When Pixar introduced Toy Story audiences to Bonnie, she was simply the little girl who inherited Woody, Buzz and the gang from Andy at the end of Toy Story 3 (2010). But for many autistic families, Bonnie has become something more: a character whose experiences feel surprisingly familiar.
Pixar has never described Bonnie as autistic. She was created to represent the challenges many children face as they grow up and encounter new social situations. But her difficulties with change, her anxiety around friendships and her deep attachment to her toys make her feel distinctly familiar to many autistic people, including myself.
