According to a casting notice, Pixar Animation Studios is looking to cast a transgender girl as “Jess” in an upcoming project.

What we know about Jess from the notice is that she’s a 14-year-old transgender girl. She is compassionate, funny, and always has your back.

Pixar is looking for actresses 12-17 years old that who:

• Are enthusiastic, outgoing, funny, and energetic
• Feel comfortable in front of a microphone
• Can authentically portray a 14-year-old transgender girl

The last one is important in my book. If you ask me, the last thing anyone wants to see is a cisgender actor playing trans. In terms of representation, it’s not just important that the character be trans but the actor as well. When I saw the announcement on Tuesday evening (below), I was crying tears of joy. It isn’t often that we see LGBTQ characters in an animated Disney or Pixar film. Suffice it to say, having a transgender character is a huge deal. More than this, this Pixar news comes at a time when transgender rights are under attack. Many state legislatures want to make it harder on transgender youth. To see a studio of this nature post this casting notice speaks volumes. It’s the kind of casting that I wish were around when I was growing up in the 1990s and 2000s. Representation matters!

There is not much known beyond the casting notice but I did reach out to Pixar for comment. What I want to know is the following:

• Is this for a film or Disney+ series?
• Will Jess be a major, supporting, or minor character?
• Do we know the name of the film just yet?
• How important is it for Pixar executives that a transgender character be included in the project?

We have confirmed this is legit, so share away! pic.twitter.com/oKLFzyjXIL

— Trans March (@transmarch) April 20, 2021