'Raven's Home' Features Disney Channel's First Trans Character

On Monday, show staff writer Nori Reed took to Instagram to reflect on how meaningful it was write "The Fierce Awakens," a new episode featuring actress Juliana Joel as "Nikki," who is "the first ever trans character for the Disney Channel."

After all, Nori began her post by explaining her upbringing in rural Kentucky as a closeted, queer Asian American, who thought of the Disney Channel as "a wonderful escape from the challenging environment that I was living in." But even so, the fact that she was unable to see her "own experiences and identity reflected back to me on the TV screen" was still a disappointment that "unfortunately provided a very clear message: This world isn’t for you."

As such, Nori went on to say that she couldn't "fully articulate what it means to me personally that now a young queer person in rural America can pop on the Disney Channel and witness a funny, nuanced trans character that they can relate to," before adding that she hopes this kind of representation allows them to feel like they "belong in this world and are included."

However, Nori also made it clear that this milestone couldn't have been achieved without the support of the entire Raven's Home team, specificallyco-creators Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, crediting them with looking towards the staff writers and saying that "if there are any queer characters you have in mind we are here for it and we support you." Notably though, the people she gave the biggest shout-out to were Joel and all "the trans women in my life who lift me up and keep me going," to whom she dedicated the entire episode by concluding, "This is for you."

Check out Reed's entire post about "The Fierce Awakens" below.

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Photo via Getty / Oupa Bopape / Gallo Images