Deaf child sweetly reacts to ‘Bluey’ character—because representation is SO important

It’s as simple and profound as this: when children see people like them reflected in popular culture, they’re more likely to identify with those characters and realize that they belong in the world. And a viral video of a deaf child reacting to a deaf character on “Bluey” is a sweet example of why representation matters so very much.

In a new episode (new to the United States as of mid-July, anyway) titled “Turtleboy,” the show introduces a new friend named Dougie. Bingo and Bandit come across a lost stuffed turtle at the park, and decide to have a lot of fun with “Turtleboy.” They leave the toy when they’re done playing in case the turtle’s owner shows up to claim it. Dougie and his mom enter the park, and it’s clear right away that Dougie is deaf and is communicating through sign language.

“Thank you Bluey,” mom Felicia Aquilo captions her now-viral TikTok video. Her adorable son is seen grinning from ear to ear when he realizes that Dougie is deaf and signs just like he does.

The thing that’s so great about the “Bluey” episode featuring Dougie is that it not only represents a disability that approximately 34 million children have, but it also shows that even if Dougie and Bingo communicate differently, they can still play and have fun together with their shared interests (in stuffed turtles and other things).

A lack of deaf media representation doesn’t just impact the deaf community, but it prevents simple and effective teaching tools—like an eight-minute episode of a popular kids’ cartoon—from educating a wider audience. Without adequate representation, children and adults are limited in learning about inclusivity.

Many commenters shared their love for the video and seeing how impactful representation can be.

“This filled my heart!!! What a big beautiful smile.”

“What episode is that? My niece just got her cochlear implant turned on a few days ago, she is also learning sign language.”

“Oh my heart. Bluey never ceases to pull at the heart strings with their compassion and inclusivity. They never miss.”

“I was so excited when I saw this on the new episodes!”

“This melted my heart. This is the kind of representation that needs to be seen.”

“I love bluey! I love that they include everything. Socks, Muffins sister is autistic and it warms my heart since my daughter is too.”

See? As if we needed another reason to love “Bluey.”