‘Sesame Street’ Introduces Muppet With Autism
Can you tell me how to get to Sesame Street? There’s a new character that will be moving in to the neighborhood next month. Her name is Julia, and she has autism. The character was revealed on 60 Minutes last night.
Julia made her first appearance on an online version of the show in 2015. She will be introduced to Big Bird by friends Elmo and Abby Cadabby.
“As the parent of a child with autism, I wished that it had come out years before, when my own child was at the Sesame Street age,” Stacey Gordon, the puppeteer who plays Julia, told 60 Minutes.
To develop Julia, the team worked closely with autism organizations, educators, and families to decide the best way to portray a child with autism, including how to explain it at a pre-school level.
Watch the complete interview with Lesley Stahl here:
In a few weeks, a new Muppet will come to Sesame Street. Her name is Julia, and she has autism. Meet her next on #60Minutes pic.twitter.com/DvjDfSB0xI
— 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) March 19, 2017