<p>The science fiction franchise <em>Star Trek</em> is introducing its first transgender and non-binary characters, with both roles set to debut in its US television series next month, producers said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The trans character named Gray will be played by trans actor Ian Alexander, the producers said, and non-binary Adira will be played by Blu del Barrio, an actor who like the character does not identify as male or female.</p>.<p>They will appear in the third season of CBS Television's series <em>Star Trek: Discovery</em>, the latest incarnation of the TV franchise that launched in 1966.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek</em> has spawned films, cartoons and a legion of loyal fans, known as Trekkies.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek</em> has always made a mission of giving visibility to underrepresented communities," said Michelle Paradise, the show's co-showrunner and executive producer, in a statement.</p>.<p>"It believes in showing people that a future without division on the basis of race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation is entirely within our reach," she said.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek: Discovery,</em> which can be seen on the streaming service CBS All Access, already broke boundaries by featuring the first married gay characters in the franchise's history.</p>.<p>The show also entered a new frontier when actor Sonequa Martin-Green became the first Black woman to lead a <em>Star Trek</em> television series.</p>.<p>"I cannot wait for you all to meet these beautiful souls and wonderful artists," said actor Anthony Rapp, who plays one of the show's two gay characters, on Twitter.</p>.<p>"I am so so so proud of them and happy that they are a part of our show".</p>.<p>Actor del Barrio auditioned for the role while finishing drama school, according to CBS.</p>.<p>"When I got the call that I'd been cast as Adira, I hadn't yet told the majority of my friends and family that I was non-binary," del Barrio said in an interview with media advocacy group GLAAD published on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"So when this happened, it felt like the universe saying 'go ahead'".</p>.<p>Alexander, 19, played Buck Vu on the Netflix science fiction mystery series <em>The OA</em> and according to CBS, is the first openly trans Asian-American actor to appear on television.</p>.<p>The third season of <em>Star Trek: Discovery</em> is scheduled to begin on Octocber 15, the first season that it will not be shown behind a paywall but will run on free-to-view CBS.</p>
<p>The science fiction franchise <em>Star Trek</em> is introducing its first transgender and non-binary characters, with both roles set to debut in its US television series next month, producers said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>The trans character named Gray will be played by trans actor Ian Alexander, the producers said, and non-binary Adira will be played by Blu del Barrio, an actor who like the character does not identify as male or female.</p>.<p>They will appear in the third season of CBS Television's series <em>Star Trek: Discovery</em>, the latest incarnation of the TV franchise that launched in 1966.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek</em> has spawned films, cartoons and a legion of loyal fans, known as Trekkies.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek</em> has always made a mission of giving visibility to underrepresented communities," said Michelle Paradise, the show's co-showrunner and executive producer, in a statement.</p>.<p>"It believes in showing people that a future without division on the basis of race, gender, gender identity or sexual orientation is entirely within our reach," she said.</p>.<p><em>Star Trek: Discovery,</em> which can be seen on the streaming service CBS All Access, already broke boundaries by featuring the first married gay characters in the franchise's history.</p>.<p>The show also entered a new frontier when actor Sonequa Martin-Green became the first Black woman to lead a <em>Star Trek</em> television series.</p>.<p>"I cannot wait for you all to meet these beautiful souls and wonderful artists," said actor Anthony Rapp, who plays one of the show's two gay characters, on Twitter.</p>.<p>"I am so so so proud of them and happy that they are a part of our show".</p>.<p>Actor del Barrio auditioned for the role while finishing drama school, according to CBS.</p>.<p>"When I got the call that I'd been cast as Adira, I hadn't yet told the majority of my friends and family that I was non-binary," del Barrio said in an interview with media advocacy group GLAAD published on Wednesday.</p>.<p>"So when this happened, it felt like the universe saying 'go ahead'".</p>.<p>Alexander, 19, played Buck Vu on the Netflix science fiction mystery series <em>The OA</em> and according to CBS, is the first openly trans Asian-American actor to appear on television.</p>.<p>The third season of <em>Star Trek: Discovery</em> is scheduled to begin on Octocber 15, the first season that it will not be shown behind a paywall but will run on free-to-view CBS.</p>