'Power Rangers' Introduces First Gay Superhero: Feature In Big Screen Movie

The 'high school outcasts' that transform into Power Rangers will not only be fighting with the wicked this time but also for representation. In a daring and dynamic move, the forthcoming movie, which is a reboot of the beloved '90s children's television show, introduces a gay superhero character and a character who is on the 'autism spectrum.'

During the film's second act, the other rangers come to realize that Yellow Ranger Trini - played by singer Becky G - is coming to terms with her sexual orientation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The moment is 'small' but 'pivotal' for the entire film, said director Dean Israelite. 'For Trini, really, she's questioning a lot about who she is. She hasn't fully figured it out yet. I think that's what's great about the scene and what that scene propels for the rest of the movie is, "That's okay."

'The movie is saying "That's okay," and all of the kids have to own who they are and find their tribe,' Israelite divulges. The Lionsgate reboot made some major changes to its superheroes' backstories, which could be a hit or miss with audiences - but will surely be a step in the right direction for inclusion of LGBTQI and differently-abled on-screen characters. The decision to have a questioning teen in a lead role is rare, however, a recent study may have influenced how Hollywood portrays some of its protagonists.Dr. Stacy Smith's study about inequality in films at USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism shed a light on representation in Hollywood.The study found only 19 characters represented as gay, lesbian, or bisexual in the top 100 films of 2014.

Of those characters, two-thirds were male, and 84.2% were white. The solution? A lesbian, Latina protagonist. The original '90s Blue Ranger actor David Yost left the series after facing harassment over being gay - and now, nearly 25 years later, he praised the film's progressive step in the right direction. The Rangers discover that an old enemy of the previous generation has returned to exact vengeance, forcing the superheroes to band together to save the world. The film trails bravely on the heels of Beauty and the Beast, which was met with anti-gay backlash because of a minor gay character. Power Rangers hits the big screen this Friday, March 24.