Breaking new ground, Disney Channel has revealed its show Andi Mack will include the network's first ever LGBTQ narrative in its second season premiere, airing Friday at 8 p.m.
Lizzie McGuire creator Terri Minsky is responsible for the number one coming-of-age series, which centers on a 13-year-old girl named Andi (Peyton Elizabeth Lee). On the night of her 13th birthday, Andi discovers that her older sister, Bex (Lilan Bowden), is actually her birth mother. Naturally, this drives Andi down a path of self-discovery alongside her two best friends, Cyrus (Joshua Rush) and Buffy (Sofie Wylie).
On the second season's premiere episode, Cyrus begins to realize he has feelings for another boy and eventually comes out to his friends--an important shift for Disney Channel, which has always featured straight characters on its programming.
"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," Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD CEO and president, said in a statement. "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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