Dominic Smithers
Alyson Stoner says they were fired from a kids TV show after coming out as queer.
The former Disney Channel star announced they now use they/them pronouns, speaking previously about how they were 'attracted to men, women and people who identify in other ways'.
In a recent episode of the I’m Literally Screaming podcast, the Cheaper By The Dozen actor said they thought long and hard about their decision to open up about their sexuality.
Stoner said: “The reason I ended up doing it was because my girlfriend at the time, we reached a point in our relationship where it felt like it was a disservice to her for her to be hidden, right?”
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"Like, that, that didn't feel good for her, it didn’t feel fair. And even though there were other like pressures and considerations for me to be public, I felt like, OK, I wanna … I wanna do this.”
And the 29-year-old recalled speaking to their managers before speaking out - one of whom was Kevin Jonas Sr, the dad of the Jonas Brothers, who they starred alongside in the 2008 film Camp Rock.
They said: "He's a former pastor and so I was like, 'OK, I know that there's a potential risk here', and he was very loving and supportive and helpful in me understanding that like, there are risks if I do this,”
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"It's totally my choice, but it could affect not only people’s perceptions, but also like, hireability for jobs."
And according to Stoner, they were right.
The actor claimed they were fired from one job because they were deemed to be 'unsafe' for children'.
"I did end up getting fired from a children’s show because they felt that I was unsafe, now that they knew I was queer, to be around kids.
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"So there was like, definitely discrimination.”
However, despite the negative side of being honest about who they are, Stoner said they don't have any regrets.
They said: “The, like, beauty far outweighs the hate comments and death threats. It was intimating and also liberating."
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Prior to coming out, Stoner told Insider in 2021 that they actually underwent conversion therapy.
They told the publication: "I felt like everything was wrong with me, even though I, in my heart of hearts, only desired to be a devoted follower of God.
"So to hear from people you trust, from people you respect, from people you might even aspire to become, that you at your core are 'rotten', 'abominable', that the Devil has a target on your back because of your position in Hollywood.
"It just sends you into a spiral, at least for me, because I just wanted to do the right thing.”