'Sesame Street': A Look at 7 Groundbreaking Muppets
Sesame Street has long been an advocate for diversity and inclusion. This week, the children’s show introduced its newest Muppet, Julia, a 4-year-old girl with autism, created to raise awareness and redefine perceptions of those with the disability. Judging by the viral response on social media to her debut, she’s off to an amazing start
Julia was born of the Sesame Street project “See Amazing in All Kids,” providing resources and reading materials for parents. “One of my favorite stories is a mother who said she used the book to explain to her child that she had autism like Julia,” Sesame Workshop executive VP Sherri Westin told NPR. “This became the tool for her to have a conversation with her 5-year-old daughter. … And you’ll love this. At the end her daughter said, ‘So I’m amazing too, right?’”
Since first airing in 1969, Sesame Street’s Muppet neighbors have always represented the wide range of people in this world. Though a children’s program, it hasn’t shied away from the hardest conversations: racial and ethnic representation, female empowerment in countries that count women as second-class citizens, education on physical and mental abilities, health and HIV awareness, and even incarceration. Sesame Street’s Muppets represent everyone who tunes in, setting the standard for media platforms by making sure all, no matter who they are, feel welcome.
Watch: Learn more about Julia and the puppeteer bringing her to life on ‘Sesame Street’:
Read more from Yahoo TV:
Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram or leave your comments below.
