What Actor Gav MacIntosh Has Learned From Playg A Gay Teen On 'The Fosters' | HuffPost Voic

Contents:

• ABC FAY’S ‘THE FOSTERS’ CREATORS DEFEND 13-YEAR-OLD GAY MALE KISS: WATCH BEFORE JUDGG
• ABC FAY’S ‘THE FOSTERS’ 13-YEAR-OLD GAY MALE KISS SPARKS BTER TWTER BATTLE
• THERE'S CONTROVERSY OVER THAT GAY TEEN KISS ON 'THE FOSTERS'
• WHAT ACTOR GAV MACINTOSH HAS LEARNED FROM PLAYG A GAY TEEN ON 'THE FOSTERS'
• GABE BERGADOUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 11:57AM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 04, 2015 8:37PM EST VIA YOUTUBEIN THE PILOT OF THE FOSTERS, 13-YEAR-OLD JU JAB, PLAYED BY HAYN BYERLY, IS WELED TO STEF ADAMS FOSTER AND LENA ADAMS FOSTER’S HOME AFTER BEG TOSSED AROUND THE BROKEN FOSTER RE SYSTEM. IN STEF, LENA, AND A HOEHOLD FULL OF OTHER SIBLGS, JAB HAS FALLY FOUND A HOME WHERE HE N FEEL SAFE AND A FAY WHOM HE N PEND ON.THIS PAST SEASONS HAS BEEN CLOSELY TRACKG THE RELATNSHIP OF JU AND SCHOOLMATE CONNOR (GAV MACTOSH), WHOSE CLOSE IENDSHIP HAS BEEN GRADUALLY BLOSSOMG TO FIRST LOVE. ON MONDAY’S EPISO, THE TWO SHARED AN ON-AIR KISS AFTER WEEKS OF MIXED MSAG AND FLIRTATNS OM CONNOR. THE KISS BETWEEN 7TH-GRARS JU AND CONNOR IS BEG HAILED AS A MOMENTO OCSN FOR LGBT YOUTH: THE YOUNGT LIP-LOCK BETWEEN TWO GAY CHARACTERS TO EVER AIR ON NATNAL TELEVISN.THE DAILY BEAST CHATTED WH BYERLY, 15, TO FD OUT THE BACKSTORY BEHD THE HISTORIC SMOOCH AND WHAT HE THKS OF THE “JONNOR” IENDSHIP MOVG TO ROMANCE. SO, HOW DID YOU AND GAV PREPARE FOR THE BIG SCENE? OVER A LONG PERD OF TIME. IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET TO THE POT WHERE THE WRERS WERE ABLE TO WRE TO THE STORY JT BEE GAV AND I WEREN’T REALLY FORTABLE EARLY ON PLAYG THIS ROLE AND DOG SUCH A SER THG WH ONE ANOTHER. IT’S KD OF TERTG TO KISS SOMEONE WHO YOU’RE IENDS WH WHO’S ALSO THE SAME SEX WHEN YOU’RE TERTED THE OPPOSE SEX. THEY BROUGHT UP THE IA CLOSE TO THE END OF SEASON ONE AND THAT’S WHEN THEY STARTED TALKG TO MORE ABOUT . AND TO PREPARE FOR , GAV AND I STARTED THKG ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE WATCHG THIS AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT WOULD MAKE THE WORLD. IF THAT’S THE MOTIVE OF WHAT YOU’RE DOG THEN YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD REASON TO DO . IT WAS A LONG TIME OF KD OF G TO TERMS THAT WE’D BE KISSG EACH OTHER. WHEN YOU TWO FALLY PULL BACK OM THE KISS, THERE’S A LOOK OF NFN ON BOTH OF YOUR FAC. WHAT DO YOU THK WAS GOG THROUGH JU AND CONNOR’S HEADS?I THK THE NFN ON JU’S FACE WAS BEE CONNOR WAS KISSG DARIA AND NOW HE HAD KISSED JU. HE WAS NFED AS TO WHOM CONNOR LIKED AND I THK THAT REALLY PLAYED THROUGH JU’S HEAD. LIKE, “WA A MUTE. HE JT KISSED ME BUT HE’S BEEN KISSG DARIA. HOW DO THAT WORK?” AND CONNOR WAS SORT OF NFED THE SAME WAY. HE’S LIKE, “I LIKE KISSG JU, BUT I’M TOLD I SHOULD BE KISSG DARIA.” THE NFN WAS A LTLE DIFFERENT FOR BOTH OF THEM, BUT THE END THEY’RE BOTH NFED ABOUT WHO CONNOR WAS ACTUALLY ATTRACTED TO.FROM THE PKY HOLDG THE MOVIE THEATER TO THE ACTUAL KISS, SEEMS LIKE CONNOR HAS BEEN MAKG THE FIRST MOVE A LOT OF THE TIME. HOW’S THIS AFFECTG JU AND CONNOR’S IENDSHIP?IT’S TERTG. IT’S LIKE WHEN JU SAID THAT CONNOR WAS THE ONE THAT KISSED HIM THE TENT, YET CONNOR HAS BEEN IATG THE NTACT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE’S NOT EXPRSG HOW HE FEELS. SO I THK JU IS KD OF NFED ABOUT THAT—HE DON’T REALLY KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THAT, OR WHAT TO DO. HE’S JT STG BACK AND LETTG CONNOR FIGURE OUT WHAT HE’S FORTABLE WH AND HOW HE FEELS AND JU’S JT WAG FOR HIM TO KNOW HOW HE FEELS BEE JU UNRSTANDS HIMSELF AND KNOWS WHAT HE LIK.HOW MIGHT CONNOR AND JU’S PARENTS REACT TO THE NEWS THAT THEY’VE KISSED?I THK THAT STEF AND LENA HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSU BEFORE AND THEY’RE BOTH GAY SO THEY’LL BE VERY UNRSTANDG AND LOVG, AND THEY’RE MORE OPEN ABOUT WHETHER JU IS GAY OR STRAIGHT. AND THEY’RE A LOT MORE ACCEPTG OF HOW HE FEELS THAN CONNOR’S DAD. I THK THAT ’S GOG TO BE TERTG TO SEE THEM MAYBE BUTT HEADS A LTLE B BEE I DON’T THK CONNOR’S DAD WILL BE VERY ACCEPTG—WE’VE SEEN HE’S BEEN KD OF HOMOPHOBIC. IT’LL BE VERY OL TO SEE HOW HE AND THE MOMS REACT TO JUDD AND CONNOR EVENTUALLY TELLG THEM THIS. HOW DO YOU THK LGBT YOUTH FELT WATCHG THE SCENE?I HOPE THEY FELT HAPPY. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO PORTRAY A CHARACTER THAT IS GOG THROUGH A STGGLE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE GO THROUGH. I WANT PEOPLE TO WATCH THE SHOW AND SEE THE STGGLE THAT JU GO THOUGH AND FEEL MORE FORTABLE ABOUT THEMSELV; TO FEEL LIKE DON’T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT OR BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENR OR WHATEVER YOU ARE, THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WH WHO YOU ARE, AND THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTG OF YOURSELF. MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WATCH THE SCENE AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO SEE SOMETHG ON TELEVISN THAT REPRENTS THEM. THEY N SEE THEMSELV ON TELEVISN AND SAY, “I’M JT LIKE JU, I GO THROUGH THE STGGL, I’M SO CUR ABOUT MY SEXUALY, I’VE BEEN THROUGH THE FOSTER SYSTEM.” AND THEY’RE HAPPY THEY N SEE THAT ONT OF SO MANY PEOPLE AND FEEL AS THOUGH ’S OKAY, AND ’S NOT A BAD THG.THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF POSIVE REACTNS OM FANS ABOUT THE KISS. BUT HOW DO YOU AL WH THE NEGATIVE PEOPLE OUT THERE?I KD OF JT IGNORE . IF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPNS ABOUT DIFFERENT THGS, THAT’S FE. RELIGN IS ONE OF THOSE THGS THAT’S A VERY TOUGH TOPIC. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR RELIG BELIEFS AND THEY THK THAT THE BIBLE OR WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THG TO FOLLOW. I THK THAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THAT’S OK, I JT THK THAT THEY SHOULDN’T TRY TO MAKE THOSE WHO FEEL DIFFERENTLY CHANGE THEIR MDS OR FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELV.WHAT ARE YOU EXCED ABOUT MOST REGARDS TO JONNOR?THE IMPACT AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT THEY MAKE. I THK THAT’S SO EXCG. THIS IS THE YOUNGT SAME-SEX KISS ON NATNAL TELEVISN. I’M VERY HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT AND BE SOMEONE THAT N HELP ALL THE KIDS GOG THROUGH THE STGGL AND HARD TIM AND MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELV. GABE BERGADO
• 'THE FOSTERS' TO AIR TV'S FIRST GAY WEDDG SCE DOMA

ABC FAY’S ‘THE FOSTERS’ CREATORS DEFEND 13-YEAR-OLD GAY MALE KISS: WATCH BEFORE JUDGG

ABC Fay’s “The Fosters” drew both praise and cricism this week for a darg gay kiss scene between two 13-year-old male characters. The creators-executive producers also discsed how they prepared the two young actors for the on-screen kiss, where Ju and Connor’s (“Jonnor”) relatnship will go om here, and what  might mean to young gay viewers hopg to see their own stori reflected on screen. Both Brad and I are gay men and felt very te to both of our early g out experienc.

More than anythg else, we felt rponsibily to those kids and to our younger selv who didn’t see themselv reflected anywhere… We’ve all been watchg stori about heterosexuals forever… As a gay kid you are always havg to translate. Paige: I would say s very easy to balk at or sensatnalize the headle, but s hard to ny the tth or the tegry of the whole story… We are here to tell the te stori of what is to grow up and the are te stori of what is to grow up as a young, potentially gay person. ABC Fay’s “The Fosters” has igned a sharply divi bate after featurg a gay kiss between two of the fay drama’s 13-year-old male characters, markg the youngt same sex kiss TV timate moment between Ju (Hayn Byerly) and Connor (Gav MacIntosh) sparked a flurry of reactns om social media, wh some praisg the show for tacklg such a hot-button issue an elegant fashn and others criqug the show’s creators and the work for airg a same-sex kiss between two unrage Photos: 11 TV Shows Canceled by Controversy — From ‘Honey Boo Boo’ to ‘Polilly Inrrect’“So happy they are progrsg & showg young love, ” @marthaprton4 wrote.

“People fet that gay people don’t bee gay only as adults. ”But not all of the reactns were posive: “Nothg about this entire show seems suable for children: ABC Fay’s ‘The Fosters’ Airs Youngt-Ever Gay Kiss, ” @adamssandra issued a statement on behalf on the seri, which featur several openly gay characters. “DISGUSTING, WHY IS THIS BEING FORCED ON US, ” @GCGATOR24 are a smatterg of social media reactns:Basic ble now peddlg gay kiddie porn.

ABC FAY’S ‘THE FOSTERS’ 13-YEAR-OLD GAY MALE KISS SPARKS BTER TWTER BATTLE

ABC Fay Airs Youngt-Ever Gay Kiss Between Two 13-Year-Old Boys Ann Barnhardt (@AnnBarnhardt) March 4, 2015Nothg about this entire show seems suable for children: ABC Fay's 'The Fosters' Airs Youngt-Ever Gay Kiss Adam Cassandra (@adamssandra) March 4, 2015—Watch the romantic scene here and share your thoughts below. It was the youngt gay kiss TV history. "We are here to tell the te stori of what is to grow up and the are te stori of what is to grow up as a young, potentially gay person.

" Although he admted his hatn as a straight male, Byerly told the Daily Beast he me to terms wh filmg the gay kiss bee of the impact uld have for viewers of the show, particularly for the LGBT muny.

"I want people to watch the show and see the stggle that Ju go though and feel more fortable about themselv; to feel like don’t matter whether you are gay or straight or bisexual or transgenr or whatever you are, that you are happy wh who you are, and that you are acceptg of yourself.

THERE'S CONTROVERSY OVER THAT GAY TEEN KISS ON 'THE FOSTERS'

They ially thought gay dads uld work, but that was seen on shows like Morn Fay and Glee.

The story of Ju Inially the character of Ju Adams Foster (Hayn Byerly) was nceived as trans, but the work floated the ia of him beg gay, and that opened the door for both Paige and Breweg to tap to their lived experienc. "We got to tell a lot of stori about growg up as a sweet, sensive gay boy, " Paige explas. "That's when Ju started to realize he was gay and I was proud that I uld take om my own life and hopefully that helped other kids.

WHAT ACTOR GAV MACINTOSH HAS LEARNED FROM PLAYG A GAY TEEN ON 'THE FOSTERS'

The Fosters ma history wh the youngt gay TV kiss between Ju and Connor Season 2, and now they're about to do aga wh a groundbreakg LGBTQ prom.

He's gog there to learn a ltle b more and explore and see what the gay muny and what the other muni are Do he fe any new iendships or are there any people who help him wh this procs? The Supreme Court ma gay marriage possible all 50 stat. I'm not exactly sure how far that will go, but as of right now, 's jt How do you thk televisn has evolved and shown more gay and lbian relatnships over the years?

GABE BERGADOUPDATED APR. 14, 2017 11:57AM EDT / PUBLISHED MAR. 04, 2015 8:37PM EST VIA YOUTUBEIN THE PILOT OF THE FOSTERS, 13-YEAR-OLD JU JAB, PLAYED BY HAYN BYERLY, IS WELED TO STEF ADAMS FOSTER AND LENA ADAMS FOSTER’S HOME AFTER BEG TOSSED AROUND THE BROKEN FOSTER RE SYSTEM. IN STEF, LENA, AND A HOEHOLD FULL OF OTHER SIBLGS, JAB HAS FALLY FOUND A HOME WHERE HE N FEEL SAFE AND A FAY WHOM HE N PEND ON.THIS PAST SEASONS HAS BEEN CLOSELY TRACKG THE RELATNSHIP OF JU AND SCHOOLMATE CONNOR (GAV MACTOSH), WHOSE CLOSE IENDSHIP HAS BEEN GRADUALLY BLOSSOMG TO FIRST LOVE. ON MONDAY’S EPISO, THE TWO SHARED AN ON-AIR KISS AFTER WEEKS OF MIXED MSAG AND FLIRTATNS OM CONNOR. THE KISS BETWEEN 7TH-GRARS JU AND CONNOR IS BEG HAILED AS A MOMENTO OCSN FOR LGBT YOUTH: THE YOUNGT LIP-LOCK BETWEEN TWO GAY CHARACTERS TO EVER AIR ON NATNAL TELEVISN.THE DAILY BEAST CHATTED WH BYERLY, 15, TO FD OUT THE BACKSTORY BEHD THE HISTORIC SMOOCH AND WHAT HE THKS OF THE “JONNOR” IENDSHIP MOVG TO ROMANCE. SO, HOW DID YOU AND GAV PREPARE FOR THE BIG SCENE? OVER A LONG PERD OF TIME. IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET TO THE POT WHERE THE WRERS WERE ABLE TO WRE TO THE STORY JT BEE GAV AND I WEREN’T REALLY FORTABLE EARLY ON PLAYG THIS ROLE AND DOG SUCH A SER THG WH ONE ANOTHER. IT’S KD OF TERTG TO KISS SOMEONE WHO YOU’RE IENDS WH WHO’S ALSO THE SAME SEX WHEN YOU’RE TERTED THE OPPOSE SEX. THEY BROUGHT UP THE IA CLOSE TO THE END OF SEASON ONE AND THAT’S WHEN THEY STARTED TALKG TO MORE ABOUT . AND TO PREPARE FOR , GAV AND I STARTED THKG ABOUT ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT WOULD BE WATCHG THIS AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT WOULD MAKE THE WORLD. IF THAT’S THE MOTIVE OF WHAT YOU’RE DOG THEN YOU HAVE A PRETTY GOOD REASON TO DO . IT WAS A LONG TIME OF KD OF G TO TERMS THAT WE’D BE KISSG EACH OTHER. WHEN YOU TWO FALLY PULL BACK OM THE KISS, THERE’S A LOOK OF NFN ON BOTH OF YOUR FAC. WHAT DO YOU THK WAS GOG THROUGH JU AND CONNOR’S HEADS?I THK THE NFN ON JU’S FACE WAS BEE CONNOR WAS KISSG DARIA AND NOW HE HAD KISSED JU. HE WAS NFED AS TO WHOM CONNOR LIKED AND I THK THAT REALLY PLAYED THROUGH JU’S HEAD. LIKE, “WA A MUTE. HE JT KISSED ME BUT HE’S BEEN KISSG DARIA. HOW DO THAT WORK?” AND CONNOR WAS SORT OF NFED THE SAME WAY. HE’S LIKE, “I LIKE KISSG JU, BUT I’M TOLD I SHOULD BE KISSG DARIA.” THE NFN WAS A LTLE DIFFERENT FOR BOTH OF THEM, BUT THE END THEY’RE BOTH NFED ABOUT WHO CONNOR WAS ACTUALLY ATTRACTED TO.FROM THE PKY HOLDG THE MOVIE THEATER TO THE ACTUAL KISS, SEEMS LIKE CONNOR HAS BEEN MAKG THE FIRST MOVE A LOT OF THE TIME. HOW’S THIS AFFECTG JU AND CONNOR’S IENDSHIP?IT’S TERTG. IT’S LIKE WHEN JU SAID THAT CONNOR WAS THE ONE THAT KISSED HIM THE TENT, YET CONNOR HAS BEEN IATG THE NTACT BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM. BUT AT THE SAME TIME HE’S NOT EXPRSG HOW HE FEELS. SO I THK JU IS KD OF NFED ABOUT THAT—HE DON’T REALLY KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THAT, OR WHAT TO DO. HE’S JT STG BACK AND LETTG CONNOR FIGURE OUT WHAT HE’S FORTABLE WH AND HOW HE FEELS AND JU’S JT WAG FOR HIM TO KNOW HOW HE FEELS BEE JU UNRSTANDS HIMSELF AND KNOWS WHAT HE LIK.HOW MIGHT CONNOR AND JU’S PARENTS REACT TO THE NEWS THAT THEY’VE KISSED?I THK THAT STEF AND LENA HAVE BEEN THROUGH SOME OF THE ISSU BEFORE AND THEY’RE BOTH GAY SO THEY’LL BE VERY UNRSTANDG AND LOVG, AND THEY’RE MORE OPEN ABOUT WHETHER JU IS GAY OR STRAIGHT. AND THEY’RE A LOT MORE ACCEPTG OF HOW HE FEELS THAN CONNOR’S DAD. I THK THAT ’S GOG TO BE TERTG TO SEE THEM MAYBE BUTT HEADS A LTLE B BEE I DON’T THK CONNOR’S DAD WILL BE VERY ACCEPTG—WE’VE SEEN HE’S BEEN KD OF HOMOPHOBIC. IT’LL BE VERY OL TO SEE HOW HE AND THE MOMS REACT TO JUDD AND CONNOR EVENTUALLY TELLG THEM THIS. HOW DO YOU THK LGBT YOUTH FELT WATCHG THE SCENE?I HOPE THEY FELT HAPPY. IT WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO PORTRAY A CHARACTER THAT IS GOG THROUGH A STGGLE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE GO THROUGH. I WANT PEOPLE TO WATCH THE SHOW AND SEE THE STGGLE THAT JU GO THOUGH AND FEEL MORE FORTABLE ABOUT THEMSELV; TO FEEL LIKE DON’T MATTER WHETHER YOU ARE GAY OR STRAIGHT OR BISEXUAL OR TRANSGENR OR WHATEVER YOU ARE, THAT YOU ARE HAPPY WH WHO YOU ARE, AND THAT YOU ARE ACCEPTG OF YOURSELF. MY HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE WATCH THE SCENE AND THEY ARE HAPPY TO SEE SOMETHG ON TELEVISN THAT REPRENTS THEM. THEY N SEE THEMSELV ON TELEVISN AND SAY, “I’M JT LIKE JU, I GO THROUGH THE STGGL, I’M SO CUR ABOUT MY SEXUALY, I’VE BEEN THROUGH THE FOSTER SYSTEM.” AND THEY’RE HAPPY THEY N SEE THAT ONT OF SO MANY PEOPLE AND FEEL AS THOUGH ’S OKAY, AND ’S NOT A BAD THG.THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF POSIVE REACTNS OM FANS ABOUT THE KISS. BUT HOW DO YOU AL WH THE NEGATIVE PEOPLE OUT THERE?I KD OF JT IGNORE . IF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN PERSONAL OPNS ABOUT DIFFERENT THGS, THAT’S FE. RELIGN IS ONE OF THOSE THGS THAT’S A VERY TOUGH TOPIC. A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THEIR RELIG BELIEFS AND THEY THK THAT THE BIBLE OR WHATEVER THEY BELIEVE IS THE RIGHT THG TO FOLLOW. I THK THAT IF PEOPLE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THAT’S OK, I JT THK THAT THEY SHOULDN’T TRY TO MAKE THOSE WHO FEEL DIFFERENTLY CHANGE THEIR MDS OR FEEL BAD ABOUT THEMSELV.WHAT ARE YOU EXCED ABOUT MOST REGARDS TO JONNOR?THE IMPACT AND THE DIFFERENCE THAT THEY MAKE. I THK THAT’S SO EXCG. THIS IS THE YOUNGT SAME-SEX KISS ON NATNAL TELEVISN. I’M VERY HONORED TO BE A PART OF THAT AND BE SOMEONE THAT N HELP ALL THE KIDS GOG THROUGH THE STGGL AND HARD TIM AND MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELV. GABE BERGADO

There are numero shows and movi that have gay, lbian, bisexual, or transgenr characters.

But they hear om gay viewers when they go too long whout Mr.

'THE FOSTERS' TO AIR TV'S FIRST GAY WEDDG SCE DOMA

” He said that the two men, who are gay, ocsnally look to their fellow executive producer Joanna Johnson, who is a lbian, for guidance: “She’ll say, ‘No way are two women ever dog that. #GaydyBunch #TheFosters— Kristen (@hachiemachie) March 3, 2015This ntent is imported om twter.

#GaydyBunch— Lucy Hallowell (on hiat) (@lucyhallowell) March 3, 2015This ntent is imported om twter. People fet that gay people don't bee gay only as adults— Prton Edutn ???? (@prton1) March 3, 2015We n't wa to see where Jonner go om here!