By Lynn Elber, Television Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) --The creator of Disney Channel's "The Owl House" is lauding the company for featuring a LGBTQ teenager on the animated series.
"Representation matters!" tweeted Dana Terrace, also an executive producer for the series. "Always fight to make what YOU want to see!"
The 14-year-old character, Luz Noceda, reportedly is the first bisexual character on a Disney TV series. A gay lead character was depicted in the Disney+ streaming service's animated short "Out," which debuted last May.
"The Owl House," which premiered in January and returned in July after a few months' break, has been renewed for a second season.
"We're excited about the LGBTQ-inclusive storytelling," the media watchdog organization GLAAD said in a tweet, adding that the series portrays an "inclusive, fair, accurate, and age-appropriate world through the representation of its characters."
Terrace, who posted earlier this month that she is bisexual and always wanted to "write a bi character," described herself as being candid with Disney about her desire to include "queer kids in the main cast."
But when the series got the OK for production, she tweeted, "I was told by certain Disney leadership that I could NOT represent any form of bi or gay relationship" on the channel.
Her insistence paid off and she is now "very supported" by current Disney management, Terrace said.
Disney Channel, part of a Walt Disney Co. subsidiary, didn't respond Monday to a request for comment.
Luz, a Dominican American girl, aspires to be a witch despite a lack of magical abilities. She is voiced by Sarah-Nicole Robles, with others in the cast including Wendie Malick, Alex Hirsch and Eden Riegel.
Mae Whitman plays Amity, a recurring character who has befriended Luz.
Canada orders TikTok’s Canadian business to be dissolved but won’t block app
Canada announced Wednesday it won't block access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok but is ordering the dissolution of its Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind it.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.'s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc.
"The government is not blocking Canadians' access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice," Champagne said.
Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices, including protecting their personal information.
He said the dissolution order was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may harm Canada's national security. He said the decision was based on information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada's security and intelligence community and other government partners.
A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement that the shutdown of its Canadian offices will mean the loss of hundreds of local jobs.
"We will challenge this order in court," the spokesperson said. "The TikTok platform will remain available for creators to find an audience, explore new interests and for businesses to thrive."
TikTok is wildly popular with young people, but its Chinese ownership has raised fears that Beijing could use it to collect data on Western users or push pro-China narratives and misinformation. TikTok is owned by ByteDance, a Chinese company that moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020.
TikTok faces intensifying scrutiny... Read More