Nickelodeon’s highest-grossing children’s television program “SpongeBob SquarePants” was created in 1999. From the mind of marine biologist, teacher and animator, Stephen Hillenburg’s character SpongeBob (originally SpongeBoy) has become an inspiration to kids all around the world.

Deep below the sea, children follow SpongeBob Squarepants and his friends Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, Mr. Krabs and Plankton on adventures of nautical nonsense through the town of Bikini Bottom. SpongeBob’s upbeat personality has held a special place in the hearts of kids because he never gives up reaching goals and making the lives of others better, even if only a little, especially SpongeBob’s grumpy friend and neighbor, Squidward.

SpongeBob has had an over 25-year run, and the characters themselves have resonated with neurodiverse kids. SpongeBob actively tries to prove himself to be more than he appears to be on a surface level. In “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie,” his journey is to show that after over 20 years of working at the “Krusty Krab,” he’s not just a kid and is mature enough to handle a manager position.

On May 19, 2024 at the Motor City Comic Con in Novi, MI, SpongeBob’s voice actor Tom Kenny recollected that, “A person who was obviously on the spectrum came up to me and said, ‘I have a question for you, Tom Kenny, is SpongeBob autistic?’”

“Of Course!” Kenny responded. “That’s his superpower, the same way that’s your superpower.”

The reveal was a warranted surprise to many fans of the beloved cartoon. Children on the autism spectrum are often judged for being different, sometimes struggling with social cues and sensitivity to the world around them, but the revelation that SpongeBob is autistic provides a sense of comfort to neurodiverse kids that they’re valid.

SpongeBob’s quirky kindness helps cheer people up from the anger-driven words of a select group of neurotypical people.

Asher Frankel, Sage Creek senior and athlete, has a personal perspective about how autism representation is necessary for kids. “It helps with destigmatization and because there’s almost a negative image towards neurodivergent people,” Frankel said. “I went to a Catholic school, and I was the first ever neurodivergent kid that went there, so I had an entire grade bully me because of preconceived notions.”

On June 7, 2016, SpongeBob SquarePants had its first screen-to-stage appearance with an official live stage musical in Chicago. The show was a legitimate surprise to fanatics and critics, with songs being widely different in artists and genres. A simple story makes up for it with a heartfelt moral. Midway through act I, SpongeBob belts out an inspirational song “(Just a) Simple Sponge” to convey to the audience that despite his optimistic and naive persona, there’s more to him than what’s seen on a surface level.

As seen in recent media such as Sia’s controversial Netflix film “Music,” autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a complex characteristic to portray in a respectful and authentic way. When audiences watch a movie or TV series, it’s common to see Hollywood present the stereotypical symptoms of autism such as sensitive hearing, lack of eye contact, or being nonverbal towards others. Autism is a spectrum by nature, where people’s experiences in how they see the world is completely different from each other.

Sage Creek senior Avi Mendels Elliott had insight to being perceived differently, “It was a struggle. I mean when I finally found out what my diagnosis with autism meant, it kind of internally changed me because I knew I was going to be different from everybody else.”

The average citizen in society prefers the norm of commonality that people are similar to each other. People have the habit of disliking change for the uniqueness of people. Young kids, teens, and adults are no exception as they’re often excluded, abandoned, or even bullied for who they are.

SpongeBob SquarePants’ reveal of being on the spectrum has to be the most comforting and reassuring news to autistic people. People live in a world that’s full of unique ideas and people but can feel scared knowing that there are people hating others for wanting to live their lives. Though there is no way to escape the constant hatred, the small, mellow ounce of being recognized and accepted for who someone is can truly go a long way.

SpongeBob is an optimistic yet naive individual. Multiple instances throughout the cartoon shows how kind and open arms he can be even if the person isn’t deserving of kindness. SpongeBob’s willingness to accept the people goes as far as he chooses to see people happy around him rather than others wrapped up in a hateful dispute.