Let’s take a look back at the legacy of this hit show 20 years on
BY TALYA CRAMER, IMAGE BY DISNEY/SER BAFFO
Recently, I have been experiencing nostalgia as I have returned to the one and only diva, Hannah Montana. The Hannah Montana special arrived on Disney+ on the 24 March for the show’s 20th birthday. As I was watching it, I began to ponder and wonder why it is that it resonates with so many of us queer women. I mean, it is a story about living a double life. Sounds familiar, right?
Being 21 now, I cannot quite pinpoint exactly when the show Hannah Montana became such a pivotal part of my life. It was always on in the background when I arrived home from school. I remember really wanting that blonde wig. Reflecting, there are certain parts of the show that stayed with me as an adult. When Hannah took off her wig, everybody saw who she was behind the glitter and the heels. Looking back, this moment feels like coming out.
As if she had reached a point where she was finally old enough and sure enough of who she was to reveal her secret to the world, although this felt like the most daunting thing imaginable!
Disney describes their latest special as “a love letter to the fans of the show”, and after watching it, I can confirm that this statement feels pretty accurate.
As an adult watching this special, I experienced every emotion under the sun. As an audience, we are invited to revisit the self-discovery and emotions that Hannah grew up with. We follow Miley Cyrus revisiting old sets and memories, alongside some of her family members. Then we hear an interview with Alex Cooper, which feels deeply personal.
I was struck by how much the show we watched growing up represented being queer.
Balancing two identities, to stand in one world while a different version of you is in the closet (literally!) The anxiety of hiding, the hope of being understood. The show captures feelings of what it is like to experience the push and pull between conforming to the world’s expectations of you and the relief of allowing those parts of yourself to come out.
I can see why Hannah’s secret stayed with me for so long. Something is empowering about realising how the stories that raised you helped shape you, and understood you before you understood yourself. The balance of different versions of ourselves, and the courage it takes to tell the world who we really are reasons why the show resonates so deeply.
The final performance in the anniversary brings everything together so beautifully. It felt like both a celebration and a bittersweet farewell. I definitely shed a few tears. Not just because it was so moving, but because it felt like closure, not only for Miley, but for all of us who grew up with her.
It is rare for a piece of childhood media to grow with you in this way, to reveal new meaning as you do. It gave a way to make sense of yourself, even if you did not realise it at the time.
Taking off the wig was never just about revealing a secret. It was about finding the courage to live without it. For many queer women, that journey does not happen all at once. It unfolds slowly, until one day, you realise you are no longer hiding. It is almost like the climb, as Hannah would say. For many LGBTQIA+ women, Hannah’s story is relatable, and there is strength in embracing parts of yourself you once kept hidden.
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