Andi Mack star Joshua Rush shuts down complaint over gay character
Andi Mack character Cyrus Goodman broke new ground when he came out on February 8 (Disney)
Andi Mack star Joshua Rush has shut down a Twitter troll who claimed that his gay character sets a “poor example” for kids.
Rush plays gay teen Cyrus Goodman on TV show Andi Mack, making history as the first regular gay character on a Disney Channel show.
The 13-year-old character came out to his friends in a February 8 episode of the kids’ TV show that was warmly received by fans.
However, one viewer took to Twitter this week to complain to Rush directly after his character came out.
The user claimed: “I am very disappointed in the way this show has been directed.
“There are some very good messages through the show for it’s young audience, but introducing gays is a very poor example to the young adults watching this show. Poor choice Disney.”
Andi Mack star Joshua Rush shuts down complaints over gay character
Rush, who is 17, shut down the complaint with style and grace.
He said: “I’m sorry you feel that way.
“Here’s the thing though: gay kids are gonna exist no matter whether you like it or not. And we need to support and love all kids in every way we can.
“So when someone realises they are gay, I want them to identify with something so they’re not alone.”
Joshua Rush attends Build Series to discuss ‘Andi Mack’ at Build Studio on February 21, 2018 in New York City. (Nicholas Hunt/Getty)
He added that “an opinion [that] supports LGBTQ+ kids not having a voice can be really damaging.”
The user deleted the message without apologising after Rush’s public call-out, but the star shared a screenshot, adding: “the internet is forever, you can’t delete a tweet and expect it to be gone lol.”
Joshua Rush: Response from fans has been ‘overwhelmingly positive’
In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Rush spoke about the challenge of taking on the role.
He said: “Taking on the role of Cyrus has been one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in my life.
“Being Jewish, being 14, going to middle school, having this small, close-knit group of friends, and being gay are all just parts of his personality.”
Rush added that the response to the character’s coming out storyline has been “overwhelmingly positive.”
He said: “Over the last few days, I’ve gotten to see the myriad ways that both this new coming-out scene for Cyrus, and this Jewish representation of his family, have affected the fans,
“Cyrus has taught me a lot about being comfortable with myself no matter what others think.
“I was bullied a lot at Cyrus’ age, so it’s inspiring to see how Cyrus knows he doesn’t have it all figured out yet, but he isn’t afraid to ask the hard questions about who he might be and what that means for him.”
Although Andi Mack has had a warm reception in the US, the gay storyline has seen it pulled from international Disney Channel broadcasts, in countries where homosexuality is illegal or taboo.
