Random Disney Channel Will Soon Have Its First Gay Main Character (10 items)

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  (#1) This Plot Is A Huge Step Forward For The Disney Channel

  In the season two premiere of Andi Mack, Andi (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and Cyrus (Joshua Rush) realize they both have a crush on the same boy. In a dramatic scene, Cyrus voices his feeling of always knowing he was different.

  Because the demographic for the Disney Channel skews 6–14, this is a major step forward in representation, especially for an audience at this young age. Seeing Cyrus come to terms with being attracted to other boys will help normalize being gay.
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  (#2) It's A Season-Long Arc

  Occasionally, shows for tween or teen audiences feature a character struggling with a major issue – drinking, drugs, an eating disorder, abuse – only to see that issue forgotten about in later episodes. Andi Mack intends to be different. Cyrus’s acceptance of his own sexuality is an ongoing plot during Season 2 .
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  (#3) Joshua Rush Is Proud To Be Playing Cyrus

  Actor Joshua Rush understands the significance of playing such a groundbreaking role on the Disney Channel. Rush took to Instagram with a message for fans:

  "Starting conversations about trust, love, relationships and family dynamics is easier when you have a show that you can relate to. Andi Mack gives young people and their parents, mentors, and champions a meaningful way to talk about these topics and the power to decide their futures. I’m so proud to bring Cyrus’ groundbreaking storyline to life and for you to see what we’ve been working on."
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  (#4) GLAAD Gave The Storyline Its Seal Of Approval

  GLAAD has long been an advocate for the representation of members of the LGBTQ+ community in media. The organization screened the Season 2 premiere of Andi Mack in advance, and they more than approved. Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, released a statement:

  “With more and more young people coming out as LGBTQ, Andi Mack is reflecting the lives and lived experiences of so many LGBTQ youth around the country. Television reflects the real-life world, and today that includes LGBTQ youth who deserve to see their lives depicted on their favorite shows. Disney has been a leader in LGBTQ inclusion and there are so many young people who will be excited to see Cyrus’ story unfold.”
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  (#5) PFLAG Praised The Show

  Dr. Jaime Grant, the National Executive Director of PFLAG, released a statement about Andi Mack:

  “Sharing one’s innermost self can be challenging, and to do so as an adolescent can be particularly so, especially when in the midst of figuring it out for yourself. Coming out requires honest self reflection, no small amount of bravery, and a safe place with at least one trusted person—a friend, a parent, a teacher—who can hold your confidence... and your heart. Andi Mack’s creative team captures this moment of revelation with such thought, care, and authenticity; it will be a memory moment for some, and a teachable moment for many.”
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  (#6) One Million Moms Is Not Happy

  The organization One Million Moms has taken issue with Cyrus’s storyline on Andi Mack. On the organization’s website, it stated:

  “What is wrong with having family-friendly content that is acceptable for all ages or even leaving a couple of networks solely for children’s entertainment? Disney Channel is gradually becoming another Freeform Network. As one of only a few channels catering to children, it cannot possibly be that Disney Channel has a financial need for more adult viewers.

  By choosing to abandon family-friendly entertainment, Disney’s inexplicable choice to move toward more 'adult' fare may ultimately prove to be a huge mistake.”
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  (#7) One Million Moms Also Took Issue With Good Luck Charlie

  This is not the first time One Million Moms has taken issue with one of Disney Channel’s more progressive plots. In Good Luck Charlie, Disney featured an adult lesbian couple who were the mothers to a preschooler. One Million Moms accused the show of "pushing an agenda."

  Fortunately, pushback hasn’t stopped Disney from continuing to move forward with more representation on their shows.
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  (#8) Stars Like Miley Cyrus Commended Disney For Good Luck Charlie's Step Forward

  Of course, it wasn’t all pushback for Good Luck Charlie's lesbian couple. Miley Cyrus, who got her start on the Disney Channel's Hannah Montana, tweeted her support:

  "I commend Disney for making this step into the light of this generation. They control... so much of what kids think! Life isn't bright sets & wardrobe & kids becoming superstars! This is INSPIRING."
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  (#9) Even Before This Plot, Andi Mack Was Not Your Typical Disney Show

  Even before introducing Cyrus as a gay character, Andi Mack was never your typical Disney Channel show. Andi Mack explors extremely difficult and complicated family dynamics. The premise of the show involves Andi’s older sister, Bex, returning home. It’s at this point that 13-year-old Andi is told that Bex is actually her mother, and that the women she believed was her mother is her grandmother.

  On top of this, Andi Mack shows their young characters struggle with issues of identity and growing up. While Cyrus’s plot is a major step forward for the Disney Channel, Andi Mack, as a whole, is a show that is moving the Disney Channel into a new, more open direction.
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  (#10) And This Is All From The Woman Behind Lizzie McGuire

  Andi Mack’s creator, Terri Minsky, has a long history of creating some stellar shows. In Disney Channel's Lizzie McGuire, Hilary Duff’s Lizzie faces typical teenage problems, all with the help of her wild imagination. Minsky also created MTV's Finding Carter, a show in which the main character finds out she was abducted when she was a child and returns to her biological family.

  Minsky’s body of work proves she’s determined to make thought-provoking content for young viewers, and that’s extremely important.

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