LGBT+ representation in television has been on the upswing lately with shows like Arrow and Sense8 containing or soon to be containing both gay and trans characters in their line-ups. Now Doctor Who has taken a step towards strengthening that representation by casting openly trans Bethany Black for an episode.
Black worked previously with former Doctor Who showrunner Russell T. Davies on Tofu, Cucumber and the Banana, an LGBT show Davies created and will star in an episode by Doctor Who regular Mark Gatiss – one which has been dubbed the “scary” episode.
Black‘s casting feels like a stride in the direction to begin with, but to make it even more lovely, The Independent reports that her character is “not trans, and she was considered best for the role.” So, she wasn’t just cast to represent being trans on-screen, she was cast because she’s a damn good actor.
Writing on her Facebook page following the announcement, Black wrote a long and emotional post about getting the gig, adding, “It is genuinely the greatest job I could ever have imagined getting. Everything about it is magical. I’m enjoying every day of filming and cherishing it, because you never know if you’ll ever get to do anything like this again. I only hope that I do the role and the show justice, and that you all enjoy it. For me it’s the gig of a lifetime.”
As if we weren’t already excited for series 9, we might have a favourite episode before it even starts!
Doctor Who series 9 begins September 23.
