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trans actors

When "Supergirl" returns to television in fall 2018, the show's newest character will make history — and so will the woman playing her.

A new cast member to the show is Nicole Maines, a transgender actress and activist. And not only will she be portraying a transgender character — something that's been controversially left to cisgender (non-trans) actors in the past — but she'll also be TV's first-ever trans superhero. As Nia Nal, Maines will pull double duty as both an intrepid reporter and (reportedly) a caped crusader with precognitive abilities. And her character's gender identity will be an important part of her character arc.

Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb.

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