Every July we celebrate Disability Pride Month. It began in the United States in 1990 with the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. According to the Pew Research Center, about 42.5 million Americans have disabilities, which is about 13% of the civilian population not in an institution.
These individuals have inherent value and make meaningful contributions to society but are not always represented on television. The ten shows on this list help make up for this. These family-friendly options are a great way to start a conversation about disabilities in your home.
'Sesame Street'
In 2015, the popular PBS/HBO series Sesame Street introduced the character of Julia online in a forum titled Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children. Julia made her television debut on April 2, 2017, which just so happened to be World Autism Awareness Day.
She is a 4-year-old who loves her family and is never without her favorite stuffie, a rabbit named Fluffster. She is brought to life by puppeteer Stacey Gordon, who has an autistic son, and was created with help from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network.
'Goldie & Bear'
This animated Disney Junior series was created by Jorge Aguirre and is based on the fairy tale "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." After Goldilocks breaks into the bears' home, she befriends the son, Jack. He forgives her.
The two go on grand adventures and encounter other fairy tale characters. Goldie's mom, Marian Locks, uses a wheelchair. She is voiced by Jane Lynch and appears in the second season. You can stream this series on Disney+.
'Switched at Birth'
This ABC Family series is best for teens and tweens and available to stream on Disney+. It ran for five seasons beginning in 2011. The plot centers on teens Daphne Vasquez and Bay Kennish, who find out from a school assignment that they were accidentally switched at birth.
Daphne, played by Katie Leclerc, is deaf after a bout with meningitis when she was 3. One episode of the series in season two was done completely in American Sign Language.
'The Middle'
The Middle, an ABC offering also best for tweens and teens, is an American sitcom that ran for nine seasons. The plot centers on the middle class Heck family, who live in the fictional small town of Orson, Indiana.
Mom Frances "Frankie" Heck, played by Patricia Heaton, and dad Mike Heck, played by Neil Flynn, share three kids. Their youngest son Brick, played by Atticus Shaffer, has osteogenesis imperfecta. This is more commonly known as brittle bone disease. You can watch the show on Amazon Prime or Peacock.
'Avatar: The Last Airbender'
This Nickelodeon animated series was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko. In this fictional world everyone practices bending, which means they can telekinetically manipulate water, earth, fire, or air.
Twelve-year-old Aang is the only person who can control all four, making him the current avatar. Along with his friends, Katara, Sokka, and Toph, he tries to defeat Fire Lord Ozai to prevent him from taking over the world. Toph is an extremely powerful earthbender who is blind. Stream this series on Netflix.
'Pablo'
Pablo was created by Grainne McGuinness and debuted on CBeebies, a British network, in 2017. This show is unique because it uses both live action and 2-D animation. All the show's writers and cast are on the autism spectrum. The plot focuses on Pablo, a 5-year-old boy with autism, who goes on adventures with his animal friends in his art world. Catch it on YouTube.
'Hardball'
Let's go down under. This Australian kids show takes place in Western Sydney and is all about fitting in and playing handball. One of the main characters, Jerry Stevenston, has cerebral palsy. You can watch it on ABC iview.
'Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood'
Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is based on the work of Fred Rogers. The animated series premiered nine years after his death. It takes place in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and centers on the character of Daniel Tiger.
It helps kids learn about emotions. The character of Chrissie is a member of the royal family. She is Prince Tuesday and Wednesday's cousin. Her legs need some extra support to work, so she uses crutches and braces.
'Punky'
This animated series was created in partnership with Down Syndrome Ireland. It is the brainchild of Lindsay J. Sedgwick and was the first animated series to have a lead character with Down syndrome. It follows the everyday life of 6-year-old Punky, who loves animals, music, dancing, and hugs. You can watch it on Amazon Prime.
'She-Ra and the Princesses of Power'
The 2018 show She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is a Netflix reboot of the 1985 Filmation series of the same name. It has been celebrated for its diversity.
For instance, the character Entrapta, voiced by Christine Woods, is autistic. This fact is never expressly stated in the series but was confirmed by showrunner ND Stevenson, who created the character with help from storyboard artist Sam Szymansk, who has autism.
