autisticadvocacy:

https://autisticadvocacy.org/2019/08/asan-has-ended-partnership-with-sesame-street/

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network condemns Sesame Street’s decision to further stigma against autistic children and adults in their new Public Service Announcements.

For several years, ASAN consulted with Sesame Street on their See Amazing project and the development of their autistic character, Julia. Until this summer, the content Sesame Street produced showed parents that their autistic children could live great lives, and taught autistic and neurotypical children ways to become friends. Sesame Street has now decided to undo that progress. Its latest PSAs featuring Julia promote Autism Speaks’ “Screen for Autism” initiative and their resource for parents of newly-diagnosed autistic children, the 100 Day Kit. The 100 Day Kit encourages parents to blame family difficulties on their autistic child and to view autism as a terrible disease from which their child can “get better.”

Our contacts acknowledged that the Autism Speaks resources were harmful and portrayed autistic children in a negative light – yet they were unwilling to reverse course in their plans to promote them. As a result, we have formally ended our partnership with Sesame Street.

We call on Sesame Street to recognize the damage they are doing, end their partnership with Autism Speaks, and commit to producing and promoting only content which increases the inclusion, acceptance and well-being of autistic children.

Read our full statement regarding Sesame Street here: https://autisticadvocacy.org/2019/08/asan-has-ended-partnership-with-sesame-street/