Ex-Disney star Alyson Stoner says they were fired and branded ‘unsafe’ after coming out as queer
Alyson Stoner.(Getty/Irvin Rivera)
Film and TV star Alyson Stoner has revealed that their acting career took a serious hit after they came out as queer, with one children’s show allegedly firing them because of it.
Stoner, who uses they/them pronouns, became accustomed to being centre stage when it comes to kids TV shows. After landing a job on Disney‘s Mike’s Super Short Show in 2001, they went on to star in big-hitters including The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Phineas and Ferb and That’s So Raven.
Stoner’s went on to further success, appearing films such as Cheaper by the Dozen in 2003, Garfield in 2004, and Step Up in 2006.
They were evidently loved and appreciated by Hollywood. But, Stoner claims, things changed after they came out as bisexual in 2018.
Speaking during an appearance on comedy podcast I’m Literally Screaming with Spencewuah, hosted by queer TikTok star Spencewuah, Stoner revealed that they were unceremoniously dumped from a show after coming out.
“I did end up getting fired from a children’s show because they felt that I was unsafe to be around kids,” Stoner said. “There was definitely discrimination there, but the beauty far outweighs the hate comments and death threats.”
The LGBTQ+ community is currently grappling with a rising tide of hatred, much of which is tied to the baseless narrative that queer people are a danger to children.
In addition to their acting, Stoner was known for performing as a backing dancer for music stars including Missy Elliott and Eminem, while they also released two albums and a handful of singles of their own.
However, work has seemingly dried up, with Stoner revealing that their manager, Kevin Jonas Sr, while “loving and supportive”, even warned of the potential implications of coming out as LGBTQ+.
“It [was] totally my choice, but it could affect not only people’s perceptions but also hireability for jobs,” Stoner claimed.
Since 2018, Stoner has only featured in two films: Lego DC Batman: Family Matters in 2019, and 2020’s Phineas and Ferb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe.
They also appeared in Disney Channel’s Hamster & Gretel in 2022, and have starred in Nickelodeon’s The Loud House since 2019.
On social media, Stoner has turned their attention towards becoming a vocal advocate for mental-health awareness. They are also keen to use their platform to open up about the queer experience, having previously spoken about their experience with conversion therapy.
“Queer folks (and non-queer, too) frequently suppress a part or all of who we are. It can cause us to hide from the world and, in turn, to hide from ourselves,” they wrote in an Instagram post earlier this month.
“Learning how to listen and rebuild trust with our bodies is essential to healing, building resilience and speaking our truth authentically.”
Stoner isn’t the first queer celebrity to open up recently about the tough time facing LGBTQ+ people in Hollywood.
Earlier this month, singer Demi Lovato spoke about feeling she had to revert back to using she/her pronouns despite preferring to use they/them, because she found it “absolutely exhausting” having to explain the concept to people.
