Andi mack cyrus is gay
Disney Channel star Joshua Rush says he's bisexual, talks 'internalized homophobia'
Disney Channel celestial body Joshua Rush, whose "Andi Mack" character, Cyrus, came out as gay on the show in February, is now opening up about his own sexuality.
The 17-year-old took to Twitter to disclose he's bisexual.
"first to respond to this tweet is bi lol," he wrote Tuesday, before replying, "first! i win! it's me. i'm bi."
Despite appearing as the network's first regularly appearing LGBTQ character, Rush said he struggled to be truthful about his sexuality in genuine life.
"I saw so many of you watch Cyrus come out and said 'Hey! I can be me!'" he wrote. "How ironic, isn't it, that me, playing that character, never had mustered up that courage?"
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.Even though his traits was openly gay, Rush confessed he experienced self-loathing toward his own sexuality.
"I had a close friend of mine come out to me in fifth grade," he wrote. "FIFTH GRADE! That was well before I had any clue of my own identity and orientation. I suffered with some level of my retain internalized homophobia even while playing the first openly gay character on Disney Channel."
Disney Channel makes history with first character to tell 'I'm gay'
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- Disney Channel's "Andi Mack" just made history for featuring its first ethics to say, "I'm gay."
- The character Cyrus (played by Joshua Rush) has reach out to his friends Andi and Buffy on the series, but never explicitly said "I'm gay" until he came out to his friend Jonah.
- The cast of the show was on "Good Morning America" and discussed the importance of Cyrus' story.
- "Taking on the role of Cyrus has been one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life," Rush said. "Being Jewish, being 14, going to middle college, having this small, close-knit group of friends, and being gay are all just parts of his personality."
- Watch the "Good Morning America" interview below.
Disney Channel star Joshua Rush comes out as bisexual
Disney Channel star Joshua Rush has come out as bisexual.
The actor tweeted on Tuesday that despite playing a gay character, Cyrus, on "Andi Mack," it was difficult for him to be public about his sexuality.
He added that he suffered from "internalized homophobia" that led to an "existential crisis," but now, "I release it into the world."
"Being bi isn't all of my identity, nor is it the most important part of my identity," Rush tweeted. "Bi erasure and issues like it are important, but trans women of color still hold a life expectancy of THIRTY FIVE YEARS and that is absolutely unacceptable."
Rush, 17, made history last year when his "Andi Mack" character came out as gay, becoming the first Disney Channel ethics ever to do so. The positive response from fans was inspirational, he said.
"Instead of feeling the courage to tell you today that I am an out and haughty bisexual man because of the character I played for four years, I feel that courage thinking of all of you, who felt emboldened by Cyrus to come out," he wrote.
In his Twit
'Andi Mack' makes history with first Disney Channel ethics to say 'I'm gay'
"I'm gay."
Joshua Rush, who plays the role of Cyrus in the hit Disney Channel series, "Andi Mack," just became the first Disney Channel character to ever say those two words. His performance as Cyrus also marks the first portrayal of an openly gay character on Disney Channel.
“Taking on the role of Cyrus has been one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life," Rush told "GMA." "Being Jewish, being 14, going to middle university, having this small, close-knit group of friends, and being gay are all just parts of his personality," he affirmed.
The reaction to his character coming out?
"Overwhelmingly positive," he said, adding that "over the last few days I've really gotten to watch the myriad of ways that both this unused coming-out scene for Cyrus, and this Jewish voice of his family, has affected the fans."
In the moving scene that aired last week, Cyrus is joined by his friends at his grandmother's shiva, the first week of mourning observed by those of the Jewish faith for someone who has passe
.