ROCK ISLAND, Illinois - The creators of Modern Family cast an eight-year-old transgender actors on TV, but his new role is shining light on a call for more transgender actors on TV.
If it's a Wednesday night you can guarantee you can find Marhysa Black and her kids watching their favorite show, Modern Family. However this episode hits close to home for the Black family. It's the show's first time to feature an openly transgender child actor on television.
Both Marhysa and her son Cyan are transgender.
"I think it`s cool to see a transgender child on a TV show," said Cyan.
They say the show gets conversations going about transgender people. They say so many people just aren't educated with the transgender community.
"I`ve had someone call me a monster before as the first time I pass someone as the gender that I am," said Marhysa.
However, the show could make a difference.
"It`s a wonderful boost. It`s great to see one of us getting ahead," said Marhysa.
While there's been many recent films and television shows about the lives of transgender people the roles are often given to people who aren't transgender.
"With how difficult it is for us to find work and you know retain employment after we transition to take jobs that actually who really should go to us kind of seems cruel," said Marhysa.
Now, Marhysa hopes someday it's not considered to be a big deal that a transgender person gets a role in Hollywood.
"Kind of be nice if it wasn`t a big deal. I mean he`s just another boy. It should be more about, "Is this person incompetent, are they worth while," you know, not do they pass well."