The CW Casts Actual Lesbian Ruby Rose As Batwoman

Last month, The CW announced a brand-new Batwoman show in development at the network, and promised a super gay superhero show — to honor the titular character’s out lesbian sexuality in the comics. Today, the network announced that out lesbian actress Ruby Rose has been cast in the leading role.

According to TVLine, the producers were searching for an out lesbian to play the role back in July. Given all the controversy surrounding Scarlett Johansson being cast as a transgender character, and an overall history of LGBTQ roles being given to cis-het actors, maybe the Arrowverse decided it was finally time to let a queer person play a queer role. And with the prolific gay producer Greg Berlanti executive producing the show, it makes sense.

Batwoman is still in development for the 2019-20 season, but the character will make her first appearance in the network’s annual DC crossover event in December. The show follows Kate Kane, “an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence.” However, “Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.”

The series will be penned by Caroline Dries, an out lesbian writer/producer behind The Vampire Diaries.