism, a Muppet named Julia. All rights reserved. According to Dr. Jeanette Betancourt, senior vice president of U.S. social impact for the Sesame Workshop, autism is a topic families have been asking to be featured on the show for a … In an exclusive announcement on People.com on Wednesday morning , Sesame Workshop introduced Julia, a muppet with autism, as part of a new initiative called Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children . We encountered an issue signing you up. Watch the Video. You can cancel anytime. Why Sesame Street’s new character isn’t representative of most kids with autism Meet Julia, Sesame Street’s newest muppet. In May 2019, a study in the international peer-reviewed journal Autism stated, “Following exposure, parents of non-autistic children showed small but significant increases in knowledge of autism and, like parents of autistic children, greater acceptance of autistic children.”, Similarly, the journal describes, “Parents of autistic children reported less strain, increased parenting competence, and more hope about involving their child in their community.”. She is a young girl with bright orange hair and big green eyes and is friends with Elmo and Abby. Crucially, one of the groups behind Julia was the Autistic Self Advocacy Network—the only national organization by and for autistic people in the United States. She was a triumph of representation for people like me. After nearly a decade of featuring the same Muppet characters, Sesame Street added a yellow Muppet named Julia. A new character is joining Elmo, Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird on Sesame Street – her name is Julia and she is the first muppet with autism. Get the latest news, updates, giveaways and more - sent right to your inbox. “We all can feel happy, we all can feel mad” doesn’t sound revolutionary, but many still believe that autistic people don’t feel at all. It takes about two minutes and can be used to evaluate whether your child is keeping up with developmental milestones. By Peter Bochner. According to ASAN’s statement, “Like much of Autism Speaks’ recent advertising, these PSAs use the language of acceptance and understanding to push resources that further stigma and treat autistic people as burdens on our families.”. Recently, Julia appeared in a series of Public Service Announcements (“PSAs”) produced with the Ad Council and Autism Speaks. Many people on the autism spectrum who have sensory sensitivities dislike certain types of physical touch, such as hugging. ASAN’s decision to break with Sesame Street this month might seem surprising at first glance, but it came on the heels of the show’s baffling partnership with another group that’s enduringly divisive among advocates: Autism Speaks. Named Julia, the character was revealed through Sesame Workshop's Sesame Street … And you'll never see this message again. The four-year-old girl with an orange bob-cut and green eyes debuted in 2015 as part of the Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative. For several years, ASAN consulted with Sesame Street on their See Amazing project and the development of their autistic character, Julia. The ads encourage viewers to have their children screened for autism and points to a resource on the Autism Speaks website that declares, “For Julia’s family, early screening made a lifetime of difference.” The first and biggest link on the page is a test called the M-CHAT-R (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised). Much fanfare was made last year when the word cure was removed from its mission statement. Thu Jan 07 2021. Sesame Workshop aimed to reduce “the stigma of autism” through the characterization of Julia in the digital storybook, We’re Amazing, 1, 2, 3!. ASAN decided to cut ties with Sesame Street after the show partnered with Autism Speaks for public service announcements that push the 100 Day Kit, over the former group’s vehement objection. "So she does things a little differently. Similarly, Julia is performed by Stacey Gordon, who also has her own experiences raising an autistic son. At first only in an online picture book, and later the show itself, the character, an autistic 4-year-old girl, was shaped by a diverse group of autism advocates and researchers. Freelance book editor for Sesame Workshop, Leslie Kimmelman, created Julia with her own experiences in mind. It was groundbreaking that Sesame Street told stories about an autistic person in consultation with actual autistic people. Sesame Street is adding a new character to its ranks – a muppet called Julia, who has autism. In 2017, Sesame Street introduced a new Muppet named Julia, who is an autistic 4-year-old. Julia, a new autistic muppet character, will join the cast of "Sesame Street" in April. One of her concerns includes a “100 Day kit” that aims to help parents for 100 days following the diagnosis. I hope Sesame Workshop reconsiders its puzzling decision to promote harmful narratives about autism—after waiting so long for a character like her, autistic people like me deserve to love and embrace Julia in an uncomplicated way. Julia was even featured on a float in last year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Meet Julia, an old buddy of Elmo’s and the newest friend on Sesame Street. Julia demonstrates simple ways to make wearing a mask easier. Jeanette Betancourt, Sesame Workshop’s senior vice president for social impact in the US says, “We truly value all our partners, including ASAN, and are disappointed, but we understand their perspective, and we respect it.”, It should be noted that Julia has had some major success while being on air. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network condemns Sesame Street’s decision to further stigma against autistic children and adults in their new Public Service Announcements. People go out of their way to understand and include her. Bravo, Sesame Street – your character with autism will … The newest Sesame Street character, Julia, is a little girl who also has autism. But those differences are embraced by the people around her. Sesame Street on Wednesday introduced its first autistic character, Julia. According to ASAN, contacts at Sesame Workshop “acknowledged that the Autism Speaks resources were harmful and portrayed autistic children in a negative light” but decided to move forward with the ad campaigns. Meet Julia. By joining Slate Plus you support our work and get exclusive content. Autism Speaks is behind the 100 Day Kit for Young Children, which describes itself as “a tool designed to help assist families of children recently diagnosed with autism during the critical period following an autism diagnosis.” Autism can require a high degree of specialized support, and many parents don’t adequately learn about their child’s disabilities. According to ASAN, the materials relating to the campaign stigmatized children with autism and their families. Thanks for signing up! She’s since appeared on three seasons of the show. Join Slate Plus to continue reading, and you’ll get unlimited access to all our work—and support Slate’s independent journalism. All contents © 2021 The Slate Group LLC. Sesame Street is hoping to help destigmatize autism by introducing its first autistic muppet, Julia. Without a doubt, the digital storybook and its materials have been an effective resource in transforming knowledge about developmental disorders. I’m a little embarrassed to admit that the first time I heard “The Amazing Song,” the show’s anthem about autism, I cried. Cookie Settings The Autism Speaks PSAs promote a message diametrically opposed to the spirit and purpose of the character. However, things have recently taken a turn, and now critics are saying that Sesame Street is stigmatizing autism. Fluffster Wears a Mask. The Sesame Workshop’s goal was to provide a platform of acceptance. Slate is published by The Slate Group, a Graham Holdings Company. But now, the organization is no longer involved. Want to know more about Autism and its early signs? Newest "Sesame Street" Muppet has autism: Meet Julia. You’ve run out of free articles. 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