Disney Channel star Joshua Rush says he's bisexual, talks 'internalized homophobia'
Disney Channel star 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 reveal 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 honest about his sexuality in real 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?"
Even though his character 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 own internalized homophobia even while playing the first openly gay character on Disney Channel."
More: 'I'm actually pansexual': Bella Thorne gets real about her sexuality and struggles
first to respond to this tweet is bi lol
— joshua rush (@JoshuaRush) August 6, 2019
Rush added what makes him most proud are his LGBTQ fans who've been moved by his character's story line.
"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.
More: Julianne Hough praised by brother Derek after revealing 'I'm not straight'
Rush capped off his post by asking fans to donate to GLAAD and The Trevor Project, a nonprofit for LGBTQ suicide prevention.
"Thank you to you for giving me the courage to know who I am and tell you this today," he wrote. "Happy 20biteen!"
More: Cameron Boyce's 'sudden unexpected' death was caused by epilepsy, coroner rules
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney star Joshua Rush, Cyrus on 'Andi Mack,' comes out as bisexual
