ABOVE: Joshua Rush as Cyrus Goodman on ‘Andi Mack.’ (Screenshot via Twitter)
Actor Joshua Rush has come out as bisexual.
The 17-year-old actor is best known for his portrayal of Cyrus Goodman on the Disney Channel series “Andi Mack.” Cyrus is the first openly gay main character on the Disney Channel.
Rush posted on Twitter that the first person to respond to his tweet is bi. He then responded to his own tweet writing “first! i win! it’s me. i’m bi. And now that I’ve said that, I have a few things to rant about. There are more important things to talk about than me liking a whole bunch of genders, but I do want to share a few things with you guys.”
first! i win! it’s me. i’m bi. And now that I’ve said that, I have a few things to rant about. There are more important things to talk about than me liking a whole bunch of genders, but I do want to share a few things with you guys.
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019
“I saw so many of you watch Cyrus come out and said “Hey! I can be me! How ironic, isn’t it, that me, playing that character, never had mustered up that courage?” Rush continued. “Instead of feeling the courage to tell you today that I am an out and proud 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.”
Instead of feeling the courage to tell you today that I am an out and proud 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.
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019
Rush explained that while he was playing a character on television who was becoming open with his sexuality he still dealt with internalized homophobia in his personal life.
“I stuffed the existential crisis of talking about my sexual orientation into a box in my mind for years. Today, I release it into the world,” Rush tweeted.
I stuffed the existential crisis of talking about my sexual orientation into a box in my mind for years. Today, I release it into the world.
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019
He ended his Twitter thread with a couple resources for his followers. He posted GLAAD’s resource on bisexuality saying that it helped him better understand his sexuality. Rush also encouraged his followers to donate to the Trevor Project.
I also want to ask you to donate to The Trevor Project, who are literally saving lives every day. Helping young LGBTQ+ voices feel heard and loved is utterly crucial.https://t.co/jAgqEukuyh
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019
“Andi Mack” ended in July after three seasons. Its series finale included the first same-sex romance on Disney Channel between Cyrus and TJ (Luke Mullen).
