When Raven Symone agreed to reprise her iconic role as Raven Baxter for the Disney Channel spin-off “Raven’s Home” in 2017, the actress says she was approached to play the character as a gay woman — an offer which she now reveals she respectfully declined. In a new interview with LGBT magazine Them, the 36-year-old explained why she was against the idea right from the beginning.
“I think Disney wanted her to be queer in the beginning,” Raven told the publication, admitting that when she was asked about potentially making Raven queer, the idea alone had left her feeling “uncomfortable.” She recounted the conversation, adding, “They were like, ‘Do you want Raven to be gay?’ I said, ‘Why?’ Because you are. I said bad, bad reason. That’s a bad reason. No, Raven Baxter never exhibited any type of sexual identity situation in the priors.”
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Raven made her Disney Channel debut playing Raven Baxter on “That’s So Raven,” which spanned four seasons between 2003 and 2007. And while Raven’s sexuality was never a talking point on the actual show, the Atlanta native stressed that her own life choices shouldn’t have to reflect a character she portrays on TV. “I’m not being myself on this show, I’m being a character. Raven Baxter’s not gay.”
“No matter what the first four seasons looked like with me and Chelsea sleeping in the same room and us raising a family together.” Had it been up to Raven all along, she wouldn’t have her character even entertain storylines about dating in general.
It was just in July when Disney made headlines after introducing its first trans character to “Raven’s Home.” Juliana Joel, who plays Nikki, made history for also being the first trans character on Disney Channel.
Sharing the news with her fans on Instagram over the summer, Juliana emotionally penned a heartfelt statement, writing, “Coming from a typical Puerto Rican family, I didn’t think being an actor was possible [especially] for someone like me, I thought you had to be born into that world.”
Raven-Symoné photographed by Al Pereira for Raven’s music video “That’s What Little Girls Are Made Of” featuring vocals from Missy Elliott (1993). pic.twitter.com/lYGAktwPD3
— GUNE INC (@Gunebystar) November 9, 2022
“Fast forward to becoming an actor I then told myself I wasn’t young enough to be on Disney anymore & even if that wasn’t the case I’m TRANS! I’d never seen an out trans actor or character on the Disney Channel. EVER.”
Socialites, would you have been bothered if you found out Raven Baxter was gay?