A new muppet is joining the Sesame Street gang. Julia, a character with autism, will be introduced through the Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children initiative. Described by the network as a preschool aged kid who "does things a little differently when playing with her friends," Julia will be featured in an app aimed at children with autism and their families. The new content was developed for autistic children's ease of use. These features include things like larger buttons and audio-off options.
“Sesame Workshop is uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in increasing peoples’ understanding about autism," explained Sherrie Westin, Sesame Workshop's executive vice president of global impact and philanthropy. She went on to describe the project as, "an extension of the belief we’ve always promoted: ‘we are all different, but all the same.'"
Sesame Street has consistently added characters to fit the changing needs of the children who make up its audience. In 2013 the show introduced a character who had a parent in prison, and the South African version of Sesame Street features a character who is HIV-positive.