Contents
- disney channel is debuting its first coming-out storyline — because welcome to 2017!
- Disney channel will feature its first gay storyline, and we’re so happy this is finally happening
- Andi mack makes history with first disney character to say ‘i’m gay’
- Andi mack has received praise online for representing a gay teenage couple
- Andi mack was created by terri minsky, the brain behind lizzie mcguire.
- Andi mack gay character cyrus goodman melts fans’ hearts
- “i’m actually in tears right now. [the] disney channel literally had cyrus say ‘i’m gay.’ like it’s so explicit and there’s no way for it to be misinterpreted”— @astralklance about cyrus goodman
- More from pinknews
- share all sharing options for: onward’s openly gay character still leaves disney miles behind its competitors
- More from pinknews
- Related stories::
- The show, which is currently on hiatus, will begin airing its final episodes from june 21.
- Gay actor leslie jordan recalls when a famous director asked him to be more butch
Cyrus Goodman and TJ in the last ever episode of Andi Mack (YouTube)
Disney Channel has made history once again by depicting its first teenage gay couple in the series finale of Andi Mack.
In the scene, Cyrus Goodman—who is played by Joshua Rush—confesses that he likes his classmate TJ Kippen.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” Cyrus asks. TJ replies, “Yeah,” and asks the same question.
“Yes,” Cyrus says, before reaching out and holding TJ’s hand.
As if that wasn’t enough, the pair also sang along to Lady Gaga’s LGBT+ acceptance anthem “Born This Way” in the episode.
Sadly, Andi Mack fans won’t see the relationship develop further, as the scene aired in the show’s last ever episode. Disney Channel announced in April that its third season would be its last.
disney channel is debuting its first coming-out storyline — because welcome to 2017!
For the first time in Disney Channel history, the network will introduce a character’s coming-out narrative on one of its shows — and it’s about damn time! Andi Mack follows along as a foursome of tweens try to figure out their places in the world. During the hourlong season two premiere, 13-year-old Cyrus Goodman, played by 15-year-old actor Joshua Rush, will start his coming-out journey after realizing he has feelings for another boy in his friend circle.
The popular TV network has already presented same-sex relationships in other shows (like Doc McStuffins), but this marks the very first time it will depict a character’s entire journey to self-acceptance after realizing they’re gay. Disney Channel released the following official statement in regards to the much-needed storyline: "Andi Mack is a story about ‘tweens’ figuring out who they are. Everyone involved in the show takes great care in ensuring that it’s appropriate for all audiences and sends a powerful message about inclusion and respect for humanity."
Season two of Andi Mack premieres on Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. ET. Watch the teaser below and catch up on season one to tide you over in the meantime!
Disney channel will feature its first gay storyline, and we’re so happy this is finally happening
We all grew up on Disney Channel content, whether it’s DCOMs or television shows or (hopefully) both. Now Disney Channel is making us proud, breaking ground with its first gay storyline via Andi Mack. It’s sad to think that it’s taken this long to get to share this news — but we’re so glad we finally can.
The Season 2 premiere of Disney Channel’s Andi Mack (which airs this Friday) will follow one of the show’s main characters as he realizes he might have feelings for a male classmate. Of course, there have been gay characters on Disney Channel before. But this is the first time a main character has been given an arc to this effect, so it’s a pretty big deal.
Andi mack makes history with first disney character to say ‘i’m gay’
Andi Mack character Cyrus Goodman broke new ground when he came out on February 8 (Disney)
Andi Mack‘s Cyrus Goodman has become the first Disney character to say: “I’m gay.”
During Friday’s (February 8) episode of the Disney Channel show about teenagers, Cyrus finally worked up the courage to tell his friend Jonah Beck that he’s gay.
The 13-year-old revealed his sexuality at a Jewish mourning ceremony for his grandmother, introducing Jonah to his family’s different foods before adding: “That’s gefilte fish—skip that—and I’m gay.”
After a heart-wrenching few seconds, Jonah responds: Yeah? Okay, cool,” while smiling.
Andi mack has received praise online for representing a gay teenage couple
The scene has had a rapturous response on social media. A viral tweet from @tyrusmcu said: “This scene is going to be so important for so many kids growing up watching this right now. They’ll get to look back at this and think, this show let me know that I would be okay.” The tweet has been liked or retweeted more than 30,000 times.
Actor Joshua Rush responded to the scene on Twitter and wrote: “guys, gals, and nb pals, I can now tell you: tyrus endgame canon and confirmed.”
Meanwhile, Luke Mullen, who plays TJ, wrote: “Honored to be a part of such a groundbreaking show. I hope my character can inspire people to proud of who they are and love who they love.”
Some fans have even asked Disney to give the characters their own spin-off show in response to the touching scene.
Andi mack was created by terri minsky, the brain behind lizzie mcguire.
We’re behind both Minsky and Disney Channel as they step into this new, important territory. And it sounds like Minsky and Disney Channel did their research. They consulted with child development experts while formulating the storyline, and hosted advanced screenings for organizations like Common Sense Media, GLAAD, and PFLAG.
Sarah Kate Ellis, CEO and president of GLAAD, said of the show:
"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."
It’s crucial that this sort of content be mainstream for kids. Popular networks for kids’ programming like Disney Channel need to continue to push forward with diverse content, and give kids of all backgrounds, ethnicities, religions, genders, and sexualities stories and role models to identify with.
Andi mack gay character cyrus goodman melts fans’ hearts
Cyrus had previously come out to his friends Andi and Buffy in season two, but held off on revealing he was gay to Jonah—who he used to have a crush on—until Friday’s season three episode “One in a Minyan.”
The landmark moment was confirmed as a first for Disney by a spokesperson for the company, according to .
Joshua Rush, the 16-year-old actor who plays Cyrus, wrote on Twitter after the episode aired, saying: “Every day is a blessing working on this show.
“This milestone is just another stitch in a rich and vibrant tapestry that is Cyrus Goodman.”
“i’m actually in tears right now. [the] disney channel literally had cyrus say ‘i’m gay.’ like it’s so explicit and there’s no way for it to be misinterpreted”— @astralklance about cyrus goodman
And fans were just as happy about the scene—if not more so.
Many were brought to tears by the sight of a 13-year-old coming out as gay on the Disney Channel and being embraced by their friends.
One tweeted: “I’M F**KING SOBBING CYRUS GOODMAN REALLY IS THE FIRST DISNEY CHANNEL CHARACTER TO SAY ‘I’M GAY.’”
Another said: “I’m actually in tears rn Disney channel literally had Cyrus say ‘I’m gay.’
“Like it’s so explicit and there’s no way for it to be misinterpreted and they handled the scene so well and played it out as something you can tell someone when you’re ready and wtf I’m so happy.”
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This is not the first time Andi Mack has made broken new ground for LGBT+ representation. In a now famous 2017 episode, Cyrus confessed to his friend Buffy that he liked another boy.
Then, in February of this year, he became the first Disney character to say the words “I’m gay.”
Andi Mack was created by Terri Minsky and followed 13-year-old Andi and her two best friends Cyrus and Buffy.
When news broke in April that the show had been cancelled, Minsky said in a statement that they were honoured to break new ground for Disney Channel.
“We were its first serialized show, its first series centred around an Asian-American family and its first to feature an LGBTQ character who spoke the words, “I’m gay.”
“But the best part of making Andi Mack was our audience, who let us know we mattered to them. The series finale is for them.”
share all sharing options for: onward’s openly gay character still leaves disney miles behind its competitors
notably features the studio’s first openly gay character. screenwriter Lena Waithe plays a cyclops cop named Officer Spector who appears in two scenes. In the first, she commiserates with her fellow officer, Mel Rodriquez’s centaur cop Colt Bronco, about being a new stepparent, saying, “My girlfriend’s daughter got me pulling my hair out.”
This one line, delivered in passing with no follow-up, marks the first verbal recognition of a character’s gay relationship in an animated Disney movie. It’s a step forward for the company, which has been making moves toward better LGBTQ representation in recent years. But fully embracing the LGBTQ community means going beyond small gestures of inclusivity. Stigmas against portraying queer relationships in children’s entertainment have been thoroughly smashed, with beloved animated series like Steven Universe telling thoughtful LGBTQ stories in a family-friendly way. Officer Spector’s throwaway line still leaves Disney/Pixar miles behind its competitors.
Fans have been calling for more LGBTQ representation in Disney movies for years, most notably with the #GiveElsaAGirlfriend movement. Many queer viewers saw a kindred spirit in Elsa, reading her hidden ice powers as a metaphor for hidden sexuality. “Let it Go” became a coming-out anthem, and the hashtag was born in the hopes that Frozen 2 would canonically confirm Elsa as Disney’s first lesbian princess. The Frozen 2 soundtrack reignited the potential relationship. Elsa’s new ballad, “Show Yourself,” sounded pretty dang gay. With lyrics like, “I have always been a fortress, cold secrets deep inside / You have secrets too, but you don’t have to hide” and, “I am found,” it was easy to imagine number as a lesbian meet-cute, especially since the other voice on the track was Evan Rachel Wood, who is openly bisexual and a vocal LGBTQ advocate. But instead of Elsa’s girlfriend, Wood appeared as the spirit of Elsa and Anna’s mom. While there are plenty of queer themes present in Frozen 2, it’s all subtext.
When it comes to Disney movies, LGBTQ fans have been conditioned to project queerness onto anyone we can. Disney villains have been queer-coded for decades, and in more recent years, fans have scoured Disney movies for the slightest indication of a same-sex relationship. Eagle-eyed Frozen viewers noticed that, when the shopkeeper Oaken introduces his family, it looks like he’s pointing to four smaller figures surrounding a large man. Many fans speculated that the strapping blonde hunk was Oaken’s husband, but the filmmakers never confirmed whether that was the case. Similarly, both Pixar’s Toy Story 4 feature potential lesbian couples in the background, but the Finding Dory filmmakers demurred when pressed, saying “They can be whatever you want them to be.”
Whether animators covertly added those gay moments, or it’s just fans projecting, the best-case scenario for Disney is to let LGBTQ communities celebrate potentially gay characters without the company having to acknowledge their queerness. Disney’s audience is huge, and unfortunately, it includes vocal homophobes — both in the States and in international markets, including countries where being gay can land you in jail — as well as queer viewers desperate for representation. If the company could get away with continuing to avoid taking sides and alienating either faction (i.e. losing their money), it certainly would. But as LGBTQ fans and allies have gotten louder in their calls for Disney to commit to representation — not to mention competitors like Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network making comparatively larger and earlier strides forward — Disney has been forced to catch up.
Thanks in large part to lobbying from fans, Disney started featuring explicitly gay characters in recent years — in mostly blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moments. Back in 2017, director Bill Condon made headlines when he announced that his live-action Beauty and the Beast remake would feature “a nice, exclusively gay moment” courtesy of Josh Gad’s LeFou. The obsequious sidekick to Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston had always been suspected of admiring the swaggering villain as more than just a comrade, but according to Condon (who is openly gay himself), his version of LeFou would be explicitly crushing on Gaston. He later walked his statement back, lamenting that it had all been “overblown,” but the comment stuck.
Condon’s announcement sparked cautious excitement from LGBTQ audiences ready to finally see ourselves explicitly acknowledged by the largest entertainment company in the world, mixed with disappointment that it would come via a B-list villain’s sidekick. That “exclusively gay moment” ended up being even more disappointing, however, when it only amounted to some (by Condon’s own admission) “subtle” flirting, and a few seconds of footage where LeFou and a man in drag collide at a celebration.
Even Disney’s more adult-oriented properties have been slow to embrace LGBTQ representation. Avengers: Endgame co-director Joe Russo said that it was so important to him that Marvel movies reflect the queer community that he wanted to play the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first gay character himself. But that character, an unnamed man who mentions that he lost a boyfriend to Thanos’ snap, is a minor role, especially when Tessa Thompson is champing at the bit to make her character Valkyrie canonically bisexual. (Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has confirmed that there will be finally be a gay superhero in the MCUThe Eternals.)
A similar pattern played out with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The obvious chemistry between Oscar Isaac’s Poe Dameron and John Boyega’s Finn led many fans to hope that the two would become space boyfriends by the trilogy’s conclusion. Director J.J. Abrams dashed those hopes ahead of the film’s release, though he hinted at the possibility of LGBTQ representation — which turned out to be a brief kiss between two female resistance fighters that was cut from the version of the film that aired in Singaporein the Russian version of Onward, Officer Spector’s line is reportedly dubbed with a more gender-neutral word meaning “partner.”
Disney has done slightly better on television. Gravity Falls confirmed that sheriff Blubs and deputy Durland, long theorized to be a couple, were indeed in love on the show’s finale. Cyrus Goodman, the best-friend character on Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, came out as gay in a 2017 episodeHigh School Musical: The Musical: The Series features a gay romance. But the company has still been reluctant to put the full array of queer experiences at the front of a “family-friendly” property; After Love, Simon spinoff, from Disney Plus to Hulu, a source told IndieWire that the decision was due to “general sexual exploration.” In this case, the sexual exploration happens to be gay, while films like Never Been Kissed and 10 Things I Hate About You, which feature similar high-school sexual territory, are still on the platform.
There’s a numbness that comes with a pattern of congratulatory headlines about Disney’s steps forward in LGBTQ representation, followed by disappointment and frustration that the “representation” amounts to small, throwaway moments that are easily edited out. That’s no longer enough, especially when compared to shows like Steven Universe, which portrays queer relationships with just as much beauty, angst, and nuance as straight ones.
It’s a bit of a paradox. We should treat LGBTQ relationships as just part of the world, and in the words of Bill Condon, “not make a big deal of it.” But given Disney’s history of ambivalence toward the LGBTQ community, “not making a big deal out of it” means doing the bare minimum and expecting congratulations for it. In 2018, Disney had never received anything above an “adequate” from GLAAD’s annual Studio Responsibility Index, and failed five out of seven years between 2012 and 2018. The studio should absolutely treat this failure as “a big deal,” and work hard to correct it.
LGBTQ viewers just want to see ourselves reflected in the media we love. Unless and until Disney gives us queer princesses and heroes, the message its sending to queer audiences is that we are background characters, unworthy of our own stories.
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A different Andi Mack viewer asked: “How many kids just heard Cyrus Goodman says the words ‘I’m gay’ and felt safer and more accepted?”
In a similar vein, one commenter wrote: “having Cyrus come out with the words “I’m gay” is so important because it shows younger kids who may think that there’s something wrong with liking the same gender that there’s nothing wrong with liking the same gender or saying the word gay.”
Others loved the way Cyrus has gone from crying while coming out to Buffy in 2017 with the words: “I feel weird. Different” to explicitly stating his sexuality to Jonah.
“It’s so comforting to see cyrus’ development from a hurting kid who was terrified of who he was to a confident boy who is now owning his identity❤️,” wrote one such viewer.
Another commented: “His journey has been so important and validating, and it’s not over yet. Please watch and support Andi Mack.”
Related topics:,coming out,Disney,disney channel,,,joshua rush,,US,US
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In a first for Disney Channel, a key character on its popular tween series “Andi Mack” will realize he’s gay and come out to his friends.
The story arc will mark the channel’s first depiction of a coming-out journey. The character — 13-year-old Cyrus Goodman, played by 15-year-old Joshua Rush — will begin his self-discovery in this Friday’s second season one-hour premiere episode.
“Andi Mack is a story about ‘tweens’ figuring out who they are,” said Disney Channel in a statement. “(Creator) Terri Minsky, the cast and everyone involved in the show takes great care in ensuring that it’s appropriate for all audiences and sends a powerful message about inclusion and respect for humanity.”
The Walt Disney Co. released a general statement on stories and characters, which reads, in part, “Disney remains committed to continuing to create characters that are accessible and relatable to all children.”
The coming-of-age series, starring Peyton Elizabeth Lee as the 13-year-old title character, premiered in March, becoming the top series of the year among girls (median age is 10) and #1 in its time period among all children ages six-14. It holds the top series spot on Disney Channel VOD, Disney Channel’s DisneyNOW app and on Disney Channel UK.
The series, launching on Disney Channels around the world through mid-2018, was created by executive producer Minsky (Lizzie McGuire), and follows Andi as she comes to terms with news that Bex, the girl she thought was her older sister, is actually her mother.
With a realism not always evident on tween-focused programs, Andi Mack follows Andi, her family, and her two best friends – Cyrus Goodman and Buffy Driscoll (Sofia Wylie) – as they navigate their lives.
The new season finds Andi hoping that her parents Bex (Lilan Bowden) and Bowie (Trent Garrett) will marry, while she also attempts to hash out her feelings for longtime crush Jonah Beck (Asher Angel).
But it’s another storyline that’s breaking Disney Channel ground: Cyrus begins to realize that he too has feelings for Jonah, a development that begins what a source describes as a journey to self-acceptance.
In the season premiere, Cyrus confides his feelings to a supportive Buffy, a scene intended to provide positive role models for children – and adults – watching.
Subsequent episodes will follow Cyrus’ ongoing story, which will include wrestling with how to tell his new girlfriend Iris.
We hear Minsky and Disney Channel, to ensure the story arc is age-appropriate and respectful, consulted with child development experts and was screened to organizations including GLAAD, PFLAG, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, and Common Sense Media.
The groups are effusive in their approval of the storyline:
“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,” said Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of GLAAD. “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.”
Jaime M. Grant, Executive Director, PFLAG National, said, “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.”
Said Ginny Ehrlich, CEO, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: “Starting conversations about trust, love, relationships and family dynamics is easier when a favorite TV show like Andi Mack explores them with humor and heart, and helps viewers figure out how they might handle similar situations. 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.”
The second season of Andi Mack premieres Friday, October 27 at 8 pm ET/PT on Disney Channel. Minsky exec-produces along with Michelle Manning. Phil Baker is the co-executive producer, and Horizon Productions is the production company.
The show, which is currently on hiatus, will begin airing its final episodes from june 21.
Disney has confirmed that this season of Andi Mack will be the show’s last and that its final run of episodes will begin on June 21.
The show made history when earlier this year one of its main characters, Cyrus Goodman, said “I’m gay,” a first for the Disney Channel.
The moment was met with a lot of positive responses on Twitter, with one person writing: “i never realized how ingrained it was in me to think of ‘gay’ as an adult term until i heard it on andi mack. the context is so important, gay isnt a dirty word and it is SO important for kids to hear it and understand that.”
Speaking about the show, its creator Terri Minsky, said: “Andi Mack was a labor of love for a room of impassioned, inventive writers, a talented and dedicated crew, and an extraordinary, miraculous cast who inspired us all.
“We had the honor of breaking a lot of new ground for Disney Channel. We were its first serialized show, its first series centered around an Asian-American family and its first to feature an LGBTQ character who spoke the words, ‘I’m gay.’
“But the best part of making Andi Mack was our audience, who let us know we mattered to them. The series finale is for them.”
Disney Channel president Gary Marsh praised Terri for the show, saying: “Three years ago, we challenged Terri Minsky to create a new series that expanded and broadened the Disney Channel brand. And so was born Andi Mack.
“We are forever grateful to Terri, her talented team and the outstanding cast, led by Peyton Elizabeth Lee, for delivering a meaningful and satisfying conclusion to three wonderful seasons of this brilliant series.”
Joshua Rush, who plays gay character Cyrus Goodman, wrote about the show in a Twitter thread following the announcement, saying: “Andi Mack was, is, and always will remain in my mind: lightning in a bottle. A moment, a flash, of excitement, joy, light, and explosiveness, that I will never ever forget. Thank you for making it that for me.”
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Since the show began airing in 2017, it has won a GLAAD Media Award and a Television Academy Honor. It has also been nominated for the British LGBT Awards, Peabody Awards and BAFTA Children’s Awards.
Since the announcement, people have been calling for Disney to reverse its decision, with many highlighting the positive representation the shows gives for minority groups, and the important issues that it addresses.
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andi mack covers:-LGBTQ+ -anxiety -multiple cultures -non traditional families -learning disorders-religion -military families –ASL representation -teen pregnancy -family issues -REAL ISSUES THAT IT’S VIEWERS CAN RELATE TO…
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Gay actor leslie jordan recalls when a famous director asked him to be more butch
What is it about Disney movies that the LGBT community loves?
Is it the message of being yourself? The underdog and misfit lead characters? Or just the idea good will triumph over evil and there will be a happy ending?
Thousands of LGBT people and their families regularly attend Gay Days at the Disney theme parks, where they wear red, have a good time and spread visibility for a company that has done very little in supporting them back – at least openly.
But while the movies are great (well, some of them), there has never been an explicitly gay, bi or trans character in an animated Disney children’s movie.
There are some characters that Disney could have intended to be gay, or characters that use gay stereotypes or even just has a large gay following.
So let’s take a look back on our childhoods and see exactly who are the 16 most ambiguously ‘gay’ Disney characters:
Perhaps the most famous example of a direct tie to the LGBT community, Disney created the iconic villain Ursula the Sea Witch using the likeness and personality of drag queen Divine.
In The Little Mermaid, she seduces, she manipulates, she’s theatrical. And most of all she does it all while remembering the most important thing – body language.
Why include Scar in this líst? Sure he’s effeminate, sardonic and at the end of the movie appears to not have had a relationship with any of the lionesses while Simba has run away, eaten bugs and grown up. But that doesn’t make him gay, right?
Scar is an example of a ‘coded gay’. This means by using a clues to a character’s sexuality, filmmakers can reference a time when being gay was depraved by using similar behavior, demeanor and dress. That way, audiences understood the character was meant to be queer even if there was no actual same-sex love interests.
This is far more common in Disney films than you might think, but is perhaps best represented by…
Disney villains come in all shapes and sizes, but the one they always come back to is the fop.
Back in 17th century England, the word ‘fop’ was used to negatively describe ‘fashionable’, effeminate, cowardly man. The modern gay male stereotype.
It’s an archetype used for decades in Hollywood cinema, with the contemporary fop often being effeminate, power-hungry and almost always played by a British actor or with a refined English accent.
Ratcliffe is also played by gay actor David Ogden Stiers. While this certainly does not mean gay actor = gay character, it adds an extra dimension. Why did the filmmakers want Stiers to play Ratcliffe as a fop, rather than the way he played Major Winchester in M*A*S*H?
But even before you see Ratcliffe calling the Native Americans savages, the audience already loathes him because of his ridiculously camp haircut.
Disney used this type of villain time and time again, with too many to put on this list. But for other examples, Disney fops include Jafar from Aladdin, Captain Hook from Peter Pan, Prince John from Robin Hood and even going all the way up to Doctor Facilier in The Princess and The Frog. There are several others.
Don‘t remember the film? Professor Ratigan is the Moriarty to lead character Basil the detective’s Sherlock Holmes.
Made clear from the outset the two are archenemies, movie critics suggested there could be sexual tension between the two. Ratigan’s ‘Goodbye So Soon‘ is practically a love song.
Ratigan’s name could also be a tribute to 20th century gay playwright Terrence Rattigan.
A more modern take on a US fop in this 1990s film, as Hades is like every girl’s sassy gay best friend.
For a good example, just take a look at this video below:
Coded gays don’t have to be villains, Lion King comic relief Timon and Pumbaa are flamboyant, fun and even make a pretty good argument for same-sex parenting.
Timon is voiced by gay actor Nathan Lane, and unlike Scar it is exactly the gay stereotypes that makes him and Pumbaa appealing to children.
Also, Hakuna Matata is a song about being free from your worries. Sounds like Pride.
‘Conceal don’t feel, don’t let them know/ Well now they know!’
‘It’s funny how some distance/ Makes everything seem small/ And the fears that once controlled me/ Can’t get to me at all!’
It’s the coming out anthem that will go onto define many young LGBT lives, Let It Go was all about shaking of the shackles of confinement, the closet, and being free to be empowered. It doesn’t hurt that while there’s male love interests a plenty for her sister, Elsa has no guy in sight whatsoever.
One of Disney’s most iconic characters, the Genie knows more pop culture and cross-dresses more often than RuPaul.
‘I’m getting pretty fond of you, kid,’ he tells Aladdin after he saves him. ‘Not that I want to pick out curtains, or anything.’
While Pleakley identifies as a male alien in the science fiction Hawaiian film, he is consistently seen dressing in women’s clothing. When out with humans, he is often in full drag.
Due to starring in a more recent film, the religious right were in an uproar over the idea this could be finally the gay character that would indoctrinate the nation’s children.
Actually, it was just another Disney flamboyant character.
What’s better is his partner in crime was Jumba, voiced by none other than Pocahontas’ David Ogden Stiers.
When Tarzan was released in 1999, some had no idea Terk was a girl. Never mind she was played by one of America’s most famous personalities and out lesbian Rosie O’Donnell.
In the film, Terk is a tomboy who hates dressing like a lady and has no interest in other males.
The tale of the Chinese woman who impersonates a man and takes her father’s place during a war has intrigued many queer theorists for years.
In the Disney version, the film has fun with gender identity and the possibility of same-sex romance. Shang shows an interest in the male Mulan, but it is only once she reveals herself that he makes his move.
Taking a look at Disney and its LGBT following, look no further than these rather ‘adult’ portraits by gay artist David Kawena that went viral last year.
Much like Pleakley, after Brave premiered there was a huge furore over the idea the next Disney princess was a lesbian.
They reasoned the only way a 14-year-old archer have no interest in getting married to suitors she had never met unless she was gay? While this was quickly disregarded as soon as they actually watched the movie, Merida still has a large gay and feminist following.
But while several of the aforementioned characters could potentially be LGBT, there are only three who have gone past the censors and are as close as possible to being official main gay characters.
You probably won’t be happy about it, but they are…
While in the book the goat is female, the film version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame makes it clear Djali is male.
Not only that, Hugo steps up his flirtations in the sequel, and Djali even reciprocates his affections in the end. A happy ending for the only Disney gay couple. Between a gargoyle and a goat.
Yes, it’s that moment. If you’ve forgotten this small scene in Frozen, Oaken is the trader who offers Kristoff and Anna a go in his sauna. He says, ‘Hello, family!’ and there they are.
The adult is clearly implied to be his husband. While it’s not as explicit as having, say, a wedding picture of Oaken and his partner, it’s still pretty clear what’s going on. Jennifer Lee, the film’s writer and co-director, said she believes it’s ‘up to the fans’ to decide what is going on in that scene.
As the US becomes more and more gay friendly, it seems to be only a matter of time before there should be a gay Disney prince or princess.
But while the family friendly company may be scared to take that leap, LGBTI people and those who love them will undoubtedly reward them for the risk.
Most of us grew up watching these foppish, evil, ‘gay’ villains, and who knows how that affected how the masses view the LGBT community?
Once we have a proper lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender character, it might be the time when we finally feel we’ve reached that happy ending.
