An underrated preschool show that also has an autistic cast in the UK is called Pablo, its an autistic boy who uses art and imagination to communicate his struggles, thoughts, feelings and experiences of what neurotypical and autistic kids go through. Like different foods mixing and him needing to communicate that by drawing or simply trying to clean his room without getting distracted, it is in a crayon art style and its so cute!
The only episoded I remember was one when his mum put some feathered mask on and he couldn't recognise her (in the cartoon world, I'm pretty sure she was drawn as a bird) and one where he could taste pineapples or smth even though he didn't eat pineapples
PBS kids in general tends to nail this kind of thing. Its not just hollywood producing these shows there’s lots of educational researchers, teachers, guidance counselors child psychologists etc involved in development. Content made primarily for adults or teens would never
I genuinely cried when I heard about Carl the Collector. As an autistic person, I wish I had that kind of representation as a kid. I’m so glad the new generation gets to grow up with shows like this!
It’s adorable that Carl the collector actually has an autistic trait in the name! Pebbling is a neurodivergent way of showing affection, which is collecting and sharing things with people you love to build a bond I do this as an autistic, sharing my food or giving things like wildflowers and rocks to people I care about
i kinda do this, but its mostly me coming across random videos that are about things my friends have told me they like and sending them to them. i always wondered if that counted as pebbling
I'm so glad to see better Autistic Representations after we had the atrocious Music Movie by Sia I can't wait to see more of Carl The Collector and I hope future generations will be more accepting of Autistics like us!
As an Autistic myself, I can't be happier at this. I too am planning characters with Autism as well as with other disorders, and I certainly want a good portrayal! So seeing these better autism portrayals in shows not only makes me feel like I'm being understood, but it also gives me an idea of what an Autistic portrayal should be for my show too.
As an autistic writer, I really want to write more autistic people but I don’t because I was only ever taught to write neurotypical characters and I don’t want to offend anyone 😭
@@Bleplebeian I always wondered where the line is because my readers sometimes call my characters neurodivergent when exposed to their internal dialogues 😅
What if you wrote a character as yourself? Use your own experiences and feeling as the base for the character. I don't have autism as far as I know but I am adopted and had a very strange upbringing so if I were to write characters, chances are I'd make at least one of them adopted. lol. And since I was born legally blind, I'd probably also make a character with a disability since these are things I know and experience every day.
So long as you’re not writing Sheldon Cooper or Rain Man, you’ll probably fine on the offensiveness. You’ll always offend _somebody._ That’s the way of the world. But your perspective is just as valid as theirs, and if _you_ think your character is accurate to your experience as an autistic person, doesn’t that make it accurate representation? :)
One of my favourite autistic characters is Twyla from Monster High, and she honestly couldn’t have been done better. And, like AJ, she explicitly stated that she was autistic in her debut episode.
It's for a slightly older demographic of kids(older than preschool aged, so like 8+ I guess? Idk) but I will say that Donatello from Rise off the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is definitely up there for amazing autistic rep, he's never stated in show to be autistic but the writers have confirmed that they wrote him in that show as autistic(if Rise had gotten more seasons they might've even had a chance to full on say it, who knows). He stims, has sensory issues(doesn't always like being touched) not the best at picking up social cues, etc. what I love especially is the dynamic he has with his friends and family cause they treat his autistic traits as a normal part of who Donnie is which is really refreshing. There is a reason he's considered the fan favorite from that show and him being good autistic rep is definitely a factor
was just about to come in the comments and say this!!!! donnie is amazing autistic rep and i highly recommend any autistic person to watch rise of the tmnt, especially if you've seen community and you liked/related to abed. it's not like any tmnt before or after and it's definitely worth a shot!
as a person who has autism, autistic people matter! we all should support people who are disabled like take adhd for example, they all matter and it’s okay to be different from other people
ADHD is not necessarily a disability unless it is of the sort where a person cannot so much as focus on a singular task they enjoy without switching to something else, and need meds to simply function fully. And that’s quite rare. I am an autist, ADHDer, and other neurodivergences, and something many NTs fail to see I note is that “differently ordered” does not equal “disordered”. That’s much of the fuel that feeds the fire of stigma; inappropriate phrasing. Calling things that aren’t inherently detrimental “disorder” “condition” or acting as if any difference is some sickness that must be purged. And you know who last infamously thought like that? The third Reich. We do NOT wish to let history repeat itself on that front. Proper representation helps a great deal.
@@ManyArmedMooseDeiGatekeeping disability is a terrible look on you honey. ADHD is a disability as much as autism is. It's not because you don't see/hear most people with ADHD tell how draining it is and the struggles they go through that it's any less. I also am AuDHD. I struggle more with my autsitic side because I'm already heavily medicated for my ADHD. My mom has ADHD in a much milder fashion where she was able to manage much of it with tools she developed, but she still struggles here and there. Becauae it's still draining even if it doesn't show to the average person. It's not because someone has it less severe that they should be looked down upon. You don't see blind and poorly sighted people shun those who can remedy it by wearing glasses and contact lenses. Or those who require mobility aids all the time versus those who only need them in certain situations. Why? Because we're all in the same disability boat and we have enough on our plate fighting against those who don't like seeing us integrated in society as best we can and are alloweed to. We don't need to infuse fellow disableds with impostor syndrome whwn neurotypical and abled people do it all the time. Edit: it's also a bit of a ridiculous notion when about 70% of ADHD and autistic traits are shared
@@ManyArmedMooseDei No, ADHD is a disability and it's considered so by the US government and it should stay that way. Just because the condition is not debilitating for you doesn't mean it is for everyone else with it. You never know how much someone might be struggling or if it could become a problem in the future. As someone with ADHD I can tell you IT IS NOT RARE that it's debilitating at all. Most people I know have it to the point they can't keep jobs, keep promises, ruin relationships, financial ruin, etc. I have both autism and ADHD and I can personally say that my ADHD is far more debilitating than my autism ever was, stop being ignorant. :/
I still remember the episode “When Carl met George” from Arthur. While referring to ‘Asperger’s Syndrome’ to determine where Carl is on the spectrum isn’t pleasant in recent years, I remember when Brian recounts to George what his uncle Keith (who is also autistic) described what being autistic is like for him.
I was diagnosed at age 3. When Brain explained to George what it was like to have autism from his uncle's POV I was like, "That is how I feel sometimes! Like an alien from another planet!"
I love that the human characters you showed in this video are all People Of Color. We don’t get enough representation in the neurodivergent community and I’m glad that POC neurodivergent kids are gonna be able to see themselves in characters that look like them!❤
Thank you for making this vid dude. Although the main character of Bluey, named Bluey, is coded as neurotypical, I recommend checking out the episode Armies that follows a new kid in her school that's got ADD, if looking for stuff for a follow-up video. Great work.
You have no clue how much pure glee I felt seeing this in my recommends! PBS KIDS in general (old & new!) has been a special interest of mine, and I love those rare moments when someone actually takes time to appreciate the modern shows on there rather than just going "wow so nostalgic!" at their older stuff, as great as they are. I just want the new generation to have their time to shine, you know? So, this means that I was following Carl the Collector from the day it was first announced in a press release... gosh, a year ago already? But yeah, I instantly fell in love with the concept, and I'm loving what I'm seeing from the previews so far. Gosh, it almost feels like it was made exactly for me, a good showing of neurodiverse representation, all the characters are all my favorite critters, etc. Also, as an autistic myself... look, I actually don't care how Autism Speaks was involved with Sesame Workshop or Julia. Not these days, anyways. That was all in the past, alright? At some point I gotta say "yeah, AS sucks, let's just move on." I don't think they're working with each other anymore, a detail people just so happen to let fly under the radar (or at least, I know they haven't done anything since like, 2021?), but even if they were, I just wanna move on, I'm tired of moral panic. Instead, I want to focus on the good these characters bring, no matter what. So what I'm saying is, don't let these people let you feel bad about including Julia here, lmao. Times have gotten better since then, and will continue to get better. That certainly doesn't mean we should erase the past for being imperfect. Phew, I typed more here than I was planning, but this all just means a lot to me. Thanks again for shining a light on a couple of these more modern PBS KIDS reps! Looks like you mainly cover autism in media, but I'd love for you to check out more of their stuff. I think you'd enjoy most, if not all of it!
G3 twyla was introduced as an autistic highschooler, which is nice to see. The usual misconception is that its mainly boys who have it and that kids with autism grow out of it, when neither are true. Twyla shows that having autism stays with you your whole life, just that it presents differently overtime, wether that may be social or societal pressures.
@@Squiggy8440 I wrote Zembēshō for these exact reasons, plus the reality of "autistics", as branded, being regarded as subhuman, non-sentient, and dangerous. If that fails, I shall resort to producing a cartoon called "Autisticus autisticus" to distract Autism Speaks from its goal of partnering with every major media company in pursuit of iron-fist rule.
I love Julia but I hate that Sesame Street decided to partner with *Autism Speaks* of all groups to help promote her. It’s even worse considering they were previously partnered with ASAN (Autism Self Advocacy Network) but the group cut ties with Sesame Workshop once they found out about the partnership with Autism Speaks
I hate Autism Speaks. Neurotypicals will never understand what it's like to be neurodivergent, how it impacts your life. AS never represented me or anyone else for that matter.
Saw the thumbnail and came to say the exact same thing. No one should be praising Sesame Workshop for the Julia character. What they did was a total betrayal of our community. Imagine how many kids probably ended up in ABA because Julia told their parents to log onto the A$ website for resources.
I appreciate you being understanding! The more people who choose to try and understand autistic people like us, the better! I'm glad you liked my video 💚
As a person who has autism myself, i think the representation of autism is important as it can help build understanding and can educate children about neurodivergence. It can also give neurodivergent kids and adults relatability, something that they can see themselves in ❤❤❤❤
Baby Bop from Barney represented kids with autism because she always came shy as most kids in the autism spectrum are shy around others and she would hide behind Barney and BJ when she wasn’t used to meeting new people at first, and then she would get excited and impatient at times and was learning new things about learning to be patient and quiet in public in my generation. I can relate to Baby Bop because I was always excited but a little scared and shy at first to try new things with other kids in the places my parents took me to.
@@agentblackbird9435 yeah if you watched her early appearance in the early 1990’s, she was like an autistic kid who was very shy and you had to let her take her time to warm up to you because she didn’t say much at first but whispered in Barney’s ear or BJ’s ear until she felt comfortable
..that's kind of disappointing to me honestly. I have autism and my interests involve puppets like the muppets..sad sesame street is partnered with a terrible group..
@noahthe0tter That partnership ended years ago. Sesame Workshop has historically been open to feedback, but they probably couldn't cut ties to AS as soon as they could.
Another thing I love, is many of these characters are people who have been swept under the rug by the medical field: girls and POC autistics! It’s so important to show that these groups also have the condition because unfortunately the only representation our disability has had in the past were white boys with high support needs. As a girl with autism, I wasn’t diagnosed until I was a teen, and I struggle getting help from some doctors because they see I’m a thin white woman and automatically deny my condition and just label me as “mentally Ill” and unfortunately black and brown people on the spectrum have gotten the same treatment. This is so important!
Exactly 💚 i agree, it definitely is especially hard for women who are autistic from my observations and having female friends who are autistic tell me their experiences. I really hope as time goes on it gets easier for autistic women to be diagnosed
There’s this show called Pablo where the main character is autistic and faces problems and solves them with his “book animal” friends, who represent different types of autism
I have Asperger’s. Hearing this, that there is a show called Carl the Collecter really warmed my heart and made me feel so excited! Because that’s literally me! I love collecting things and gathering stuff together, ever since I got into Littlest Pet Shops. If this show came out when I was still a kid I’d be so happy and want to watch it all the time, because I feel so heard!
I didn't know they said aj was actually autistic, but as an autistic person, I basically was like "it doesn't matter if they don't say it, he's definitely autistic!" And he's also written very well! I also love the visualization power! Since I've heard a lot of autistic people think in pictures! I certainly do! Very excited for Carl the collector, too!
I think Sid the Science Kid is actually the first autistic main character on PBS. They never outright said it, but I can easily tell. I’m autistic myself and I kinda like the show (despite me hating it when I was younger lol). I share many traits with Sid and I’m glad to see it represented in a cartoon (despite many people hating Sid for “being weird”) Edit: I’m gonna lose my heart but idc. 3 people in the replies section are disagreeing. That’s fine, but y’all are rude. You could’ve put it in a better way tbh
@@eevee_mon I’ve seen it and I kinda agree Sid’s autistic, Gerald definitely has ADHD, May most likely has Down syndrome, I don’t know what Gabriella has though
honestly, that might be why i loved that show so much as a kid. *especially* when he had to get new shoes! i was able to wear the same pair of pink sneakers for like, 5 years since my feet grew so slowly, and i Really didnt want to get new ones, even if my feet started to hurt and the toe of the shoe started separating, because they were what i was used to, and we couldnt find any in a bigger size by the time i needed to get new ones.
@@comicallylargerodent I remember my friend and I getting these gold light up sneakers thinking I was the coolest and so disappointed when o had to get rid of them
PBS Kids has been familiar with this once a few times, like look at AJ Gadgets from Hero Elementary. Whenever he got soaked he would panic and flail his hands, and at one point a little girl (forgot name) asked him what it was, he said that he had autism. He assures her he has autistic powers, and she would remember this for a while, so I can understand why she was concerned for him And he ain't the only autistic person, there's Dennis, Julia, and now Carl.
Kid Danger: *wearing his mighty pup movie outfit* my brother, Chevy man 30-30 the unicorn and I have autism too and we are talkative and very very friendly to other ponys. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood HAS a boy who has autism too.
I have Autism and I’m so excited to see the new pbs kids show it looks promising and I’m happy that autism is getting more representation instead of being "haha I act different and I’m a [insert ableist slur] leedleleedleleedleleedle"
we love to see it. i do wish sesame street would turn away from autism speaks though. on another note, i remember seeing previews for a new Thomas the Tank Engine show that works closely with autism advocacy groups and autistic kids to produce the show and make sure that autism is portrayed appropriately in kids television.
PLEASE talk about the amazing Autistic accuracy of Entrapta from She Ra SPOP! She’s written by autistic writers, she has major social and sensory issues, social cues go over her head until she accidentally offends somebody, she is hyper focused on technology and will only talk about it alone, she goes non verbal on other topics or just diverts right back to technology. She only eats tiny food & flaps her hands when she’s stressed! Entrapta is AMAZINGLY written❤
Our youngest is autistic and nonverbal, and Loop is a household favorite. I could tell how much it meant, even to her older siblings, to see our princess represented so well. Ring ring ring ring woof woof woof❤
Just so anyone not in the loop understands, Autism Speaks does not have any autistic people running it, pushes “cure” ideology 🤢, and treat autistic children like a burden.
As someone who has been diagnosed with autism I really like that they are doing accurate autism representation in shows The title for Carl the collector is even accurate it even explicitly says he's autistic in the description for it! "The everyday adventures of Carl, an autistic raccoon, who loves collecting things" It's really sweet to see the kids relate to the characters on screen
It's amazing that kids today can have this representation. Not being able to have this representation back then made me feel alone but so happy kids now don't have to feel thatz
Didn't expect to find you here, Do you think Clover has autism I do. Heck, maybe Kanako dose. GoodNow she does after the lab! I have autism so I would love to see an undertale protectionist have autism, Clover might even be non-verbal.
what i need in my life is more canonically autistic female characters that are still portrayed as being girly (as in exhibiting traditionally feminine habits that are commonplace among other female characters) bc i feel like whenever i see a female autistic character she’s either a child or if she’s an adult she’s more tomboyish or androgynous in nature. This is obviously not a bad thing! I still love those characters. but as someone who is both autistic and expresses herself explicitly femininely i feel like it’s something i rarely see coinciding in the same character. Not every autistic girl doesn’t like makeup and shit yknow LMFAO. the only character like this i can think of is like twila. but monster high is also explicitly aimed towards girls in the first place so
I'm not autistic(just a schizoid with a few of other mental issues), but I honestly agree. I usually see autistic women in media being depicted as unpleasant(in their behaviour/treatment towards other people), awkward, clumsy and/or rude, which I don't really like personally. It's easier with autistic men(I guess), because in most cases they're treated and viewed as "quirky", "weird"(in a good way) or "funny". I understand that autistic people often don't follow conditional/conventional norms or rules, but yeah, I think it would be refreshing to see a "girly"(I don't like stereotypes, but I can't find another word/definition for it) autistic woman who likes dresses or skirts, wears makeup and is...nice overall? Idk, I don't wanna seem "ableist", but I'd like to see more good autistic representation which isn't too stereotypical...
@@hope539 no fr i know exactly what you mean. i didn’t really mean like. Nice ???? But i just meant like presenting as overtly feminine and liking girly things. regardless of personality/being a protagonist or antagonist
@@penntopaper9305 Sorry, I'm bad with expressing my thoughts through words. I meant exactly what you said. The word "nice" was unnecessary, and I'm not sure how to properly explain what I meant under it. Bruh:(
I’m one of those more androgynous gals and I agree! I know a few autistic women (and one AFAB enby) for whom skincare, makeup, and fashion are hardline special interests. It’s great because on the few occasions I want to wear makeup, they can pinpoint the best sensory-friendly and skin-healthy options that are a picture perfect match for my skin tone. And I get a thorough rundown of how and why. If I need to look nice for an event I take one of them with me to point me in the right direction; they get to teach me about their special interest, so it’s win-win! And if they need to know frog facts, snake facts, cooking tips, or how to do basic home repair, they call me! (Not saying girly girls can’t do home repair, I’m saying my particular girly friends can’t) TL;DR very femme/girly autistic ladies are extremely cool and my make my bisexual heart explode
I knew about Julia but I had no idea about the other ones! I’m glad things like this r more around now! Maybe if I had these kinds of shows growing up I would have related to them and brought it up to my mom and maybe have been diagnosed b4 age 22
As somone with autism and alot of other stuff (adhd, Ocd, Anxiety, Possible Aspd, pica) and knowing that we are getting more representation feels so nice :3
@@boogers5760 which is a shame because Freddy Highmore, the actor who plays the character, Is REALLY good at his job! He wouldnt have been in movies that we have seen growing up if he did a crap job so he clearly knows what he is doing, it is just a horrible job he picked up and probably is contractually obligated to do it until the show ends it's run... blame the writing, not the actor because when he does a movie or show that has good writing like Bates Motel or even something like one of his first roles like James and the Giant Peach (He was a BABY back then!) he can deliver!
my heart started beating so fast while watching loop i'm not nonverbal, but even so it made me feel so understood? i mean specially the POV scenes from renee. that was exactly how my vision looks like and i wasn't expecting to see something like this! it made me so happy
In my perspective. There are characters such as Eliot from Eliot Kid, Mac from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, Tasumi from The Replacements, Coop from Kid Vs. Kat, Tom from Sweet Little Monsters, Astro Boy from Astro Boy 2003, Sakurano Otoha from Sky Girls, Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura, Yukari Morita from Rocket Girls, Lan and Maylu from Mega Man NT Warrior, Kari and T.K. from Digimon, Max from Pokémon, Tommy Turnbull from Robotboy, Miraculous Ladybug from Miraculous Ladybug, Todd, Maurecia, and Dana from Wayside, and Rudy from Chalkzone. As a person of autism. I find it more like a commentary to appeal and be resonating with people of the Autism Spectrum. I also have some form of anxiety too. Cartoons and Anime are never a real, or accurate take of Autism and Anxiety I had since being born. They are just a work of fiction.
In the animated series, Miraculous Ladybug. She is brave and smart. But, she does have panic attacks. She isn't perfect. She is a flawed character. This happens to her at times throughout the show. Made me feel relatable. I do pretty much relate a lot like Ladybug. Whenever she has panic attacks or flaws. I remember being around that age. Today, I may be legal of age. But, I still feel and act like a kid in heart and mind. I still have the personality of a child. I feel scared like Ladybug too. Since I'm also an autistic person. I have anxiety and a normal level of autism at once.
My Examples of What Is Autism In Media. This not an accurate or real take here: 1. Kari Kamiya from Digimon Season 02. She is happy, and passionate, and caring. In some situations, she has a fear of the darkness surrounding her. Kari is not impervious to anxiety or anything related to violence. A moment in Digimon Season 02, episode 07. When she is carried by a bad guy character. Is actually a friend, named Andromon. Albeit mind controlled. She takes time to speak up while thinking in her head. She decides to use words rather than fighting back the mind controlled Andromon. Words over violence. Minutes later, her device falls on her mind controlled friend. And is broken free from it. And proceeds to destroy the spiral tower. The day is saved in the end. 2. Aries Spring from Astra Lost In Space. She may seem bubbly, and cheerful at first glance. But, she can also be shy, timid, and sometimes forgetting to remember things. She sometimes has something called "Photographic Memory" in her mind. She does have a childlike mindset. 3. Yukari Morita from Rocket Girls. She may seem like hot-headed, embarrassed, and an average girl. Who hangs out with her friends. Deep inside, she is shy, nervous, thinking in her head, anxious, and she is shown to be scared at times. She sometimes needs rescuing and care from her peers and mentors alike. 4. Ochaco Uraraka, AKA Uravity from My Hero Academia. Sweet, bubbly, and cheerful. In some moments, she is shown to be saying to herself to focus like three times. When she needs to use her quirk powers. Thinking first before taking action. Also, that time she holded down a knife attack, and made a speech to stop this arguing and fighting between Deku and other of his hero friends. An impressive moment she did. She raises her voice, only when the time comes and when needed. 5. Kio Asuno from Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Despite his a young person like him. And his impressive skills and abilities. He is not a plot device or overpowered character. He believes to be a gifted prodigy. Yet, he sometimes makes mistakes like accidentally causing a friction between him and others unintentionally. He sees the world as a game. With his childlike view of the world. 6. Sakurano from Sky Girls. She's happy, cheerful, and nice. She may be a 20 something year old. Yet, she's still just a kid. Sakurano doesn't look or feel like an older person. I feel like this too. And I am legal of age. It states that Sakurano has skills, and amazing performances too. Yet, she doesn't seem to have any complex ideals or personal goals that very much. She does have signs of having a childish escapism and mindset. Honorable Mentions: 1. Bobby from Bobby's World. And Eliot from Eliot Kid. Both shows has a main character with a sense of imagination alike. I think it's called escapism. The two shows almost feel like a carbon copy of one another. 2. Mega Man, Mega Man Volnutt, Mega Man.EXE, and Mega Man Star Force from the Mega Man series. The character of Mega Man, are known for their calmful, compassion, and peaceful personality. They are known to put up a fight. They do have a childlike mindset when they are not in battle. 3. Tommy Turnbull from Robotboy. He is just an average boy. Yet, he is shown to be smart and creative at once. He puts on a belt, that turns into an exoskeleton suit. He leaps across the city, makes a rock statue, teaches bullies not to bully other kids, who are naive or lack confidence. And he is shown having fun in his exoskeleton suit. Not bad for a kid. A nice partner to Robotboy. 4. Mick from The Electric Piper. A smart, determined, and passionate young man. He is shown to be nervous, or embarrassed in some scenes throughout the film. He's also worried about leaving about himself and other kids leaving their own parents behind them. And decided to feel sorry about ditching them. 5. Brady from Clarence. He's shown to be calm and quiet throughout the show. Yet he thinks in his mind a lot. It's called "Monologue". Like talking to yourself quietly. Or think inside your head and mind. 6. Satoru (Kid Self) from Erased. In his 11 year old child self. He's in regular school classes, ect. At times, he is shown to think first before plan thinking in any type of situations. Like how to rescue others, learn about the mystery, and plan how to escape a cat and mouse chase. Satoru is sometimes blushing, shy, introvert, and smiles a little more, caring, and lively at heart. Live-action: A few examples. 1. Roarke from The River Wild. He is shown to be quiet in some scenes in the film. He's also does hand signs to his mom. And is curious and alerted, when he a finds a weapon in the bag of the unknown men. He realized the strange men are criminals. And tells his mom quickly about this. He's shown to be Extraverted, Intuitive, and Shy in his personality and mind. Young people, kids can be amazing supporting characters in film or tv shows. 2. The Good Doctor has been an example of Autism and ADHD alike. 3. Jake from Touch (2012). The child of Martin, his dad. Who depicted with autism. It shows a good example of it. Taking it's time. I think, these are my list of characters of portrayal or signs of Autism, ADHD, ect. I am not sure if most of the them are a part of the Autism Spectrum. Only a very few. Like I said, this not a realistic or accurate take. I may think my own character list has and shows signs or examples of it. The characters I described, made feel relatable and made me inspired. Ever since I was born with level 2 autusm. That's my own viewpoint here.
As an autistic person, I can tell you that Julia and Sesame Street in general is not good autism representation. Julia displays so many stereotypes lol. Plus Sesame Street has partnered up with Autism Speaks. I think AJ from Hero Elementary is notable because he’s an autistic POC, something I don’t recall seeing elsewhere. Hopefully we’ll receive more diverse autism rep in the future. I think Carl the Collector is a BIG step in getting good autism representation. Usually when a show has an autistic character they appear rarely or have a recurring role at best. Here, we have a show with an autistic character in THE STARRING ROLE. I’m quite excited to watch this show! (Also small correction, it doesn’t premiere next month, it premieres in November.) 🦝 I think something still missing from shows is ADULT autistic characters. So many people think exclusively children have autism, and that’s saddening. It would be nice to have more autistic adult characters in media. Also, nice background music choice. Love Ace Attorney.
While she's not technically an adult, I think Sawako from "Kimi ni Todoke" is a pretty good baseline for autistic characters in older kids since most characters that are canonically on the Spectrum are always so young. I had similar struggles as her when I was in high school. Then there's Leonhard, Bruno, and Kai from "The Royal Tutor," while I doubt autism would have been an actual term in the setting, I think they do a pretty good job showcasing how it affects people differently.
This I actually didn't know about, since it didn't come up in my research. Autism Speaks is an awful organization for certain, and they misrepresent people like us all the time. I'm disappointed to hear Sesame Workshop partnered with them
Another good autistic rep I’ve seen is Bruno the Brake Car from the Thomas the Tank Engine reboot All Engines Go. I haven’t seen much of the show but every single thing I’ve seen and heard with Bruno is absolutely phenomenal!! He’s a regular, reoccurring cast member that’s treated like everyone else.
That's great! It's especially good when the rep is just treated like another member of the cast and not like they're "special" or whatever. Really helps normalize it
As an previously PBS Kid, This is a very good thing to have, having autistic representation in media including PBS makes me happy, Carl the Collector is a great example of that.
Someone else already mentioned her, but one of my favorite autistic reps is Twyla from the new Monster High series! She’s a character I relate to quite a lot as someone with autism. Wanting to ramble and infodump about her books, the bracelet fidgeting (I wear bracelets almost exclusively for fidgeting), and especially the fact that she’s shy but still open to social interaction with others, so long as you invite her and are understanding of her need for quiet.
I love how you added tails the fox!! I do feel like he shows signs of autism sometimes but also not very much in games! I love how we are getting more autism representation in kids shows! I never was autistic myself. as I just have Tourette’s, sensory issues, and a possible hint of adhd (according to my friend.) and I do relate to a lot of things. I have to wear socks all the time to avoid my feet touching the floor. As it bothers me very much. I’m also dyslexic which I don’t think is part of that but I’m pretty sure my mom is slightly part of the spectrum and I think that it’s really neat! :D sometimes I get a little too sensitive but my bestfriend helps me with my anxiety cuz he’s the best. I also relate to tails alot! lol I’m just a silly tails kinnie. And I hope to find some friends that also like sonic the hedgehog as much as I do.
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WEARS SOCKS ALL THE TIME But yeah, my mom thinks it’s weird and wants me to stop. I have sensory issues too (both with hands and mouth, which my parents want me to change).
@@Isabelle-qq2yuomg same!! If I touch a certain texture or something it really bothers me and my sister agravates it more because she forces me to touch stuff and she knows that it messes with me!!
@@peppermintsyrup Fr, I always thought it was weird because people (specifically my family members) question why I don’t like going without sock or don’t like a certain food texture. I’m glad I know now though
I still remember that one episode from the new seasons of Arthur I think it got released while in my junior/senior year of high school that one episode that George was part of the main episode and he met a kid with Aspergers which caught me by surprise and that time I didn’t knew that was a kind of syndrome.
Bluey possibly shows some of these traits as well, even trough some of the episodes that also tackle different disabilities like ADHD, there is also the most recent episode "Surprise" that shows things in different ways. I hope you could cover this show as well on your channel someday.
Loop was really well done and I hope it helps a lot of people understand that some people are just going to be different, should be respected and not dismissed.
WHAT A SPECTACULAR VIDEO! It's truly refreshing how these kind of shows are putting so much care and effort in accurately and respectfully representing neurodivergence and neurotypicality! I still remember when Julia was first introduced to the Sesame Steet main cast, and OH MY GOSH it EXCELLED in every way, of course, it's no wonder since it's being handled by the masterful Sesame Street team, but still, it a thrill to point out, and how acute every minute detail was! Loop was another huge surprise (all Pixar's Sparkshot shorts in general), and the distinct yet equally masterful representation these two independent animated media inspired is beyond words. Another show that masterfully tackled neurodivergence (while not exploring the spectrum YET) is Bluey, specifically, the character Jack; ADHD is also an important neurodevelopmental disorder barely handled or accurately depicted in media, and this show delivered MASTERFULLY; while affecting his personal life, his disorder is not overdramatized not antagonized, and rather explored through his own perspective, and how beneficial his close friendship with another main character (Rusty) and the power of play are through it, focusing on his development and personality as a character (and well, him being a lovely kid full of energy as any other!), just STELLAR! I was recently diagnosed with Highly Functional Autism, and since then I've taken these lovely representations on a new light and feel massively thankful for these to exist and paint these conditions they way they are supposed! 💖💖💖
Thanks for writing all this out 💚 honestly, I'm really glad more shows like this exist now, and I'm really glad my autism videos are reaching people. Thanks for watching, and I'm so glad you enjoyed my autism video
The best thing about these new autistic characters is that they aren’t the same copy and paste series of behaviors that were very often overused back in the day when shows would have that autistic education episode that only focused on the “worst case scenarios”. The characters feel like actual people and are treated as such, and not as a teaching point.
I recall seeing a while back an episode of the show “Arthur” about a character who happened to be my favourite in the series as a kid happening to be an Aspie, and it described the experience perfectly. I felt so seen. All I know is they were a deer, I think, and wore an orange shirt often, and were very relatable and most pleasant indeed. Also, Mr Rayburn was gay, and I was HERE for it as a gay kid. I myself only ever write neurodivergent characters, (primarily for D&D, but I plan on expanding my work into other media as well sometime) partly because NT’s are rather conceptually boring, and partly because there just aren’t enough of us in media. The fact that they all have past trauma, and I myself have CPTSD is just a coincidence. **wink wink**
I first found Hero Elementary because my little brother loved it as a young kid. One thing I love about its rep through AJ was that his autism is seen as just a fact about him, similar to which characters are boys vs girls, their ages, or any other traits that they have. AJ also doesn't have his "autism episode" as the only time he is shown with his autistic traits, as he is constantly shown stimming in the show when stressed and often has realistic reactions to textures he is said to dislike. While there are episodes that highlight his autistic traits to showcase his strengths and struggles, it's no different from episodes portraying Lucita's hispanic heritage or Benny's experience as a pet owner.
That is a trait I know. I got autism, and even to this day when in public bathrooms and I flush the toilet, or when I'm in a very loud crowd, I instinctually cover my ears. Or another trait is that us autistics tend to hyperfixate on things we like, or at least I do. Growing up I loved the HELL outta things like Mario, a movie I saw as a kid called Astro Boy, Superman, etc and would not shut the hell up about it lmao. Ain't no wonder why I never had friends ever. But yeah that is something I can relate to, that's covered in these types of media.
As a person with autism for 13 years while i'm 16 years old I find that very representative and very exciting I've been going to autism therapy to help me communicate my struggles, thoughts and feelings about random things I can be chatty about the things that I remember like naming celebrities who voiced legendary cartoon characters or naming countries and capitals. The Character that I think has autism and has the Same Trait as me is Prince Badou from Babar and the adventures of Badou because he is very playful, helpful, kind and sometimes very cooperative and when things go wrong he always talks to his grandparents of what was happening to him just like I've been talking to mom when things go wrong and that's like getting support from family members when things get tough for me Autistic TV Shows show an excellent representative for People with Autism like me
I think the biggest thing good autistic rep in media does is picks only one or two traits common in autism and the rest of their character is “normal”. The worst ones are the characters that are given every single symptom possible creating a caricature of autism. Twyla from Monster High is a good example of this. Her biggest symptoms are social issues and audio sensory issues. They don’t also make her non-verbal, touch sensitive, unable to show emotions properly, constantly hand flappy, AND having constant overwhelming meltdowns. Good rep also doesn’t do the early 2000s shtick of “this person is different and wacky so they have to dress wacky”. Modern example is Proud Family Louder and Prouder. Bebe is diagnosed with autism, so they make him wear his pants unbuttoned at all times. It portrays these people as incompetent because “look they dress weird/can’t dress themselves”. Good rep to me shows them dressed fine, *maybe* a little wacky like a fun t-shirt or a style that’s not modern (like Sheldon always in a bow tie. He may not be the best rep but at least they didn’t dress him like an idiot) but it still shows that they know how to put clothes on and look coherent. Media has to be careful with how they make their characters act and look. Because in the end they need to make these characters relatable. When you get too wrapped up in “how do we represent everyone” you lose sight of “okay who is this character and how do we make them a believable living person first and foremost?” If you focus on the latter, the representation comes naturally.
PBS KIDS is my favorite networks, the shows are so good and the representation is amazing. I've been excited for Carl the Collector to come out ever since I heard of it. I can tell the show would become really popular.
i loved this video! Another example of characters on media for kids could be Donatello from the rise of teenage mutant ninja turtles Or Snork from Momminvalley (2019 ver)
I wish I grew up with these shows. Back then the only autistic "reprensentation" I always saw in tv, online, and also irl in school was the kind where they were the butt of the joke for being "weird" or "creepy" or even mentally "slow."
I would not be surprised if we start seeing more neurodivergent characters, including autistic characters, in the upcoming season(s) of Bluey. Bluey already has recurring characters coded as neurodivergent, such as Jack Russell exhibiting ADHD traits, and even Bluey herself suspected of having some form of learning disorder. But we’ll have to wait, since the show is currently on hiatus. It’s something to consider, especially since Bluey is an incredibly popular and well-regarded show that has made a point to make different kinds of kids and adults feel seen.
some pretty good representation is through zane from lego ninjago. he is actually confirmed to be autistic but it's never really mentioned in the show (it was mentioned by the writers). originally he was meant to be just autistic but then the writers turned him into a robot which i mean come on that's sick as hell. he is my favourite autistic robot boy
I think from a child's perspective, they might feel supported, better understand & happy to see a character like them, if they share the same traits as the characters. For children who don't share them, they might feel excluded, as autism is extremely diverse & too nuanced to be able to accurately portray every single autistic child/person, through an adorable animated raccoon or a puppet on sesame Street. Honestly, I think most everything on television and social media about Autism that is not actually created by a licensed professional, needs to be removed from the media & the internet. Some arrogant yet probably well meaning people, believe that Autism is a "superpower", when in actuality, the majority of neurodiverse individuals, experience it as a curse or a disease.. Neurotypical people reinforce that belief, when they try to train Autistics to "be more neurotypical " it makes Autistics feel broken, like the very core of who they are is wrong & needs to be "fixed " or "cured". At the end of the day, Autism needs to be taken off the "entertainment" table entirely. It's unethical to make light of something that has absolutely destroyed & devastated some lives.
Just found out about Carl the Collector and I'm so excited to show it to my little brother, who loves raccoons and highly suspected to be autistic (like me) :D Thank you so much for making this video!
I really wish i had these shows when i was little because i’m actually neurotypical, and it would’ve been really helpful to already know as a kid that specifically people on the spectrum weren’t showing the symptoms on purpose and it wasn’t a bad thing. I’m being entirely honest here, i think that the people around me, even other kids, had no idea how to communicate with autistic kid who popped into our very tiny, very close-knit school. We were already very close and when she came in no one knew how to speak with her or tell her when we were uncomfortable, so it was harmful on both ends. These shows will change that, and i am so grateful.
I saw a clip on TH-cam about a episode of peppa pig where there’s a kids in a wheelchair and peppa is including her as a freind and I like how the writers did that
I absolutely love Twyla from G3 Monster High. She’s exactly like I was when I was a kid and would’ve definitely helped me figure out myself a lot sooner. She’s even voiced by an autistic person!
I don't know about kids cartoons specifically, but in old movies and TV shows, there are tons of characters, that looking back knowing what we know now, you could say they were probably unintentional depictions of autistic people from before anyone knew what that was. The best example I can think of was the bank teller played by Burgess Merideth in the Twilight Zone episode, Time Enough at Last. I wish someone would make a documentary about how people with autism were perceived by society back in the days before people knew what it was, and how they were portrayed in old movies and TV shows back then. Of course, that Twilight Zone episode should be featured prominently in that documentary.
Transformers Earthspark is another good example imo, basically every Terran is on the spectrum in different spots and it really shows how different neurodivergent people can be, since y'know it's a spectrum. A lot of shows usually just have 1 example of an autistic / neurodivergent person and they usually follow the same traits, whereas this show has 5 and they all have different stims, traits, flaws etc.
Blue’s Clues & You! just debuted four new episodes on here and two of them feature an Autistic character; a koala named Lavender whose main special interest is birds.
As a autistic person I think that it’s good that’s it’s not just adult cartoons with characters like Raegan Ridley and Rick Sanchez and we need more for kids and I think that’s inspirational
As someone in the spectrum, I wish we’d had characters like Julia from Sesame Street when I was a kid. Maybe it would’ve helped prevent the bullying I’d dealt with
Unfortunately, since Sesame Workshop lets Autism Speaks use Julia for advertising, I consider her impact a net negative. I’d imagine quite a few parents hooked up with that terrible organization (and probably enrolled their kids in ABA) as a result of Sesame Workshop ignoring ASAN’s concerns.
I actually learned that I was neurodivergent two years ago following a consultation with my therapist since then I’ve been on a mission to try to raise awareness for mental health and be a role model brothers in anyway I can it’s important that anybody who sees this knows that they’re not alone and there’s no shame in asking for help if you need it
I was happy that Sesame Street came out with Julia. When I was a kid I always wished that there was a character that I could identify with. I'm level 1 autistic myself.
Do you think these shows are good autism representations for kids? 🤔 Tell me in the comments 👇
Did you know that SpongeBob himself is Autistic?
I'm working on a inspired chuck e cheese restaurant like what if it supports Autistic Viewers a is an indie Animatronic show retro restaurant fec
Yes.
Yeah don't write them as gods or demons Just wirte them as human with their own struggles and stuff
@@noahthe0tter oobi is good too.
An underrated preschool show that also has an autistic cast in the UK is called Pablo, its an autistic boy who uses art and imagination to communicate his struggles, thoughts, feelings and experiences of what neurotypical and autistic kids go through. Like different foods mixing and him needing to communicate that by drawing or simply trying to clean his room without getting distracted, it is in a crayon art style and its so cute!
The only episoded I remember was one when his mum put some feathered mask on and he couldn't recognise her (in the cartoon world, I'm pretty sure she was drawn as a bird) and one where he could taste pineapples or smth even though he didn't eat pineapples
the theme song is also banger
Are you sure it was about autism
@@skootergirl22it is! the official channel states it in their description
Interesting! I've never heard of this, it might make for a good video
It warns my heart to see good autism reps in kids shows, genuinely wish I had this when I was a young lad
Same! I hope we keep seeing good autism reps like this
Same here. I was only known as “that weird kid” throughout school. I did become one of the popular kids in high school though
Same Here.
Same
I was wondering if Aj Gadgets could bee related too inspector gadgets?
The fact that kids shows portray autism better than most big movies is crazy!
PBS kids in general tends to nail this kind of thing. Its not just hollywood producing these shows there’s lots of educational researchers, teachers, guidance counselors child psychologists etc involved in development.
Content made primarily for adults or teens would never
Not really crazy
I genuinely cried when I heard about Carl the Collector. As an autistic person, I wish I had that kind of representation as a kid. I’m so glad the new generation gets to grow up with shows like this!
Me too!
He must personify a species called Autisticus hoarderus.
i just cried too! for the exact same reason. glad to know i’m not alone
Sam here
The new generation deserves nothing. Says a person with autism from previous generations.
It’s adorable that Carl the collector actually has an autistic trait in the name! Pebbling is a neurodivergent way of showing affection, which is collecting and sharing things with people you love to build a bond
I do this as an autistic, sharing my food or giving things like wildflowers and rocks to people I care about
i kinda do this, but its mostly me coming across random videos that are about things my friends have told me they like and sending them to them. i always wondered if that counted as pebbling
@@taffy711 I think that counts, maybe
@@moonieistired7263 digital pebbling, i suppose :)
Oh my god, this explains so much
Ohhhhhhhh
I'm so glad to see better Autistic Representations after we had the atrocious Music Movie by Sia I can't wait to see more of Carl The Collector and I hope future generations will be more accepting of Autistics like us!
I agree! I hope more autistic media takes cues from Carl instead of Sia
As an Autistic myself, I can't be happier at this.
I too am planning characters with Autism as well as with other disorders, and I certainly want a good portrayal!
So seeing these better autism portrayals in shows not only makes me feel like I'm being understood, but it also gives me an idea of what an Autistic portrayal should be for my show too.
Agreed
I personally despise the good doctor lol that might be the apu of autistic people
It’s never going to happen no matter what I did I was always the one to be made to feel inferior.
Dennis the Deinocheirus from Dinosaur Train was autistic. Unfortunately, he only appeared like a few episodes, but he was a good character.
Oh! I didn't know he was autistic!
@@noahthe0tter He's supposed to be autistic.
He was autistic?? That makes so much sense why I related to him so much lol
@@Sharksandwichtornado your not the only one my friend
There was a deinocheirus in dino train?? My favourite childhood cartoon AND favourite dinosaur
As an autistic writer, I really want to write more autistic people but I don’t because I was only ever taught to write neurotypical characters and I don’t want to offend anyone 😭
i tend to accidentally write all of my characters as autistic or neurodivergent in some way, even if i originally intend to make them neurotypical lol
@@Bleplebeian
I always wondered where the line is because my readers sometimes call my characters neurodivergent when exposed to their internal dialogues 😅
What if you wrote a character as yourself? Use your own experiences and feeling as the base for the character. I don't have autism as far as I know but I am adopted and had a very strange upbringing so if I were to write characters, chances are I'd make at least one of them adopted. lol. And since I was born legally blind, I'd probably also make a character with a disability since these are things I know and experience every day.
So long as you’re not writing Sheldon Cooper or Rain Man, you’ll probably fine on the offensiveness. You’ll always offend _somebody._ That’s the way of the world. But your perspective is just as valid as theirs, and if _you_ think your character is accurate to your experience as an autistic person, doesn’t that make it accurate representation? :)
All my characters turn out autistic cause I just don't know how normies think
One of my favourite autistic characters is Twyla from Monster High, and she honestly couldn’t have been done better. And, like AJ, she explicitly stated that she was autistic in her debut episode.
Twyla is literally me!!
She is?
@@skootergirl22in the newer version
@@Justthatonegirlwithaudhd was it mentioned in the show? Because I only watched the nerd Corp animations
@@skootergirl22 th-cam.com/video/9X0pi3UKoCo/w-d-xo.htmlsi=wWeMX7KFCchrhVou
It's for a slightly older demographic of kids(older than preschool aged, so like 8+ I guess? Idk) but I will say that Donatello from Rise off the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is definitely up there for amazing autistic rep, he's never stated in show to be autistic but the writers have confirmed that they wrote him in that show as autistic(if Rise had gotten more seasons they might've even had a chance to full on say it, who knows). He stims, has sensory issues(doesn't always like being touched) not the best at picking up social cues, etc. what I love especially is the dynamic he has with his friends and family cause they treat his autistic traits as a normal part of who Donnie is which is really refreshing. There is a reason he's considered the fan favorite from that show and him being good autistic rep is definitely a factor
Oooooh, that's what I was HOPING you'd say!
was just about to come in the comments and say this!!!! donnie is amazing autistic rep and i highly recommend any autistic person to watch rise of the tmnt, especially if you've seen community and you liked/related to abed. it's not like any tmnt before or after and it's definitely worth a shot!
I was looking for this comment I love Donnie smm yo‼️‼️
Is that the show where he apologizes for if he sounds sarcastic about his hacking street security camera app?
@@Omega_speed yes
MY NAME IS CARL. I LOVE RACCOONS AND MY AUTISTIC FRIEND HAS BEEN TELLING ME I HAVE AUTISTIC TRAITS... IS THAT SHOW ABOUT ME????????
I also really like collecting too...
This might be a sign….
The odds are low...but never zero...
@@carlomazzeo2558I have autism and I'm a gamer
CARL THE RACCOON IN ANOTHER UNIVERSE⁉️⁉️⁉️ =O
as a person who has autism, autistic people matter! we all should support people who are disabled like take adhd for example, they all matter and it’s okay to be different from other people
Agreed! Really glad this message is getting out there more now
ADHD is not necessarily a disability unless it is of the sort where a person cannot so much as focus on a singular task they enjoy without switching to something else, and need meds to simply function fully. And that’s quite rare. I am an autist, ADHDer, and other neurodivergences, and something many NTs fail to see I note is that “differently ordered” does not equal “disordered”.
That’s much of the fuel that feeds the fire of stigma; inappropriate phrasing. Calling things that aren’t inherently detrimental “disorder” “condition” or acting as if any difference is some sickness that must be purged. And you know who last infamously thought like that? The third Reich. We do NOT wish to let history repeat itself on that front.
Proper representation helps a great deal.
@@ManyArmedMooseDeiGatekeeping disability is a terrible look on you honey.
ADHD is a disability as much as autism is. It's not because you don't see/hear most people with ADHD tell how draining it is and the struggles they go through that it's any less.
I also am AuDHD. I struggle more with my autsitic side because I'm already heavily medicated for my ADHD. My mom has ADHD in a much milder fashion where she was able to manage much of it with tools she developed, but she still struggles here and there. Becauae it's still draining even if it doesn't show to the average person.
It's not because someone has it less severe that they should be looked down upon. You don't see blind and poorly sighted people shun those who can remedy it by wearing glasses and contact lenses. Or those who require mobility aids all the time versus those who only need them in certain situations. Why? Because we're all in the same disability boat and we have enough on our plate fighting against those who don't like seeing us integrated in society as best we can and are alloweed to.
We don't need to infuse fellow disableds with impostor syndrome whwn neurotypical and abled people do it all the time.
Edit: it's also a bit of a ridiculous notion when about 70% of ADHD and autistic traits are shared
@@ManyArmedMooseDei No, ADHD is a disability and it's considered so by the US government and it should stay that way. Just because the condition is not debilitating for you doesn't mean it is for everyone else with it. You never know how much someone might be struggling or if it could become a problem in the future.
As someone with ADHD I can tell you IT IS NOT RARE that it's debilitating at all. Most people I know have it to the point they can't keep jobs, keep promises, ruin relationships, financial ruin, etc. I have both autism and ADHD and I can personally say that my ADHD is far more debilitating than my autism ever was, stop being ignorant. :/
I still remember the episode “When Carl met George” from Arthur. While referring to ‘Asperger’s Syndrome’ to determine where Carl is on the spectrum isn’t pleasant in recent years, I remember when Brian recounts to George what his uncle Keith (who is also autistic) described what being autistic is like for him.
That scene helped me to be diagnosed with autism, it made me feel so seen!
I was diagnosed at age 3. When Brain explained to George what it was like to have autism from his uncle's POV I was like, "That is how I feel sometimes! Like an alien from another planet!"
I probably would’ve loved Carl the Collector as a child.
Same here!
I love that the human characters you showed in this video are all People Of Color. We don’t get enough representation in the neurodivergent community and I’m glad that POC neurodivergent kids are gonna be able to see themselves in characters that look like them!❤
Yy
0:12 reminds me of back in elementary school when I used to collect rocks. Then a teacher told me I had to stop collecting them
Please don't remind me of that, did that same thing years ago in the early 2000s, but it was not in school
Thank you for making this vid dude. Although the main character of Bluey, named Bluey, is coded as neurotypical, I recommend checking out the episode Armies that follows a new kid in her school that's got ADD, if looking for stuff for a follow-up video. Great work.
Ohhh really?? Ok, good to know! I didn't know Bluey had a ND rep. Thank you! And of course, I am really glad you liked it 💚💚💚
Think bingo is neurodivent coded
@@CalTheHogNosedBat what of spot? He seems to be ND coded?
Oh you mean Jack the Jack Russell terrier character
No jack is adhd
Pablo is another show which explores the dynamics of an autistic boy and what obstacles he comes across on a daily basis. Definitely recommended!
You have no clue how much pure glee I felt seeing this in my recommends! PBS KIDS in general (old & new!) has been a special interest of mine, and I love those rare moments when someone actually takes time to appreciate the modern shows on there rather than just going "wow so nostalgic!" at their older stuff, as great as they are. I just want the new generation to have their time to shine, you know?
So, this means that I was following Carl the Collector from the day it was first announced in a press release... gosh, a year ago already? But yeah, I instantly fell in love with the concept, and I'm loving what I'm seeing from the previews so far. Gosh, it almost feels like it was made exactly for me, a good showing of neurodiverse representation, all the characters are all my favorite critters, etc.
Also, as an autistic myself... look, I actually don't care how Autism Speaks was involved with Sesame Workshop or Julia. Not these days, anyways. That was all in the past, alright? At some point I gotta say "yeah, AS sucks, let's just move on." I don't think they're working with each other anymore, a detail people just so happen to let fly under the radar (or at least, I know they haven't done anything since like, 2021?), but even if they were, I just wanna move on, I'm tired of moral panic.
Instead, I want to focus on the good these characters bring, no matter what. So what I'm saying is, don't let these people let you feel bad about including Julia here, lmao. Times have gotten better since then, and will continue to get better. That certainly doesn't mean we should erase the past for being imperfect.
Phew, I typed more here than I was planning, but this all just means a lot to me. Thanks again for shining a light on a couple of these more modern PBS KIDS reps! Looks like you mainly cover autism in media, but I'd love for you to check out more of their stuff. I think you'd enjoy most, if not all of it!
G3 twyla was introduced as an autistic highschooler, which is nice to see. The usual misconception is that its mainly boys who have it and that kids with autism grow out of it, when neither are true. Twyla shows that having autism stays with you your whole life, just that it presents differently overtime, wether that may be social or societal pressures.
We don’t grow out of it. We learn to mask.
@@Squiggy8440 I wrote Zembēshō for these exact reasons, plus the reality of "autistics", as branded, being regarded as subhuman, non-sentient, and dangerous. If that fails, I shall resort to producing a cartoon called "Autisticus autisticus" to distract Autism Speaks from its goal of partnering with every major media company in pursuit of iron-fist rule.
You betcha! We as autistic folks can tell that these are spot on solidified! It’s getting better the more faithfully made media gets… Well… Made!
That's also an autistic train on the newest Thomas the Tank engine series.
Wait really? I didn't know Thomas had autistic reps now too. That's really good
not really a train. A brakevan.
There’s also a one in the old show named Theo
@@NickLogoAbk2913There are autistic people, including myself who thinks Duck is on the autism spectrum
@@sophiebyers5496 yeah, there is lots of proof that might be the case.
I love Julia but I hate that Sesame Street decided to partner with *Autism Speaks* of all groups to help promote her. It’s even worse considering they were previously partnered with ASAN (Autism Self Advocacy Network) but the group cut ties with Sesame Workshop once they found out about the partnership with Autism Speaks
i can't support julia or watch any episodes with her knowing she's been appropriated by a hate group like that
I hate Autism Speaks. Neurotypicals will never understand what it's like to be neurodivergent, how it impacts your life. AS never represented me or anyone else for that matter.
Saw the thumbnail and came to say the exact same thing. No one should be praising Sesame Workshop for the Julia character. What they did was a total betrayal of our community. Imagine how many kids probably ended up in ABA because Julia told their parents to log onto the A$ website for resources.
Same.
I’m not autistic, I’m best friends with someone who’s on the spectrum, I’m still being understanding.❤this video is helpful! Very efficient!
I appreciate you being understanding! The more people who choose to try and understand autistic people like us, the better! I'm glad you liked my video 💚
@@noahthe0tter Thank you! ❤️
As a person who has autism myself, i think the representation of autism is important as it can help build understanding and can educate children about neurodivergence. It can also give neurodivergent kids and adults relatability, something that they can see themselves in ❤❤❤❤
Baby Bop from Barney represented kids with autism because she always came shy as most kids in the autism spectrum are shy around others and she would hide behind Barney and BJ when she wasn’t used to meeting new people at first, and then she would get excited and impatient at times and was learning new things about learning to be patient and quiet in public in my generation. I can relate to Baby Bop because I was always excited but a little scared and shy at first to try new things with other kids in the places my parents took me to.
I never even noticed lol
Oh my god, as an autistic person who watched a fair amount of Barney, I’m honestly kind of sad that I didn’t know this
@@agentblackbird9435 yeah if you watched her early appearance in the early 1990’s, she was like an autistic kid who was very shy and you had to let her take her time to warm up to you because she didn’t say much at first but whispered in Barney’s ear or BJ’s ear until she felt comfortable
@@AmeliaEarhart53756 well she always carried her blanket like Linus!
This.. is no where near exclusive to autism LMFAO. Literally anybody can be like this.
Sesame street shouldn't be on here anymore.
They're now partnered with Autism Speaks, KNOW it's bad, but are still refusing to end their partnership.
@@videohistory722 Autism Speaks is terrible. Disappointed sesame workshop has chosen to work with them, then
.....oh
..that's kind of disappointing to me honestly. I have autism and my interests involve puppets like the muppets..sad sesame street is partnered with a terrible group..
@@Th3_Int3rn3t_RuIn3d_M3_ Try Oobi instead. That was SPECIFICALLY aimed at autistic kids.
@noahthe0tter That partnership ended years ago. Sesame Workshop has historically been open to feedback, but they probably couldn't cut ties to AS as soon as they could.
Another thing I love, is many of these characters are people who have been swept under the rug by the medical field: girls and POC autistics! It’s so important to show that these groups also have the condition because unfortunately the only representation our disability has had in the past were white boys with high support needs. As a girl with autism, I wasn’t diagnosed until I was a teen, and I struggle getting help from some doctors because they see I’m a thin white woman and automatically deny my condition and just label me as “mentally Ill” and unfortunately black and brown people on the spectrum have gotten the same treatment. This is so important!
Exactly 💚 i agree, it definitely is especially hard for women who are autistic from my observations and having female friends who are autistic tell me their experiences. I really hope as time goes on it gets easier for autistic women to be diagnosed
There’s this show called Pablo where the main character is autistic and faces problems and solves them with his “book animal” friends, who represent different types of autism
I have Asperger’s.
Hearing this, that there is a show called Carl the Collecter really warmed my heart and made me feel so excited! Because that’s literally me!
I love collecting things and gathering stuff together, ever since I got into Littlest Pet Shops. If this show came out when I was still a kid I’d be so happy and want to watch it all the time, because I feel so heard!
I didn't know they said aj was actually autistic, but as an autistic person, I basically was like "it doesn't matter if they don't say it, he's definitely autistic!" And he's also written very well! I also love the visualization power! Since I've heard a lot of autistic people think in pictures! I certainly do!
Very excited for Carl the collector, too!
Can confirm, I’m terrible with street names, but I know landmarks very well.
He's not autistic.
@@user-ky2hg7fg4j they literally said. I don't think it can get more confirmed than that. Did you watch the video?
I think Sid the Science Kid is actually the first autistic main character on PBS. They never outright said it, but I can easily tell. I’m autistic myself and I kinda like the show (despite me hating it when I was younger lol). I share many traits with Sid and I’m glad to see it represented in a cartoon (despite many people hating Sid for “being weird”)
Edit: I’m gonna lose my heart but idc. 3 people in the replies section are disagreeing. That’s fine, but y’all are rude. You could’ve put it in a better way tbh
Never thought about that while watching that show
There is that fan theory that Sid's school is specifically for special needs kids
@@eevee_mon I’ve seen it and I kinda agree
Sid’s autistic, Gerald definitely has ADHD, May most likely has Down syndrome, I don’t know what Gabriella has though
honestly, that might be why i loved that show so much as a kid. *especially* when he had to get new shoes! i was able to wear the same pair of pink sneakers for like, 5 years since my feet grew so slowly, and i Really didnt want to get new ones, even if my feet started to hurt and the toe of the shoe started separating, because they were what i was used to, and we couldnt find any in a bigger size by the time i needed to get new ones.
@@comicallylargerodent I remember my friend and I getting these gold light up sneakers thinking I was the coolest and so disappointed when o had to get rid of them
Carl the Collector has such a Bluey vibe with its art style, but more... edgy? IDK the right word for it, but it's good
Yeah, I think the art style is very unique!
It has a sorta picture book vibe that’s comforting. I’m looking forward to it. Nothing overly too stimulating
I think it kind of looks like the show dot
I just discovered this channel and immediately subbed. I love seeing other Autistic people talk about autistic things. It makes me happy.
I'm anticipating Carl the Collector will become PBS's Bluey.
(heavy, shaky breathing)
M-MAYA FEY...
MAYA FEY!!!!!!!!!!
PBS Kids has been familiar with this once a few times, like look at AJ Gadgets from Hero Elementary.
Whenever he got soaked he would panic and flail his hands, and at one point a little girl (forgot name) asked him what it was, he said that he had autism.
He assures her he has autistic powers, and she would remember this for a while, so I can understand why she was concerned for him
And he ain't the only autistic person, there's Dennis, Julia, and now Carl.
Arthur introduced Carl, which is George’s friend with Asperger Syndrome
Apparently that's a no no word in the autistic world
Kid Danger: *wearing his mighty pup movie outfit* my brother, Chevy man 30-30 the unicorn and I have autism too and we are talkative and very very friendly to other ponys. Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood HAS a boy who has autism too.
I have Autism and I’m so excited to see the new pbs kids show it looks promising and I’m happy that autism is getting more representation instead of being "haha I act different and I’m a [insert ableist slur] leedleleedleleedleleedle"
we love to see it. i do wish sesame street would turn away from autism speaks though.
on another note, i remember seeing previews for a new Thomas the Tank Engine show that works closely with autism advocacy groups and autistic kids to produce the show and make sure that autism is portrayed appropriately in kids television.
How do you only have 3k subs??? You are such a good ytber, great editing, great script, great everything!
Thank you very much!!
PLEASE talk about the amazing Autistic accuracy of Entrapta from She Ra SPOP! She’s written by autistic writers, she has major social and sensory issues, social cues go over her head until she accidentally offends somebody, she is hyper focused on technology and will only talk about it alone, she goes non verbal on other topics or just diverts right back to technology. She only eats tiny food & flaps her hands when she’s stressed!
Entrapta is AMAZINGLY written❤
She was my favorite character!
@@theotherther1 she truly is a gem for autistic representation!! best girl!
Our youngest is autistic and nonverbal, and Loop is a household favorite. I could tell how much it meant, even to her older siblings, to see our princess represented so well. Ring ring ring ring woof woof woof❤
Not even these shows will be safe from Autism Speaks. Please support ASAN
Agreed. Autism Speaks is terrible
Just so anyone not in the loop understands, Autism Speaks does not have any autistic people running it, pushes “cure” ideology 🤢, and treat autistic children like a burden.
Why is it terrible? (I don't know much about it)
@@AmeliaEarhart53756Iirc they basically treat people with autism like they’re disabled
@@AmeliaEarhart53756it’s a hate organization who demonizes autism and tries to find a “cure” while autistic people can’t be cured
As someone who has been diagnosed with autism I really like that they are doing accurate autism representation in shows
The title for Carl the collector is even accurate it even explicitly says he's autistic in the description for it! "The everyday adventures of Carl, an autistic raccoon, who loves collecting things"
It's really sweet to see the kids relate to the characters on screen
It's amazing that kids today can have this representation. Not being able to have this representation back then made me feel alone but so happy kids now don't have to feel thatz
Didn't expect to find you here, Do you think Clover has autism I do. Heck, maybe Kanako dose. GoodNow she does after the lab!
I have autism so I would love to see an undertale protectionist have autism, Clover might even be non-verbal.
@@NatetheNintendofan Possibly, I personally think so.
Im glad this show is coming out there wasn't many autistic characters when I was a kid so it's nice to see!
It really is! I hope we see even more autistic characters in kids shows as time goes on
what i need in my life is more canonically autistic female characters that are still portrayed as being girly (as in exhibiting traditionally feminine habits that are commonplace among other female characters) bc i feel like whenever i see a female autistic character she’s either a child or if she’s an adult she’s more tomboyish or androgynous in nature. This is obviously not a bad thing! I still love those characters. but as someone who is both autistic and expresses herself explicitly femininely i feel like it’s something i rarely see coinciding in the same character. Not every autistic girl doesn’t like makeup and shit yknow LMFAO. the only character like this i can think of is like twila. but monster high is also explicitly aimed towards girls in the first place so
I'm not autistic(just a schizoid with a few of other mental issues), but I honestly agree. I usually see autistic women in media being depicted as unpleasant(in their behaviour/treatment towards other people), awkward, clumsy and/or rude, which I don't really like personally. It's easier with autistic men(I guess), because in most cases they're treated and viewed as "quirky", "weird"(in a good way) or "funny". I understand that autistic people often don't follow conditional/conventional norms or rules, but yeah, I think it would be refreshing to see a "girly"(I don't like stereotypes, but I can't find another word/definition for it) autistic woman who likes dresses or skirts, wears makeup and is...nice overall? Idk, I don't wanna seem "ableist", but I'd like to see more good autistic representation which isn't too stereotypical...
@@hope539 no fr i know exactly what you mean. i didn’t really mean like. Nice ???? But i just meant like presenting as overtly feminine and liking girly things. regardless of personality/being a protagonist or antagonist
@@penntopaper9305 Sorry, I'm bad with expressing my thoughts through words. I meant exactly what you said. The word "nice" was unnecessary, and I'm not sure how to properly explain what I meant under it. Bruh:(
I’m one of those more androgynous gals and I agree! I know a few autistic women (and one AFAB enby) for whom skincare, makeup, and fashion are hardline special interests. It’s great because on the few occasions I want to wear makeup, they can pinpoint the best sensory-friendly and skin-healthy options that are a picture perfect match for my skin tone. And I get a thorough rundown of how and why. If I need to look nice for an event I take one of them with me to point me in the right direction; they get to teach me about their special interest, so it’s win-win!
And if they need to know frog facts, snake facts, cooking tips, or how to do basic home repair, they call me! (Not saying girly girls can’t do home repair, I’m saying my particular girly friends can’t)
TL;DR very femme/girly autistic ladies are extremely cool and my make my bisexual heart explode
I just got diagnosed with autism last week for the first time in 36 yrs❤
I knew about Julia but I had no idea about the other ones! I’m glad things like this r more around now! Maybe if I had these kinds of shows growing up I would have related to them and brought it up to my mom and maybe have been diagnosed b4 age 22
As somone with autism and alot of other stuff (adhd, Ocd, Anxiety, Possible Aspd, pica) and knowing that we are getting more representation feels so nice :3
This just proves Kid's shows and cartoons are superior to the more... ahem... "adult" programming... not that most normie adults will get it
Agreed, Good doctor doesn't represent me. It's over exaggerated inspiration slop.
@@boogers5760 which is a shame because Freddy Highmore, the actor who plays the character, Is REALLY good at his job! He wouldnt have been in movies that we have seen growing up if he did a crap job so he clearly knows what he is doing, it is just a horrible job he picked up and probably is contractually obligated to do it until the show ends it's run... blame the writing, not the actor because when he does a movie or show that has good writing like Bates Motel or even something like one of his first roles like James and the Giant Peach (He was a BABY back then!) he can deliver!
Best adult show is smiling friends
@@OkarunTH-cam hence the "cartoons" part of that statement. It wasn't just referring to kiddie shows
@@ThiccTropius ohhhh ok
That’s honestly really awesome to see. Thanks a lot for making this video.
I haven't watched kids cartoons recently but as an Autistic gal,I really can't wait for Carl the Collector.
my heart started beating so fast while watching loop
i'm not nonverbal, but even so it made me feel so understood? i mean specially the POV scenes from renee. that was exactly how my vision looks like and i wasn't expecting to see something like this! it made me so happy
In my perspective. There are characters such as Eliot from Eliot Kid, Mac from Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, Tasumi from The Replacements, Coop from Kid Vs. Kat, Tom from Sweet Little Monsters, Astro Boy from Astro Boy 2003, Sakurano Otoha from Sky Girls, Sakura Kinomoto from Cardcaptor Sakura, Yukari Morita from Rocket Girls, Lan and Maylu from Mega Man NT Warrior, Kari and T.K. from Digimon, Max from Pokémon, Tommy Turnbull from Robotboy, Miraculous Ladybug from Miraculous Ladybug, Todd, Maurecia, and Dana from Wayside, and Rudy from Chalkzone. As a person of autism. I find it more like a commentary to appeal and be resonating with people of the Autism Spectrum. I also have some form of anxiety too. Cartoons and Anime are never a real, or accurate take of Autism and Anxiety I had since being born. They are just a work of fiction.
In the animated series, Miraculous Ladybug. She is brave and smart. But, she does have panic attacks. She isn't perfect. She is a flawed character. This happens to her at times throughout the show. Made me feel relatable. I do pretty much relate a lot like Ladybug. Whenever she has panic attacks or flaws. I remember being around that age. Today, I may be legal of age. But, I still feel and act like a kid in heart and mind. I still have the personality of a child. I feel scared like Ladybug too. Since I'm also an autistic person. I have anxiety and a normal level of autism at once.
My Examples of What Is Autism In Media. This not an accurate or real take here:
1. Kari Kamiya from Digimon Season 02. She is happy, and passionate, and caring. In some situations, she has a fear of the darkness surrounding her. Kari is not impervious to anxiety or anything related to violence. A moment in Digimon Season 02, episode 07. When she is carried by a bad guy character. Is actually a friend, named Andromon. Albeit mind controlled. She takes time to speak up while thinking in her head. She decides to use words rather than fighting back the mind controlled Andromon. Words over violence. Minutes later, her device falls on her mind controlled friend. And is broken free from it. And proceeds to destroy the spiral tower. The day is saved in the end.
2. Aries Spring from Astra Lost In Space. She may seem bubbly, and cheerful at first glance. But, she can also be shy, timid, and sometimes forgetting to remember things. She sometimes has something called "Photographic Memory" in her mind. She does have a childlike mindset.
3. Yukari Morita from Rocket Girls. She may seem like hot-headed, embarrassed, and an average girl. Who hangs out with her friends. Deep inside, she is shy, nervous, thinking in her head, anxious, and she is shown to be scared at times. She sometimes needs rescuing and care from her peers and mentors alike.
4. Ochaco Uraraka, AKA Uravity from My Hero Academia. Sweet, bubbly, and cheerful. In some moments, she is shown to be saying to herself to focus like three times. When she needs to use her quirk powers. Thinking first before taking action. Also, that time she holded down a knife attack, and made a speech to stop this arguing and fighting between Deku and other of his hero friends. An impressive moment she did. She raises her voice, only when the time comes and when needed.
5. Kio Asuno from Mobile Suit Gundam AGE. Despite his a young person like him. And his impressive skills and abilities. He is not a plot device or overpowered character. He believes to be a gifted prodigy. Yet, he sometimes makes mistakes like accidentally causing a friction between him and others unintentionally. He sees the world as a game. With his childlike view of the world.
6. Sakurano from Sky Girls. She's happy, cheerful, and nice. She may be a 20 something year old. Yet, she's still just a kid. Sakurano doesn't look or feel like an older person. I feel like this too. And I am legal of age. It states that Sakurano has skills, and amazing performances too. Yet, she doesn't seem to have any complex ideals or personal goals that very much. She does have signs of having a childish escapism and mindset.
Honorable Mentions:
1. Bobby from Bobby's World. And Eliot from Eliot Kid. Both shows has a main character with a sense of imagination alike. I think it's called escapism. The two shows almost feel like a carbon copy of one another.
2. Mega Man, Mega Man Volnutt, Mega Man.EXE, and Mega Man Star Force from the Mega Man series. The character of Mega Man, are known for their calmful, compassion, and peaceful personality. They are known to put up a fight. They do have a childlike mindset when they are not in battle.
3. Tommy Turnbull from Robotboy. He is just an average boy. Yet, he is shown to be smart and creative at once. He puts on a belt, that turns into an exoskeleton suit. He leaps across the city, makes a rock statue, teaches bullies not to bully other kids, who are naive or lack confidence. And he is shown having fun in his exoskeleton suit. Not bad for a kid. A nice partner to Robotboy.
4. Mick from The Electric Piper. A smart, determined, and passionate young man. He is shown to be nervous, or embarrassed in some scenes throughout the film. He's also worried about leaving about himself and other kids leaving their own parents behind them. And decided to feel sorry about ditching them.
5. Brady from Clarence. He's shown to be calm and quiet throughout the show. Yet he thinks in his mind a lot. It's called "Monologue". Like talking to yourself quietly. Or think inside your head and mind.
6. Satoru (Kid Self) from Erased. In his 11 year old child self. He's in regular school classes, ect. At times, he is shown to think first before plan thinking in any type of situations. Like how to rescue others, learn about the mystery, and plan how to escape a cat and mouse chase. Satoru is sometimes blushing, shy, introvert, and smiles a little more, caring, and lively at heart.
Live-action: A few examples.
1. Roarke from The River Wild. He is shown to be quiet in some scenes in the film. He's also does hand signs to his mom. And is curious and alerted, when he a finds a weapon in the bag of the unknown men. He realized the strange men are criminals. And tells his mom quickly about this. He's shown to be Extraverted, Intuitive, and Shy in his personality and mind. Young people, kids can be amazing supporting characters in film or tv shows.
2. The Good Doctor has been an example of Autism and ADHD alike.
3. Jake from Touch (2012). The child of Martin, his dad. Who depicted with autism. It shows a good example of it. Taking it's time. I think, these are my list of characters of portrayal or signs of Autism, ADHD, ect. I am not sure if most of the them are a part of the Autism Spectrum. Only a very few. Like I said, this not a realistic or accurate take. I may think my own character list has and shows signs or examples of it. The characters I described, made feel relatable and made me inspired. Ever since I was born with level 2 autusm. That's my own viewpoint here.
As an autistic person, I can tell you that Julia and Sesame Street in general is not good autism representation. Julia displays so many stereotypes lol. Plus Sesame Street has partnered up with Autism Speaks.
I think AJ from Hero Elementary is notable because he’s an autistic POC, something I don’t recall seeing elsewhere. Hopefully we’ll receive more diverse autism rep in the future.
I think Carl the Collector is a BIG step in getting good autism representation. Usually when a show has an autistic character they appear rarely or have a recurring role at best. Here, we have a show with an autistic character in THE STARRING ROLE. I’m quite excited to watch this show! (Also small correction, it doesn’t premiere next month, it premieres in November.) 🦝
I think something still missing from shows is ADULT autistic characters. So many people think exclusively children have autism, and that’s saddening. It would be nice to have more autistic adult characters in media.
Also, nice background music choice. Love Ace Attorney.
While she's not technically an adult, I think Sawako from "Kimi ni Todoke" is a pretty good baseline for autistic characters in older kids since most characters that are canonically on the Spectrum are always so young. I had similar struggles as her when I was in high school. Then there's Leonhard, Bruno, and Kai from "The Royal Tutor," while I doubt autism would have been an actual term in the setting, I think they do a pretty good job showcasing how it affects people differently.
I heard that the Jim Hanson company got advice from autism speaks
This I actually didn't know about, since it didn't come up in my research. Autism Speaks is an awful organization for certain, and they misrepresent people like us all the time. I'm disappointed to hear Sesame Workshop partnered with them
Watch the Good Doctor from ABC. The main character is an autistic surgeon named Shaun.
@@hilarywitt actor is not autistic
Another good autistic rep I’ve seen is Bruno the Brake Car from the Thomas the Tank Engine reboot All Engines Go. I haven’t seen much of the show but every single thing I’ve seen and heard with Bruno is absolutely phenomenal!! He’s a regular, reoccurring cast member that’s treated like everyone else.
That's great! It's especially good when the rep is just treated like another member of the cast and not like they're "special" or whatever. Really helps normalize it
I love Bruno, he's adorable and, for me personally, SO relatable!
As an previously PBS Kid, This is a very good thing to have, having autistic representation in media including PBS makes me happy, Carl the Collector is a great example of that.
Someone else already mentioned her, but one of my favorite autistic reps is Twyla from the new Monster High series! She’s a character I relate to quite a lot as someone with autism. Wanting to ramble and infodump about her books, the bracelet fidgeting (I wear bracelets almost exclusively for fidgeting), and especially the fact that she’s shy but still open to social interaction with others, so long as you invite her and are understanding of her need for quiet.
I did discuss her in the new autism video yes!
@@noahthe0tter OHH I didn’t realize you made a sequel! I gotta watch that one too, I genuinely loved your points in this one sm!!
@@weemotheveemo8070 thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed. Working on a third video too
I love how you added tails the fox!! I do feel like he shows signs of autism sometimes but also not very much in games! I love how we are getting more autism representation in kids shows! I never was autistic myself. as I just have Tourette’s, sensory issues, and a possible hint of adhd (according to my friend.) and I do relate to a lot of things. I have to wear socks all the time to avoid my feet touching the floor. As it bothers me very much. I’m also dyslexic which I don’t think is part of that but I’m pretty sure my mom is slightly part of the spectrum and I think that it’s really neat! :D sometimes I get a little too sensitive but my bestfriend helps me with my anxiety cuz he’s the best. I also relate to tails alot! lol I’m just a silly tails kinnie. And I hope to find some friends that also like sonic the hedgehog as much as I do.
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO WEARS SOCKS ALL THE TIME
But yeah, my mom thinks it’s weird and wants me to stop. I have sensory issues too (both with hands and mouth, which my parents want me to change).
@@Isabelle-qq2yuomg same!! If I touch a certain texture or something it really bothers me and my sister agravates it more because she forces me to touch stuff and she knows that it messes with me!!
@@peppermintsyrup Fr, I always thought it was weird because people (specifically my family members) question why I don’t like going without sock or don’t like a certain food texture. I’m glad I know now though
Tails is not autistic,
@@sneakydeechey7210it's a headcanon
I still remember that one episode from the new seasons of Arthur I think it got released while in my junior/senior year of high school that one episode that George was part of the main episode and he met a kid with Aspergers which caught me by surprise and that time I didn’t knew that was a kind of syndrome.
Bluey possibly shows some of these traits as well, even trough some of the episodes that also tackle different disabilities like ADHD, there is also the most recent episode "Surprise" that shows things in different ways. I hope you could cover this show as well on your channel someday.
Subscribed. Thanks for making content like this.
Loop was really well done and I hope it helps a lot of people understand that some people are just going to be different, should be respected and not dismissed.
I agree! I sure hope it becomes more commonly discussed too. Just that simple respect for people in general
WHAT A SPECTACULAR VIDEO! It's truly refreshing how these kind of shows are putting so much care and effort in accurately and respectfully representing neurodivergence and neurotypicality! I still remember when Julia was first introduced to the Sesame Steet main cast, and OH MY GOSH it EXCELLED in every way, of course, it's no wonder since it's being handled by the masterful Sesame Street team, but still, it a thrill to point out, and how acute every minute detail was! Loop was another huge surprise (all Pixar's Sparkshot shorts in general), and the distinct yet equally masterful representation these two independent animated media inspired is beyond words.
Another show that masterfully tackled neurodivergence (while not exploring the spectrum YET) is Bluey, specifically, the character Jack; ADHD is also an important neurodevelopmental disorder barely handled or accurately depicted in media, and this show delivered MASTERFULLY; while affecting his personal life, his disorder is not overdramatized not antagonized, and rather explored through his own perspective, and how beneficial his close friendship with another main character (Rusty) and the power of play are through it, focusing on his development and personality as a character (and well, him being a lovely kid full of energy as any other!), just STELLAR!
I was recently diagnosed with Highly Functional Autism, and since then I've taken these lovely representations on a new light and feel massively thankful for these to exist and paint these conditions they way they are supposed! 💖💖💖
Thanks for writing all this out 💚 honestly, I'm really glad more shows like this exist now, and I'm really glad my autism videos are reaching people. Thanks for watching, and I'm so glad you enjoyed my autism video
Omg, I love this it would have helped a lot to see kids like this on tv!
I didn’t know about any of these characters but im glad i can see and say that it does seem like such kind rep. I liked this video :)
1:28 HELP MY NAME IS JULIA AND IM AUTISTIC 😭💀
Okay 👍
The best thing about these new autistic characters is that they aren’t the same copy and paste series of behaviors that were very often overused back in the day when shows would have that autistic education episode that only focused on the “worst case scenarios”. The characters feel like actual people and are treated as such, and not as a teaching point.
I recall seeing a while back an episode of the show “Arthur” about a character who happened to be my favourite in the series as a kid happening to be an Aspie, and it described the experience perfectly. I felt so seen. All I know is they were a deer, I think, and wore an orange shirt often, and were very relatable and most pleasant indeed. Also, Mr Rayburn was gay, and I was HERE for it as a gay kid.
I myself only ever write neurodivergent characters, (primarily for D&D, but I plan on expanding my work into other media as well sometime) partly because NT’s are rather conceptually boring, and partly because there just aren’t enough of us in media.
The fact that they all have past trauma, and I myself have CPTSD is just a coincidence. **wink wink**
The character from Arthur you're referring to is named George btw 👍
I first found Hero Elementary because my little brother loved it as a young kid. One thing I love about its rep through AJ was that his autism is seen as just a fact about him, similar to which characters are boys vs girls, their ages, or any other traits that they have. AJ also doesn't have his "autism episode" as the only time he is shown with his autistic traits, as he is constantly shown stimming in the show when stressed and often has realistic reactions to textures he is said to dislike. While there are episodes that highlight his autistic traits to showcase his strengths and struggles, it's no different from episodes portraying Lucita's hispanic heritage or Benny's experience as a pet owner.
That is a trait I know. I got autism, and even to this day when in public bathrooms and I flush the toilet, or when I'm in a very loud crowd, I instinctually cover my ears. Or another trait is that us autistics tend to hyperfixate on things we like, or at least I do. Growing up I loved the HELL outta things like Mario, a movie I saw as a kid called Astro Boy, Superman, etc and would not shut the hell up about it lmao. Ain't no wonder why I never had friends ever. But yeah that is something I can relate to, that's covered in these types of media.
Astro Boy rocks! have you read any of the manga? ^^
As a person with autism for 13 years while i'm 16 years old
I find that very representative and very exciting
I've been going to autism therapy to help me communicate my struggles, thoughts and feelings about random things
I can be chatty about the things that I remember like naming celebrities who voiced legendary cartoon characters or naming countries and capitals.
The Character that I think has autism and has the Same Trait as me is Prince Badou from Babar and the adventures of Badou because he is very playful, helpful, kind and sometimes very cooperative and when things go wrong he always talks to his grandparents of what was happening to him just like I've been talking to mom when things go wrong and that's like getting support from family members when things get tough for me
Autistic TV Shows show an excellent representative for People with Autism like me
I think the biggest thing good autistic rep in media does is picks only one or two traits common in autism and the rest of their character is “normal”. The worst ones are the characters that are given every single symptom possible creating a caricature of autism.
Twyla from Monster High is a good example of this. Her biggest symptoms are social issues and audio sensory issues. They don’t also make her non-verbal, touch sensitive, unable to show emotions properly, constantly hand flappy, AND having constant overwhelming meltdowns.
Good rep also doesn’t do the early 2000s shtick of “this person is different and wacky so they have to dress wacky”. Modern example is Proud Family Louder and Prouder. Bebe is diagnosed with autism, so they make him wear his pants unbuttoned at all times. It portrays these people as incompetent because “look they dress weird/can’t dress themselves”. Good rep to me shows them dressed fine, *maybe* a little wacky like a fun t-shirt or a style that’s not modern (like Sheldon always in a bow tie. He may not be the best rep but at least they didn’t dress him like an idiot) but it still shows that they know how to put clothes on and look coherent.
Media has to be careful with how they make their characters act and look. Because in the end they need to make these characters relatable. When you get too wrapped up in “how do we represent everyone” you lose sight of “okay who is this character and how do we make them a believable living person first and foremost?” If you focus on the latter, the representation comes naturally.
PBS KIDS is my favorite networks, the shows are so good and the representation is amazing. I've been excited for Carl the Collector to come out ever since I heard of it. I can tell the show would become really popular.
It’s about time that children’s television represents my kind of people who are on the spectrum
i loved this video!
Another example of characters on media for kids could be Donatello from the rise of teenage mutant ninja turtles
Or Snork from Momminvalley (2019 ver)
I wish I grew up with these shows. Back then the only autistic "reprensentation" I always saw in tv, online, and also irl in school was the kind where they were the butt of the joke for being "weird" or "creepy" or even mentally "slow."
PBS kids is what I grew up on... Wild Kratz, Arthur, Word girl, and a bunch of others.
I'm glad they're still going strong. With good shows for kids.
I would not be surprised if we start seeing more neurodivergent characters, including autistic characters, in the upcoming season(s) of Bluey.
Bluey already has recurring characters coded as neurodivergent, such as Jack Russell exhibiting ADHD traits, and even Bluey herself suspected of having some form of learning disorder. But we’ll have to wait, since the show is currently on hiatus. It’s something to consider, especially since Bluey is an incredibly popular and well-regarded show that has made a point to make different kinds of kids and adults feel seen.
It makes me so happy that today’s autistic children get more characters to relate to than we did as kids!
Nature is healing
It is, and it's really nice to see
FINALLYYYY HRHHSHHHDHF
im so excited and happy that the newer generations will finally have something like this. i would have DIED for this on god
some pretty good representation is through zane from lego ninjago. he is actually confirmed to be autistic but it's never really mentioned in the show (it was mentioned by the writers). originally he was meant to be just autistic but then the writers turned him into a robot which i mean come on that's sick as hell. he is my favourite autistic robot boy
I think from a child's perspective, they might feel supported, better understand & happy to see a character like them, if they share the same traits as the characters. For children who don't share them, they might feel excluded, as autism is extremely diverse & too nuanced to be able to accurately portray every single autistic child/person, through an adorable animated raccoon or a puppet on sesame Street. Honestly, I think most everything on television and social media about Autism that is not actually created by a licensed professional, needs to be removed from the media & the internet. Some arrogant yet probably well meaning people, believe that Autism is a "superpower", when in actuality, the majority of neurodiverse individuals, experience it as a curse or a disease.. Neurotypical people reinforce that belief, when they try to train Autistics to "be more neurotypical " it makes Autistics feel broken, like the very core of who they are is wrong & needs to be "fixed " or "cured". At the end of the day, Autism needs to be taken off the "entertainment" table entirely. It's unethical to make light of something that has absolutely destroyed & devastated some lives.
I would also like to cancel Autism speaks, the culture of self maryreted Autism moms & all family vlogs with children, they should be illegal.
As an autistic girl I'm really happy that there's autistic representations on cartoons and this makes me inspired❤❤❤❤❤
@@GabrielaGames456 it's incredible too see, as an autistic otter!
Just found out about Carl the Collector and I'm so excited to show it to my little brother, who loves raccoons and highly suspected to be autistic (like me) :D
Thank you so much for making this video!
My pleasure! I'm glad you liked it!
I really wish i had these shows when i was little because i’m actually neurotypical, and it would’ve been really helpful to already know as a kid that specifically people on the spectrum weren’t showing the symptoms on purpose and it wasn’t a bad thing. I’m being entirely honest here, i think that the people around me, even other kids, had no idea how to communicate with autistic kid who popped into our very tiny, very close-knit school. We were already very close and when she came in no one knew how to speak with her or tell her when we were uncomfortable, so it was harmful on both ends. These shows will change that, and i am so grateful.
I saw a clip on TH-cam about a episode of peppa pig where there’s a kids in a wheelchair and peppa is including her as a freind and I like how the writers did that
I absolutely love Twyla from G3 Monster High. She’s exactly like I was when I was a kid and would’ve definitely helped me figure out myself a lot sooner. She’s even voiced by an autistic person!
I don't know about kids cartoons specifically, but in old movies and TV shows, there are tons of characters, that looking back knowing what we know now, you could say they were probably unintentional depictions of autistic people from before anyone knew what that was. The best example I can think of was the bank teller played by Burgess Merideth in the Twilight Zone episode, Time Enough at Last. I wish someone would make a documentary about how people with autism were perceived by society back in the days before people knew what it was, and how they were portrayed in old movies and TV shows back then. Of course, that Twilight Zone episode should be featured prominently in that documentary.
Transformers Earthspark is another good example imo, basically every Terran is on the spectrum in different spots and it really shows how different neurodivergent people can be, since y'know it's a spectrum. A lot of shows usually just have 1 example of an autistic / neurodivergent person and they usually follow the same traits, whereas this show has 5 and they all have different stims, traits, flaws etc.
Blue’s Clues & You! just debuted four new episodes on here and two of them feature an Autistic character; a koala named Lavender whose main special interest is birds.
Oh my God is that true
@@bobbydenney8368 th-cam.com/video/eTnQmR8FnZE/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
As a autistic person I think that it’s good that’s it’s not just adult cartoons with characters like Raegan Ridley and Rick Sanchez and we need more for kids and I think that’s inspirational
As someone in the spectrum, I wish we’d had characters like Julia from Sesame Street when I was a kid. Maybe it would’ve helped prevent the bullying I’d dealt with
Unfortunately, since Sesame Workshop lets Autism Speaks use Julia for advertising, I consider her impact a net negative. I’d imagine quite a few parents hooked up with that terrible organization (and probably enrolled their kids in ABA) as a result of Sesame Workshop ignoring ASAN’s concerns.
@@GhostIntoTheFog oh, I didn’t know about that. Ugh, Autism speaks needs to shut down
I actually learned that I was neurodivergent two years ago following a consultation with my therapist since then I’ve been on a mission to try to raise awareness for mental health and be a role model brothers in anyway I can it’s important that anybody who sees this knows that they’re not alone and there’s no shame in asking for help if you need it
I was happy that Sesame Street came out with Julia. When I was a kid I always wished that there was a character that I could identify with. I'm level 1 autistic myself.