Power Rangers brings us the first big screen LGBTQ superhero

One of the Power Rangers in the remake of the iconic 90s children superhero series is questioning her sexuality.

It’s been revealed that Yellow Ranger Trini (played by singer and actress Becky G) is bisexual or lesbian in the new big screen adaptation.

In a scene in the film, another character assumes that Trini is having relationship issues with a boyfriend, but then realises that she may in fact be having “girlfriend problems”.

Power Rangers director Dean Israelite tells the Hollywood Reporter: “For Trini, really she’s questioning a lot about who she is.

“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 openly gay actor who played Blue Ranger in the original series, commented: “They really stepped up to the plate. I think so many people in the LGBTQI community are going to be excited to see that representation.”

While LGBTQ superheroes are not uncommon in the comic book world and to some degree on television they remain stubbornly invisible on the big screen.

In 2015, Tim Miller, the director of Deadpool said in an interview that the character (played by Ryan Reynolds) was “pansexual”, but this wasn’t actually depicted in the film.

Actor Ezra Miller is the first openly gay star to be cast in a major superhero blockbuster movie. He plays the Flash in the superhero ensemble Justice League Part One (to be released in November), and a planned standalone Flash film.

In related news, calls by religious fundamentalists to boycott the live action Beauty and the Beast because it featured a minor gay character appear to have fallen flat. The film made an impressive $350m around the world in its opening weekend.

Power Rangers releases on 24 March in South Africa.