Cast And Co-Creators of The Fosters Discuss Reaction To Gay Kiss

From Left: Peter Paige, Gavin MacIntosh, Hayden Byerly and Bradley Bredeweg attend the 26th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 21, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images for GLAAD)

Earlier this month, ABC Family's The Fosters made television history by showing the youngest ever on air same-sex kiss. Fans of the show, which centers around a lesbian couple and their large family, watched this season as 13-year-olds Jude and Connor let their feelings for each other spill over into a brief but tender kiss. It was a scene that divided public opinion, receiving outpourings of support from the more progressive elements of society. Gay Star News spoke with the young actors, Hayden Byerly (Jude) and Gavin MacIntosh (Connor), and the show's co-creators and executive producers, Peter Paige and Bradley Bredeweg, at the 2015 GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles. Below are some of their comments:

Byerly on the his onscreen relationship with MacIntosh:

"People are so happy that Jude and Connor are not necessarily a couple but just great friends. They've got a great friendship and people love how they stick up for one another and how they are very connected. Sometimes it's very easy for Connor and I to feel very close on camera because Gavin and I are like brothers offset."

MacIntosh on the response to the kiss:

"I've had a lot of positive feedback from people on social media so it's been great. It has just had such an impact on people, so many people are affected by this. I didn't really think about it before but when it actually happened and the show aired, it was amazing just being a part of that."

Paige on how the scene came to be:

"I'm so proud that we put that kiss on the air. It's so simple and true and lovely and I'm so grateful to ABC Family for recognizing that. We pitched it in season one and they said, 'We would be much more comfortable if you'd wait until season 2.' And to their credit in season 2 they were all up for it."

Bredeweg on the importance of the Jude-Connor storyline:

"[It was] a dream come true for Peter [Paige] and I because if we had something like this on the air when we were growing up, it would have made a world of difference. So for us to be able to put this out into the world is such a pleasure."

The full story can be read on Gay Star News.