BAD TIMING 
 
 It’s hard to believe that it’s taken this long for The Disney Channel to feature a same-sex couple in one of its shows, but apparently, it has happened. The Disney Channel officially featured their first lesbian couple in an episode of Good Luck Charlie this week, and the whole situation is just so hilarious that they’ve plugged a laugh track over it because—you know—gay people are hilarious! 
 
 As you can see in the clip above, parents Bob and Amy Duncan share confusion over who, exactly, is the mother of Taylor, a child whom Charlie has invited over for a playdate. While awaiting the arrival of their guests, Amy swears she’s met Taylor’s mother Susan. Duncan swears he’s met Taylor’s mother Cheryl. 
 
 Haha! screams the laugh track, as Amy opens the door to reveal Taylor’s two lesbian moms. Faint giggles are heard as the lesbian mothers are introduced. Finally, a screeching LOL! in response to Duncan’s revelation that “Taylor has two moms!” 
 
 Disney claims it “consulted child development experts and community advisors” to make sure the Miley Cyrus-approved same-sex parent plot was “relevant to kids and families around the world and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness.” LOL! Wonder if those child development experts roared with laughter when Disney brought up lesbian moms? 
 
 Sure, I understand that most sitcoms rely on laugh tracks to ease you through painfully boring dialogue, but is making a lesbian couple the punchline of (admittedly a harmless) joke the best way to “reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness”? C’mon, Disney, I thought you were smarter than this. ||||| While you were busy reading your 27th think piece on Macklemore performing “Same Love” at the Grammys and Looking being boring, something actually kind of monumental happened: the Disney Channel featured its first gay couple on an episode of one of its original series. 
 
 Good Luck Charlie, one of the network’s most popular original comedies, featured a lesbian couple on Sunday’s episode. The plot was refreshingly innocuous, but pointed enough to let it be known that it was, you know, kind of a big deal that a Disney Channel series aimed at young children was taking this step. 
 
 The very sitcom-y premise: parents Bob and Amy Duncan set up a playdate for their daughter, Charlie, with her friend, Taylor and Taylor’s parents. Amy says the mother’s name is Susan. Bob swears he met her before…but her name is Cheryl. When they arrive, they find out that they were both right. Taylor has two mothers, and their names are Susan and Cheryl. Here’s the scene: 
 
 It’s so painfully clear what will happen when Bob and Amy open the door—Oh my god! Two moms!—that you almost cringe in anticipation of a groan-worthy gag or borderline offensive punchline. But the actual joke was neither of those things! Bob facepalms his forehead. “Taylor has two moms,” he says, in a “duh!” manner signaling that’s there’s nothing else to be discussed about it. That it’s no big deal. That it’s fine. 
 
 In fact, Disney was so bullish about this whole idea that Taylor having two moms was “fine” that it even put in the episode’s plot description that ran on TVGuide.com: “In the storyline, parents Amy and Bob Duncan (Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer) set up a playdate for preschooler Charlie (Mia Talerico) and one of her new friends. When the kid arrives, the Duncans learn that Charlie’s pal has two moms. That’s fine [emphasis ours], 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.” 
 
 As amusing as it is that Disney felt the need to editorialize the plot description, it is good news that the company is, indeed, fine with showing a gay couple on the series. When it was announced back in June that they would be doing the episode, Disney’s spokesperson was happy to say just how fine they were with it, saying the plot was developed “under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisers. And like Disney Channel programming, it was developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness.” 
 
 While Disney was fine—so fine!—with its decision to feature a gay couple, the anti-gay group One Million Moms, predictably, was not. Here’s a little bit of the hogwash 250-word “Calling all parents!” bulletin it put out encouraging a viewer and advertiser boycott of the show: “Just because something may be legal or because some are choosing a lifestyle doesn’t make it morally correct.” 
 
 The move did have two very high-profile fans, though, in Evan Rachel Wood and former Disney princess herself, Miley Cyrus: 
 
 There are, as there always are, reasons for some to be dissatisfied with the extent of Disney’s gesture, and some who may view it as empty. To begin with, it was a fringe storyline on the episode—not part of the main plot. There’s also the fact that these characters aren’t slated to appear in any more episodes of the series because—oh yeah—the next new episode of Good Luck Charlie will be its series finale. 
 
 But you know what? That’s still fine. ||||| Last night's episode of Good Luck Charlie, "Down a Tree," broke new ground for the Disney Channel with the inclusion of a lesbian couple, the network's first out characters in a series. In the episode, Amy and Bob Duncan set up a playdate for their daughter Charlie and one of her new friends, who just happens to have two moms. The couples come to find that they just don't get along when Bob bores one mom with work stories and the other continuously cuts Amy off, check out a clip below. 
 
 The inclusion of a family with two moms is a historic move in the right direction for the network which has never before included out gay characters in their series and made-for-TV films. In an interview about the Good Luck Charlie episode, a Disney spokesperson said, "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." 
 
 During November 2012, the Disney Channel's social outreach campaign "Make Your Mark," which encourages and inspires kids to make a difference in the world, featured a 14-year-old named Ben, an aspiring filmmaker who has two moms. Ben's spot ran on Disney Channel for several weeks, check it out below. ||||| While Macklemore was rapping about marriage equality on the Grammys stage, the Disney Channel was making a statement of its own on Sunday, Jan. 26. The network featured its first ever same-sex couple on the show Good Luck Charlie. 
 
 After announcing the decision in June 2013, the channel finally delivered when lesbian mothers Susan and Cheryl dropped off their daughter Taylor for a play date with the main family's daughter Charlie. 
 
 PHOTOS: Out and proud celebs 
 
 Disney even added in some humor to the introduction when Charlie's parents Amy (Leigh-Allyn Baker) and Bob (Eric Allan Kramer) are confused about who Taylor's mom was before meeting the couple. 
 
 "Taylor has two moms!" Bob declared after meeting the two women, proving he had been right in calling one of the moms Cheryl. 
 
 "Wow, nothing gets past you, Bob," his wife sarcastically replied. 
 
 PHOTOS: Hollywood's gay power couples 
 
 Actress Desi Lydic, who played mom Susan, tweeted to excited fans after the episode aired, "I'm so proud to be part of that episode! Go Disney! #equality." 
 
 The show has been on since 2010 and is currently in its fourth and final season. Last June, Disney channel producers spoke with TV Guide about the groundbreaking decision to include a same-sex couple on the children's show. 
 
 "This particular storyline was developed under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisors," a Disney Channel spokesperson told TV Guide. "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." 
 
 DISNEY CHANNEL/Bob D'Amico 
 
 At the time of the announcement, former Disney star Miley Cyrus tweeted out in support of her former network's decision. 
 
 PHOTOS: Miley Cyrus, then and now 
 
 "I commend Disney for making this step into the light of this generation," she wrote. "They control…so much of what kids think! Life isn't bright sets & wardrobe & kids becoming superstars! This is INSPIRING." 
 
 But not everyone was as pleased as Cyrus was with the family-based programming. 
 
 One Million Moms -- the same group who led a boycott on JCPennys for naming Ellen DeGeneres as an ambassador -- posted an official call to action on their website based on the historic episode. 
 
 PHOTOS: Disney stars through the years 
 
 "Disney has decided to be politically correct instead of providing family-friendly programming," the group wrote. "Disney should stick to entertaining, not pushing an agenda. Conservative families need to urge Disney to avoid controversial topics that children are far too young to comprehend. This is the last place a parent would expect their children to be confronted with topics that are too difficult for them to understand. Mature issues of this nature are being introduced too early and too soon, and it is extremely unnecessary." 
 
 The Susan and Cheryl characters are not expected to appear on the series after the Jan. 26 episode. ||||| While Queen Latifah was marrying all manner of couples at the Grammys on Sunday night, the Disney Channel slipped its own milestone under the radar: the first appearance of a lesbian couple on one of its TV shows. 
 
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 It happened on the sitcom Good Luck Charlie (which is apparently written for the whole family, not just kids). Charlie has a playdate with a new friend, Taylor, who—it turns out—has two moms. As you can see from the clip above, that's treated as no big thing. The problem is, according to TV Guide's synopsis, "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." 
 
 Disney explained the development of the episode back in June, when it was initially announced: 
 
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 "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." 
 
 It's strange in this day and age to see lesbian parents treated as a little exotic. Plenty of kids (and probably plenty of kids watching the Disney Channel) are being raised by same-sex couples. Then again, I suppose you could read the little argument over Taylor's mom's name as a lesson in making assumptions. 
 
 Plus, you're generally doing something worthwhile when it inspires One Million Moms to shit bricks. But Miley approves! 
 
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 (h/t Joe. My. God) ||||| Alerting all parents! In a first for the Disney Channel, an episode in the next season of "Good Luck Charlie" will feature a family with two moms. 
 
 The episode will air in early 2014 as part of "Good Luck Charlie's" final season. Because "Good Luck Charlie" is coming to a close, the characters are only expected to appear in one episode. However, one episode is bad enough, and the network repeatedly airs previews in commercials leading up to new episodes and also replays episodes in reruns. 
 
 In the storyline, parents Amy and Bob Duncan (Leigh-Allyn Baker and Eric Allan Kramer) set up a playdate for preschooler Charlie (Mia Talerico) and one of her new friends. When the child arrives, the Duncans learn that Charlie's pal has two moms. 
 
 Disney Channel understands the controversial nature of featuring a same-sex couple on one of its sitcoms and said it took extra care in crafting the episode. "This particular storyline was developed under the consultancy of child development experts and community advisors," a Disney Channel spokesperson said. "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." 
 
 Just because something may be legal or because some are choosing a lifestyle doesn't make it morally correct. 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. Conservative families need to urge Disney to exclude confusing topics that children are far too young to comprehend. 
 
 Media influences children tremendously. Gay-rights advocate Miley Cyrus, who got her start on the channel's hit series "Hannah Montana," has praised the network for the decision. In a post on Twitter, she wrote, "I commend Disney for making this step into the light of this generation. They control so much of what kids think!" 
 
 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. 
 
 Families tuning in to watch a children's network may encounter a premature discussion on sexual orientation that is completely uncalled for. Disney claims it is not responsible for Gay Days held at the Magic Kingdom because it is out of its hands, but Disney cannot hide behind that excuse any longer and pretend it is not pushing an agenda. 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. 
 
 Take Action 
 
 Please send Disney an email letter requesting they omit the scene in "Good Luck Charlie" featuring two moms or do not air this controversial episode at all. If producers keep this episode as originally planned, then conservative families will have no choice but to no longer watch Disney Channel Network in their homes so they can avoid the previews, commercials and reruns for this irresponsible episode. Families will not allow Disney Channel in their homes if they must protest the network veering away from family-friendly entertainment.
– The Disney Channel rather quietly debuted its first gay couple on Sunday night, a lesbian couple who appeared on an episode of the sitcom Good Luck Charlie. The storyline was played for laughs, Us reports, with main characters Amy and Bob confused about the identity of their daughter's friend's mom until they realize ... she has two moms (who aren't expected to appear on the show again). Not everyone was impressed: On Queerty, Matthew Tharrett takes issue with the laugh track that accompanied the minute-long scene. "Sure, I understand that most sitcoms rely on laugh tracks to ease you through painfully boring dialogue, but is making a lesbian couple the punchline of (admittedly a harmless) joke the best way to 'reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness'? C'mon, Disney, I thought you were smarter than this." One Million Moms is upset for an entirely different reason: "Just because something may be legal or because some are choosing a lifestyle doesn't make it morally correct. Disney should stick to entertaining instead of pushing an agenda." On Jezebel, Kelly Faircloth notes that while "it's strange in this day and age to see lesbian parents treated as a little exotic ... I suppose you could read the little argument over Taylor's mom's name as a lesson in making assumptions." At the Daily Beast, however, Kevin Fallon doesn't think the moms were treated as exotic at all. "You almost cringe in anticipation of a groan-worthy gag or borderline offensive punchline. But the actual joke was neither of those things! Bob facepalms his forehead. 'Taylor has two moms,' he says, in a 'duh!' manner signaling that’s there’s nothing else to be discussed about it. That it’s no big deal. That it’s fine." And GLAAD called the move "historic."