For those of you who have not quite gotten past your Disney Channel years, it’s time to celebrate a huge, progressive announcement by the ABC Television Group-owned company. Just last week, the company announced that, next season on the hit show Good Luck Charlie, a lesbian couple will be introduced as new characters. The couple will be mothers of a child the same age as the adorable toddler, Charlie.
The announcement certainly is timely. It was only a few days later that the Supreme Court made the landmark decisions regarding gay marriage. Key legislations against marriage equality, DOMA and Proposition 8, were both overturned, and many college students around the nation rejoiced.
Sarah Kisioleck, as quoted by USA Today College, tweeted, “Thrilled that we are moving forward as a nation! #EqualRightsForAll.”
However, a quick scroll-down in the very same article showed a negative Facebook comment from Evan Carter Meredith, stating, “This [article] makes it look like all college students are happy about this. That is simply not true.”
Unfortunately, he is right. Both the DOMA and Prop 8 decisions and the Disney Channel announcement are garnering hate from those against the legality of gay marriage.
Stephanie Wagner wrote, “This is crazy!” in a comment on an article on website CollegeCandy. Wagner also stated, “Disney is a [channel] for kids and should not be promoting same-sex marriages. This is supposed to be a good, wholesome TV channel show.” Other commenters posted in the same, opposed tone, unhappy with Disney Channel for promoting same-sex parenting of young children.
It cannot be denied that marriage equality continues to be a hot topic in pop culture. Various celebrities have voiced their support of gay marriage or their lack thereof quite publicly. One hit single off rapper Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ album, “The Heist,” is entitled “Same Love,” and contains such lyrics as “No freedom ‘til we’re equal/Damn right I support it.”
Leading the opposition are famous politicians like Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann, who have loudly vocalized their opinions against the practice. With such strongly dissonant opinions, college students nationwide are sure to hear more about the issue.
The Disney announcement, which has received tweeted support from stars Miley Cyrus and Evan Rachel Wood, proposed that the episode in question will not air until early 2014, and the two moms have not been cast. No matter what side you support, it will certainly be interesting to see how the public continues to react to the SCOTUS decision, and to the episode once it airs.