An episode in the next season of Good Luck Charlie will feature a same-sex couple—a first for the Disney Channel.
According to TV Guide, the episode will air in early 2014 as part of the sitcom’s final season. Because the show is ending, the characters are not expected to have a recurring role.
“In the storyline, parents Amy and Bob Duncan (Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer) set up a play date for preschooler Charlie (Mia Talerico) and one of her new friends,” TV Guide reports. “When the kid arrives, the Duncans learn that Charlie’s pal has two moms. That’s fine, but the potential new friendship is put to the test as one mom chats with Amy and the other is stuck listening to Bob’s dull stories.”
Though the play date is set to be a secondary storyline in the episode, the Disney Channel took extra care in creating the episode, as it “understands the groundbreaking nature of featuring a same-sex couple on one of its sitcoms,” according to TV Guide.
“This particular storyline was developed under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisors,” a Disney Channel spokesperson says. “Like all Disney Channel programming, it was developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness.”
A week after the plan to feature lesbian moms was announced, One Million Moms called for a protest of the Disney Channel.
“Just because something may be legal or because some are choosing a lifestyle doesn’t make it morally correct,” One Million Moms says. “Disney should stick to entertaining instead of pushing an agenda. Disney decided to be politically correct versus providing family-friendly programming.
“Disney has a choice whether to produce a program with certain fictional characters; the storyline could be re-written or changed,” the organization continues. “Conservative families need to urge Disney to exclude confusing topics that children are far too young to comprehend.”
One Million Moms adds, “Unfortunately, children are now being exposed to same-sex marriage on a network that is designed for kids. This is the last place a parent would expect their children to be confronted with topics that are too complicated for them to understand. Issues of this nature are being introduced too early and too soon, and it is becoming extremely common and unnecessary.
“One Million Moms will hold Disney accountable for the content produced and marketed directly to young viewers over the Disney Channel network, which they have complete control over.”
The organization is asking parents to send an email letter to the Disney Channel requesting they omit the scene in Good Luck Charlie featuring two moms or omit the episode altogether.
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