Rowan Blanchard

Rowan Blanchard is a queer actress and activist who came out publicly on Twitter at age 14 in 2016, in response to a fan asking if she would date a girl: "Yes, [I'm] open to liking any gender in future is why I identify as queer." The candid, low-key disclosure -- made by a Disney Channel actress to her enormous young following -- was widely celebrated as a meaningful act of visibility for LGBTQ+ youth who rarely see themselves reflected in Disney's world. Blanchard had played Riley Matthews on Girl Meets World (2014) since age 12 and used her platform throughout those years to speak out on feminism, racial justice, and LGBTQ+ rights. After the show ended, she played Jessica in the ensemble teen comedy A World Away (2019) and starred in Hulu's queer coming-of-age film Crush (2022), in which she played a lesbian high schooler navigating first love. She has been an influential advocate for LGBTQ+ youth, speaking to specific issues of queer identity for teenagers and about the responsibility of public figures who are followed by young people.