What is normal to one person differs from another. Disney set these differences aside and introduced its first openly lesbian couple on its show, “Good Luck, Charlie.”

Controversy and debates  sparked following the couple’s appearance.

These are not the first openly lesbian characters on television. Disney’s sister companies ABC and ABC Family have been known to include LGBT characters in several of their hit television shows, such as, “The Fosters.” But, this is the first openly lesbian couple to be portrayed on Disney Channel.

It is a step forward for Disney and it is definitely shedding a new light onto the minds of the young viewers who watch the show.

“I believe that it will cause the young viewers to raise more questions, to get themselves educated about LGBT issues not only in film and media, but worldwide,” sophomore Jamell Dorton said.

“What I loved about [the show] was that it was very nonchalant. It was just a normal thing, which it is, so I’m very happy that was portrayed on television, especially a children’s network.”

Supporters of the LGBT community were in favor of how the couple was portrayed according to Logo Online. Of course, with favor always comes opposition.

One Million Moms, a non-profit organization, protested Disney’s groundbreaking episode. According to its website, Disney “should stick to entertaining, not [push] an agenda.”

This reaction triggered arguments over whether “Good Luck, Charlie” was an appropriate place to bring light to such a controversial topic.

“Disney is a for-profit corporation and if they are banking on their audience being more a fan of the show for this, then their market researchers have done their job,” said Adina Nack, who has a doctorate in sociology.

“They are aware that the tide has really turned when it comes to support for same-sex couples being the norm for a majority of Americans.”

It has been a long time coming that Disney included characters of the LGBT community. It is a genuine portrayal of the world outside television and a true testament of what the “real world” is like.

Exposure to issues like this one and the way they are presented can affect the way a child sees the world.

Many think that we should not stop with only one episode and only one couple.

“Disney should continue pushing controversial topics on their network,” sophomore Ashley Lomelin said. “Not only is it introducing children to understand these topics early on, they are reflecting what is actually going on the private lives of their viewers.”

Children should not grow up in a world that focuses on what is wrong and what should not be done. They do not deserve to have their minds clouded with such negativity.

Instead, young kids should be raised to have open minds, to learn to accept others and to realize that life is not exactly identical to the lives displayed on television screens.

It is time for the world to open their minds to the change that is arising.

“Younger generations tend to range from tolerant to being motivated activists,” Nack said. “The percentage of Americans opposed to same-sex marriage is decreasing with each younger generation.”

This episode is just the start of what needs to be done. I hope the time will come when gay and lesbian characters are introduced and it does not make the headlines, nor spark arguments and protests, but instead garners support and creates a more tolerant generation.

Alexa Datuin
Staff Writer
Published Feb. 12, 2014