James Wright’s one-year-old daughter delights in watching Bluey, but as a profoundly deaf child, she cannot fully engage with the show’s storytelling. Unfortunately, Bluey is not available in Australian Sign Language (Auslan), leaving her and thousands of other deaf children missing out on rich programming. This has spurred Wright and over 13,000 supporters to petition the national broadcaster and Bluey’s creators to translate the show into Auslan.
Wright shares that his daughter, who communicates using Auslan, deserves the same access to beloved Aussie content as her siblings. Despite the family’s efforts to include Auslan in their lives, finding accessible content remains a challenge. They are inspired by their daughter’s distinct perspective of the world, which has led to their campaign for more inclusive children’s television.
While Bluey has featured an Auslan moment in one episode, Wright notes the lack of comprehensive options, leading to feelings of exclusion for deaf children during crucial developmental years. He argues that denying them access to quality children’s programming constitutes discrimination. As the petition progresses, Wright urges the government to set standards for Auslan translation in children’s programming, stressing that immediate action is essential for the future of deaf children in Australia.