April 19, 2024
By Camille Echols
Editor-in-Chief
Children often see themselves in the characters featured in books they read and shows they watch, which is why publishers and producers are beginning to fill a void by introducing neurodivergent characters.
In 2017, the PBS series “Sesame Street” added a character named Julia, who is a four-year-old muppet with autism. Making history as one of the first explicitly neurodivergent characters in children’s media, Julia exhibits autistic traits, such as stimming, which is the repetition of certain movements or sounds.
Julia is also featured in “Sesame Street” books including “My Friend Julia,” which formally introduces Julia to the “Sesame Street” franchise and displays her unique characteristics.
According to a blog post by the book and periodical publisher Stages Learning, Julia can help all children, not just neurodivergent ones. Julia teaches autistic children that they are not alone and that their differences can be celebrated and teaches neurotypical children acceptance of autism.
Additionally, in 2022, “Thomas and Friends” introduced an autistic character named Bruno the Brake Car. Bruno even has two autistic voice actors, Chuck Smith in the American version and Elliot Garcia in the British version. Bruno is also a central character in the book titled “Thomas and Bruno.”
Sophomore Evangelise Amaya, whose five-year-old brother has autism, said she has noticed an increase in autistic characters across all forms of media in recent years.
“As a society, we’ve become a little more open about it, and we don’t try to shun the kids or hide them as much,” Amaya said. “There is a lot more talk about [autism] and research into trying to help [autistic children’s] development, but there is a lot that remains uncovered.”
She said it is a shame adults are often angered by the inclusion of neurodivergent characters in children’s media because of their preexisting biases.
“Not only is it important that characters are representative of us, but I think it’s also important that others can learn from this media.”
“A lot of parents have problems with it, and they don’t want children developing the same habits or behaviors [as those characters],” Amaya said. “They honestly make me very uncomfortable. Saying that you don’t want something portrayed in [the] media that [affects] a lot of people’s lives is sad.”
Guidance counselor Ms. Truncellito said much of adults’ outrage over neurodivergent characters in children’s media results from their own lack of understanding.
“There can be a negative reaction from adults who are afraid of anyone that is different from them because they never took the time to educate themselves about the different ways the brain can work,” Truncellito said.
She said it is vital that school faculty discourage biased attitudes through education about neurodiversity.
“Unfortunately, there can be a stigma against people who learn differently, but the point of educating children is to foster acceptance, build empathy and celebrate diversity,” Truncellito said.
She said elementary schools can incorporate read-alouds with books featuring neurodiverse students, and middle and high schools can invite neurodiverse adults to speak to their classes.
Media specialist Ms. Murru said neurodivergent characters in children’s media are a step in the right direction.
“Not all characteristics of characters in media will fully represent every person’s experience, but it’s a great start to ensure everyone is represented,” Murru said.
Murru said neurodivergent children should be able to find characters on screen and in books with whom they can relate, just as neurotypical children do.
“When watching TV or reading books, we feel connected to characters and their experiences. Not only is it important that characters are representative of us, but I think it’s also important that others can learn from this media,” Murru said. “Particularly for young children, it can provide several beneficial conversations between students and their parents and students and educators.”
Despite the success of autistic children’s authors, such as Jen Malia and Elle McNicoll, Murru said publishers often discriminate against neurodivergent authors whose books do not center on neurodivergence.
“Why can’t someone who’s neurodiverse also be a spy, or secret agent or find love?” Murru said. “Fiction can be so much more than that.”
Murru said publishers are often too focused on books centered on the impacts of neurodiversity on a neurodiverse character’s life.
“Having representations and showing this adversity is important, but these characters can be nuanced and don’t need to just fit this one particular storyline,” said Murru.
