Disney Channel's most recent crop of TV shows has given us woke teen icons like Zendaya and Rowan Blanchard, who are outspoken advocates for equal rights and intersectionality. So it's not a surprise — though it's still welcome news — that the channel has taken that intersectionality to its onscreen storylines, too. The Disney Channel series Andi Mack will feature a coming out storyline, Deadline reported Wednesday.
The character who will experience his coming out is Cyrus Goodman (Joshua Rush), and the storyline will start this Friday, during the show's season 2 premiere. The channel has featured LGTBQ characters in the past, ABC News explains, but this is the first time it's shown a coming-out journey on screen.
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"Andi Mack is a story about 'tweens' figuring out who they are," Disney Channel said in a statement provided to Deadline. "(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."
As Deadline points out, Andi Mack was the year's most popular TV show for girls aged six to 14, and the leader among children of all genders for its timeslot, as well. So Cyrus' story arc could be helpful for tons of kids across the country who might have similar situations in their own lives, or their friends' lives.
If you're not familiar with the show, the Cyrus arc isn't the show's only potentially controversial storyline. Deadline explains that its lead character, Andi (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) learns that the person she thought was her sister is actually her mom.
The Andi Mack storyline news is great for representation — let's hope Cyrus' it becomes one of many inclusive arcs on the channel.
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