‘Star Trek’ Is Getting Its First Transgender and Non-Binary Characters

Star Trek has a long history of inclusive casting that dates back to the franchise’ earliest days on 1960s television. The original Star Trek series was known for its diverse Enterprise crew, and for breaking ground on television — like in 1968’s episode “Plato’s Stepchildren,” which saw a kiss (supposedly the first interracial kiss in American TV history) between Captain Kirk and Lt. Uhura.

That tradition will continue in Season 3 of the current Trek series Star Trek: Discovery, which announced today that the show will add its first transgender and non-binary characters in Star Trek history. Newcomer Blu del Barrio will play the non-binary Adira, while trans actor Ian Alexander, previously seen on Netflix’s The OA, will play Gray.

GLAAD.org has an interview with del Barrio, who describes Adira this way:

Adira is a wonderfully complex character. Mainly because of this duality they have within them: they're astonishingly intelligent and yet they're still a kid. They experience their emotions at a heightened level, like most teenagers. That's what makes them so fun to play. I like to describe them as cerebrally brilliant and emotionally a puppy. Adira is an introvert, but they keep a few people close to the chest, which I definitely resonate with.

It’s an exciting time to be a Star Trek fan in general, with Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and the new Star Trek: Lower Decks all on CBS All Access, with a fourth series, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, about the original Enterprise crew coming soon. Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 premieres on CBS All Access on October 15.

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