A new PBS show is making progressive waves and connecting with children who have autism. The children’s show “Hero Elementary” chronicles the lives of four child heroes who navigate the educational world. One of those characters, AJ Gadgets, is depicted as having autism. This new character gives children who are on the spectrum a role model to look up to within popular culture. His representation and normalization in the show is a great way for autistic children to cope with their condition.
Key Takeaways:
- Hero Elementary is a new program centered around four characters at a school for budding superheroes.
- The AJ Gadgets character has some social problems as well as issues with sensory overload.
- Very few television programs for children include characters who have disabilities.
“A superhero on a new PBS Kids show has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which the creators hope will help foster acceptance at a moment when there’s little representation of characters with disabilities on children’s programs.”
