ABC's Modern Familyhas cast its first openly transgender child actor, who will make his debut in this Wednesday's episode.
8-year-old Jackson Millarker will appear as Tom, a new friend for Lily (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) in this week's installment, titled "A Stereotypical Day." According to NewNowNext: "Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell’s (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) daughter, Lily invites over her transgender friend Tom for a playdate. Cam and Mitchell are so proud of themselves for raising a loving and accepting child, but of course in classic Modern Family fashion there is a misunderstanding and the couple mistakenly thinks that Lily may not be as open-minded as they thought."
The episode's director, Ryan Case, posted a photo with Millarker from set on Instagram.
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Transgender characters and issues have been gaining prominence on network TV in recent years, with Orange is the New Blackstar Laverne Cox set to become the first transgender actor series regular on broadcast television in CBS' midseason procedural Doubt. But, as Transparentstar Jeffrey Tambor pointed out at last weekend's Emmy Awards, too many transgender characters are still being played by cisgender actors like himself.
"Please give transgender talent a chance," Tambor said during his acceptance speech after winning Best Actor in a Drama for his Transparentrole. "Give them auditions, give them a story. I would not be unhappy were I the last cisgender male to play a female transgender [character] on television. We have work to do.”
SEE ALSO:Thanks for making us cry at the Emmys, 'Transparent'
Millarker is one of the first -- and youngest -- openly transgender child actors to appear on the small screen. 15-year-old transgender activist Jazz Jennings stars in her own TLC unscripted series I Am Jazz, while MTV's Faking Itcast newcomer Elliot Fletcher as the show's first transgender character in its third and final season, following a nationwide casting call for trans talent. In its upcoming fifth season, CMT's Nashvillehas cast trans actress Jen Richards (Her Story) for a recurring role.
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