Black women of all sexual orientations and gender expressions are definitely having a triumphant moment of complex representation in TV thanks to shows like “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Empire” and “Orange Is the New Black.” And now it appears that TV icon Phylicia Rashad is about to ride that wave of change as well as it has recently been announced that she’ll play a lesbian role in a new CBS drama.
According to Variety, Rashad will star as a lesbian FBI agent, Georgina Howe, in the pilot for the new CBS drama “For Justice.”
The series will follow Georgina as she works in the criminal section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and struggles to find the balance between tending to her radical real family and her professional family.
Variety describes Georgina as “a savvy Washington player who has faced discrimination for her race and sexual orientation, and fights to protect the independence and integrity of her high-profile Civil Rights Division.”
And Rashad isn’t the only high-profile name attached to the show. The pilot will be directed by Selma director Ava DuVernay and will be executive produced by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, James Patterson, Bill Robinson and Leopoldo Gout.
We’re excited to see Rashad make her return to TV and to see such a major actress bring to life the stories of an elder Black lesbian to TV audiences across the nation.
And Rashad isn’t the only star taking on LGBT roles. Read about Raven-Symoné’s new lesbian role on “Black-Ish” after the cut.
