The Disney Channel made network history recently by featuring its first-ever teen same-sex couple on the final episode of its popular pre-teen drama series Andi Mack.
Fans of the show may remember that in October 2017 Cyrus Goodman, a friend of the show’s titular heroine, revealed he had a crush on a boy. Although the show subsequently left Goodman’s sexuality mostly unexplored, in February 2019, Goodman actually said “I’m gay,” another groundbreaking first for the channel.
Some fans worried that Goodman’s sexual orientation would remain unexplored throughout the series’ third and final season. But then, in its final episode, Goodman flirted and held hands with his friend T.J. Kippen, the once-arrogant captain of the basketball team whose vulnerable side gradually appeared over two seasons.
Instead of telling you about the scene, just watch it for yourself below:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Considering how rarely any show depicts a pre-teen same-sex romance, this is a pretty big deal and exactly the sort of media representation that young queer people need to see that their feelings are valid and positive. It’s an even bigger deal when you consider that it’s coming from a major cable network geared towards kids. (Andi Mack was the channel’s most popular program among six- to 14-year-old viewers.)
The show’s showrunner and creator Terri Minsky told Paste magazine:
“I feel like it’s so. much. for, you know, the captain of the basketball team, to hold hands with a boy in the middle of a party…. I think that first physical contact with somebody is so intense. The feeling of their hand and your hand intertwined, how unusual and connected and intense that is….
In terms of the story, it didn’t need a kiss. Adding a kiss would have been doing it just to do it, to be first, and I didn’t want that. I would love if we were going to go on and have another season or another story, I would love to have the first LGBTQ kiss on Disney.”
The scene also represents another of Disney’s continual steps towards depicting openly gay characters. In 2014, Disney featured a same-sex female couple in its live-action sitcom Good Luck Charlie. In August 2017, its animated children’s TV series Doc McStuffins featured a same-sex female couple voiced by lesbian actresses Portia de Rossi and Wanda Sykes. In February 2017, its animated adventure series Star vs. The Forces of Evil showed a non-recurring male same-sex couple kissing.
Related: Disney’s official Instagram account celebrates gay love and fans are here for it
In August 2018, Disney announced that it would present its first-ever openly gay character in its 2020 action comedy film Jungle Cruise. However, the role will be played by straight actor Jack Whitehall and the character won’t utter the words “I’m gay,” making him more “coded” than explicitly gay. Baby steps though …
Cam
What a shock, they ignored the fact that the kid was gay the entire season and then put something about it in the final episode so they can get their award from GLAAD but then never have to actually deal with that plotline.
LukeHill1389
What a shock, they ignored the fact that the k….- Absolutely agree with you But i am here not only to discuss this article but I AM LOOKING for NEW Soulmate. My whatsapp number is 17732425635 . Drop me some lines nly if you are sngle and looking for love and pleasure..
ShowMeGuy
They didn’t “ignore” it. The show was about Andi, not Cyrus. The fact that Cyrus was gay and details about that were included in storylines when it made sense to be talking about. Cyrus wasn’t the gay character…..he was the character who was gay. Gay characters get to be more than just gay these days.
Gay Veteran
They definitely took baby steps with the character. He started to come to turns with his sexuality in the first season when he developed a crush on his friend Jonah. Then he started to develop feelings for TJ in season 2. He also came out as gay to his friends in season 2. Now in the final season he gets his first boyfriend. Considering that the show is targeted to pre-teens but also viewed by kids much younger the show did a great job telling this story. I can only imagine how many young gay boys are going to be able to see themselves in this young innocent character… Unlike, me who was watching QaF at the age 11. lol
jw8890
And here come the angry mom’s fake outrage of boys holding hands which will inevitably make their children gay.
GayEGO
My husband and I lived in Seattle in 1967 and had a good time there. I am originally from Boise, Idaho and joined the Navy in 1959, eventually being transferred to Boston, MA in 1961 as a Navy Musician. I met my husband in 1962 and we have been together ever since. It is good to see how much we have advanced over the years!