| Julia | |
|---|---|
| Sesame Street character | |
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| First appearance | Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children (2015) |
| Created by | ASAN (major consultants) |
| Portrayed by | Stacey Gordon |
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Human Muppet |
| Gender | Female |
| Family | Elena (mother) Daniel (father) Samuel (older brother) |
Julia is a fictional character on the PBS/HBO children's educational television series Sesame Street. She is known for being the first Sesame Street character diagnosed with autism. Julia is a friendly four-year-old girl who enjoys bonding with her supportive family and her friends on Sesame Street. She first appeared in 2015 in an online autism awareness initiative from Sesame Workshop, entitled Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children. Julia later made her first appearance on television series on Episode 4715, which originally aired on April 2, 2017 (World Autism Awareness Day).
Julia is performed by puppeteer Stacey Gordon, who has a son with autism. Her creation stemmed from Sesame Street staff members with autistic children wanting to add an autistic character to the program. She was initially developed with strong consultation from ASAN (Autistic Self-Advocacy Network). Since her debut Julia has received favorable and positive reception in general. Controversy surrounding Julia emerged in 2019 when she was featured in a series of PSAs for the organization Autism Speaks, prompting ASAN to part ways with Sesame Street.