Original Blue Power Ranger Praises New LGBTQ Representation In The Show
David Yost, once the Blue Power Ranger and an out gay man, is thrilled that the new special on Netflix is more inclusive in its approach.
Growing up, many millennials tuned into Mighty Morphin Power Rangers every Saturday morning, and the kids’ show quickly became a staple for millions.
Sadly, the program didn’t bring happiness to everyone involved – including one of the main stars. Fortunately, with the release of the thirtieth anniversary Netflix special Once & Always, there is hope for the brand’s future.
David Yost, the original Blue Ranger, recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about his experience on the show and why he believes this time will be different. He expressed his excitement about the new inclusion of the LGBTQ community in the series, something that was not present in the original show.
“I think it’s great that we add an element like that obviously into where we are, because it’s so important that people do see representation,” Yost said. “It’s taken a long time to get there. So to have it in this special I think is great, and to just have it be like it’s just an everyday thing, I think is awesome.”
Yost is specifically referencing a scene where the daughter of the Yellow Ranger helps a man and his boyfriend fight Rita Repulsa and some of her now-famous Putty Patrollers. While it may seem like a simple moment, it clearly means a lot to Yost, who was missing that representation during his time on the program.
Five years ago, Yost spoke with EW to celebrate the show’s anniversary and revealed that he left Mighty Morphin Power Rangers because he was up against some pretty ugly homophobia in his workplace. At the time, he was struggling with his sexual orientation, and that internal battle eventually led him to enter conversion therapy.
“In the beginning, I certainly didn’t want people to know that I was gay,” Yost said. “It took me many years after the fact to start the process of learning to accept myself, which was very difficult.”
Despite the challenges he faced personally as a gay man trying to figure himself out, Yost also acknowledged the positive things that Mighty Morphin Power Rangers brought into the world.
“In so many ways, we were ahead of our time in 1993 because of the cast that we had,” he commented. “Our characters all were so diverse, but we really showed what teamwork was about — and that we could all come together and we could be from different backgrounds and we could be friends.”
With Once & Always, it seems that the Power Rangers are taking steps to be more inclusive and representative of all audiences. Yost’s words of encouragement about the new special give hope that the franchise can continue to grow and evolve.
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