The Owl House, Disney's First Series Featuring a Bisexual Protagonist

NEWS | October 13, 2020

Luz adolescente bisexuelle personnage Disney

The American animation giant is placing more and more LGBTQ+ characters in the spotlight. After Pixar's Out told the story of a gay couple, released this past May on Disney+, the production studio enters the conversation with an animated series available since April on the Disney Channel.

The Owl House (in French entitled "Luz in Osville") tells the story of Luz Noceda, a 14-year-old Dominican-American who discovers a magical world and tries to become a witch, although she has no special superpowers. In one episode, she meets Amity, a brilliant student who becomes her rival. But when the situation takes a turn, Amity starts to develop feelings for Luz, whom she'd like to invite to the school dance. Released in France in April 2020 on the Disney Channel, The Owl House is the first animated series produced by Disney to focus on a bisexual protagonist.

The show's creator Dana Terrace, who identifies as queer, explained that she needed to be firm in her commitment to this choice. "I'm a horrible liar so sneaking it in would've been hard (...) When we were greenlit I was told by certain Disney leadership that I could not represent any form of bi or gay relationship on the Channel. (...) I'm bi! I want to write a bi character, dammit! Luckily my stubbornness paid off and now I am very supported by current Disney leadership," tweeted the American illustrator.

With a production history marked by heteronormative princess narratives, today Disney's made a commitment to giving the LGBTQ+ community the representation it deserves. In May, the streaming platform Disney+ unveiled the film Out, which tells the story of a teenager's coming out to his parents. A month earlier, Pixar released Onward, in which the supporting character identifies as gay. It looks as if screens big and small are ringing in a new era, one of new heroes and heroines offering young viewers positive and nuanced perspectives on gender and sexuality.