Shortland Street Makes TV History This Week

Primetime local television will break new ground on Tuesday, when Shortland Street introduces the country's first transgender actor playing a transgender character in a long-running storyline.

Wellington-born Tash Keddy has a 12-month contract to play Blue - a teenage girl who wants to be a boy.

As Keddy tells Canvas in an exclusive interview this week, the character's journey mirrors his own.

"I have a similar experience of maybe not feeling 100% the gender you were born with, and taking steps to move forward, to be someone you want to be."

Keddy, 20, identifies "somewhere on the male spectrum".

"At the moment, because it's always subject to change, I identify as kind of more non-binary, but male presenting."

Maxine Fleming, Shortland Street producer, said around a dozen actors auditioned for the role.

In a 2012 survey of New Zealand high school students, four out of every 100 reported they were either transgender or not sure about their gender. Around 40% of those had significant depressive symptoms.

For more on this story visit nzherald.co.nz