Growing up in the early 2000s meant that I happened to be just the right age to watch TV during Disney Channel’s golden age. From the High School Musical movies to series such as Hannah Montana, I watched all of it. As I’ve grown older, I’ve become very nostalgic for it, of course (yes, I’ve used my Disney+ subscription to reminisce). But, I’ve also come to understand that it wasn’t the same kind of glory days for its stars. I’m looking back at Disney Channel differently since I picked up Alyson Stoner’s memoir, Semi-Well-Adjusted Despite Literally Everything.
Stoner (who uses they/them pronouns) may not technically have the status of Disney Channel actors-turned-movie stars like Zendaya, Zac Efron, Miley Cyrus or Selena Gomez, but they were just as important to an upbringing where it felt like Disney Channel was part of my identity. When I got the audiobook for Semi-Well-Adjusted it wasn’t long before I found myself absolutely enveloped in their life story. Now that I’ve soaked up every word, I want to share this unexpected feeling of gratefulness I feel for Stoner for sharing their story through this book.
