Hollywood is changing the landscape for the LGBTQI community, and has started to welcome the group by portraying characters like their members on the big screen. LGBTQI is the extended variant of the LGBT term and stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex.
After Disney introduced a gay character in LeFou (played by Josh Gad) in its live-action version of "Beauty and the Beast," the makers of "Power Rangers" are following suit with Trini Kwan (played by Rebbeca Marie Gomez) — better known as the Yellow Ranger — being portrayed as a queer character.
Director Dean Israelite told The Hollywood Reporter that Trini would be dealing with "girlfriend problems" in the movie. Even though it's just a small moment in the film, the director said he considers it quite "pivotal" in sending a positive, supportive message to the LGBTQI community.
"For Trini, really she's questioning a lot about who she is," Israelite said. "She hasn't fully figured it out yet. I think what's great about that scene and what that scene propels for the rest of the movie is, 'That's OK.' The movie is saying, 'That's OK,' and all of the kids have to own who they are and find their tribe."
David Yost, the original Blue Ranger from the 1990s' "Power Rangers" TV series, is quite thrilled with this development. Yost was harassed heavily because of his sexual orientation, forcing him to leave the show. He's glad that society is now starting to embrace homosexuality, thanks to Hollywood.
"They really stepped up to the plate," said Yost. "I think so many people in the LGBTQI community are going to be excited to see that representation."
However, not everybody feels the same way. Right before "Beauty and the Beast" was released, Joseph R. Murray II, a gay lawyer from Mississippi wrote an op-ed piece for the Orlando Sentinel, saying that movies targeted for the young are not the best places to promote LGBT agenda because it "steals their innocence."
"Yes, LGBT folks are treated horrifically in some places and, yes, LGBT folks are normal, but why do we have to expose our kids to such mature themes? Do they not have plenty of time to grow up? Or maybe the point is to make them grow up too soon and that is where I part ways with my community," he said.
