Sesame Street has changed the face of children’s television with the introduction of a new character, Julia, who is autistic. Julia made her first appearance on the show a few years ago. However, she was not a regular, nor did many kids remember her as a significant character at the time. This time, however, she’ll be casted just as Elmo, Cookie Monster, Oscar, and the Count.
These characters are legends and all children who have grown up with them, love them. Julia gets to be one of those characters now. Sesame Street admitted in an interview that they partnered with child psychologists and autism organizations to really gather information on those who are diagnosed with autism. They did this in an effort to ensure that Julia is someone who a person with autism can relate to.
The writer of the show, Christine Ferraro stated that they love Julia and she was created “so that when [children] encounter [autistic children] in their real life, it’s familiar. And they see that these- these can be their friends, too”.
Julia will officially be a regular cast member starting in a few weeks.