berternie

<div class="at-above-post-homepage addthis_tool" data-url="https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/essays/viewer-beware-need-lgbtq-tv-role-models-kids/"></div><p>Disney introduced for the first time a storyline for a gay character on the fan favorite tween TV show, <a href="http://deadline.com/2017/10/disney-channel-andi-mack-character-come-out-gay-1202194584/" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http://deadline.com/2017/10/disney-channel-andi-mack-character-come-out-gay-1202194584/', 'Andi Mack');"><em>Andi Mack</em></a>. Not everyone is happy. <a href="https://onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/disney-channel-introducing-first-gay-character/" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'https://onemillionmoms.com/current-campaigns/disney-channel-introducing-first-gay-character/', 'One Million Moms recently released a warning');"><em>One Million Moms</em> recently released a warning</a> to parents, saying Disney has abandoned its &#8220;family-friendly entertainment&#8221; and sacrificed &#8220;children&#8217;s innocence.&#8221; <a href="https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/rev-graham-warns-parents-disney-using-andi-mack-show-promote-lgbt-tweens" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'https://www.cnsnews.com/blog/michael-w-chapman/rev-graham-warns-parents-disney-using-andi-mack-show-promote-lgbt-tweens', 'Rev. Franklin Graham');">Rev. Franklin Graham</a> stated <em>Andi Mack</em> was dangerously trying &#8220;to influence the youth of today to accept and to be a part of the destructive LGBT lifestyle.&#8221; <a href="http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/kenya-ban-andi-mack-gay-character-crackdown-lgbt-content-1202605206/" onclick="__gaTracker('send', 'event', 'outbound-article', 'http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/kenya-ban-andi-mack-gay-character-crackdown-lgbt-content-1202605206/', 'Kenya’s Film Classification Board');">Kenya’s Film Classification Board</a> cited the need to &#8220;protect children from exposure to harmful film and broadcast content&#8221; and <em>Andi Mack</em> from their television screens. <a href="https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/essays/viewer-beware-need-lgbtq-tv-role-models-kids/#more-5899" class="more-link">Read more</a></p>
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Viewer Beware: We Need More LGBTQ TV Role Models for Kids

Erik McIntosh, DNP, RN is an Acute Care Nurse Practitioner in general medicine at Rush University Medical Center and serves on the faculty of the Rush University College of Nursing. He is a Public Voices Fellow with the Op-Ed Project.