Supergirl’s Powerful LGBTQ Storylines are Filmed in Vancouver

Supergirl’s empowering storylines are making waves – after all, since its launch in 2015 the filmed-in-Vancouver CW show has introduced inspirational female superheroes, a badass CEO who uses her status to help other women, and lesbian and transgender characters whose screen time and storylines are treated just as intricately and meaningfully as heterosexual characters’.

The show centres around Kara Danvers (played by Melissa Benoist), a mild-mannered immigrant from the planet Krypton who just happens to be Superman’s cousin. Kara arrives on Earth 24 years after leaving Krypton, taking a job at CatCo Worldwide Media while protecting the citizens of National City against evil-doers as her alter-ego Supergirl. (Though the first season of Supergirl was filmed in LA, season two and onward were shot in Vancouver – to check out visitor-friendly filming sights, click here.)

Kara’s adoptive sister, Alex (played by Chyler Leigh) is just as inspirational as her superhero sibling. In season two, the special agent comes out as a lesbian after meeting police detective Maggie Sawyer – an emotional storyline that leads viewers through Alex’s hesitant journey coming to terms with her sexuality and navigating territory that is completely new to her. Since then, viewers have taken to social media to commend Alex’s story, and to chime in with their own coming-out experiences.

But it doesn’t stop there. In true superhero fashion, Supergirl barreled ahead with the introduction of a transgender intern in February 2018, played by trans actor Alex Blue Davis. Refreshingly, the character’s gender identity isn’t a plot point – it’s simply part of who he is. A few months later, Nia Nial (played by Nicole Maines) appeared as television’s first-ever transgender superhero, who struggles with her powers as Dreamer. Nia’s identity is nuanced and complex, and her journey is marked by poignant moments as she tries to control her powers while staying firmly rooted in who she is.

The Supergirl universe is distinctive among many small- and big-screen productions, placing emphasis on realistic characters who face real-world issues such as sexuality, gender identity and discrimination. Season five premieres Sunday, October 6 at 9am on Showcase. For more superhot fun with LGBTQ storylines, watch Batwoman – starring Ruby Rose, and also filmed in Vancouver – on Sunday, October 6 at 8pm on Showcase.

Catch up with previous episodes of Supergirl on Netflix, then follow in the footsteps of these inspirational characters in Vancouver! For more self-guided film- and television-themed itineraries in Vancouver, click here.

Showcase is a Corus Entertainment network and is available through all major TV distributors, including: Shaw, Shaw Direct, Rogers, Bell, Videotron, Telus, Cogeco, Eastlink, SaskTel and the new STACKTV, streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video Channels.