Rainbow Six Introduces Its First Transgender Operator
While you might think of Ubisoft's Rainbow Six franchise as an adrenaline-packed series pumped full of testosterone and masculine stereotypes, the ongoing success of Rainbow Six Siege is marking another milestone with the introduction of its first transgender operator.
Despite it being released all the way back in 2015, R6 Siege has enjoyed an impressive legacy thanks to its continuous updates and popularity on the esports scene.
Even as we look ahead at the long-awaited (and renamed) Rainbow Six Extraction, the loyal Siege fanbase is ready to welcome its first transgender operator.
Who is the first Rainbow Six Siege transgender operator?
R6 Siege is rolling out the welcome wagon for engineering expert Anja "Osa" Janković. Joining the Crystal Guard update, Osa is a Croatian attacker that has one of the best gadgets we've seen in the game's six-year run. However, that's not what everyone is talking about in terms of her importance.
Speaking to GameSpot, Ubisoft confirmed Osa is transgender. Her gender identity wasn't mentioned in a recent preview event, with many assuming she was a cisgender woman. A line in Osa's in-game bio mentioned how she found herself "isolated due to her unorthodox approach and others' attitudes toward her transition", which led to a debate about her identity.
Writer Simon Ducharme told the site, "The decision to create a transgender character was made early on, as part of our initiative to have an inclusive roster of Operators. The consultants, all of whom are trans people, wanted to make sure that Osa was presented as authentically and organically as possible."
They continued: "She was written by a queer person, and she is voiced by a trans woman – and while her identity is certainly influenced by her gender, who she is in the Siege universe is centred on her talents, her influence on Nighthaven, and her close friendship to Kali."
What else does Osa bring to Rainbow Six Siege?
If you're intrigued, Osa packs a punch with tactical robotic shields called Talons. They're redeployable, transparent, and bulletproof, with the ability to attach to the ground, doorways, and even windows. For those who don't think that's enough, Osa is also the architect who designed all of Nighthaven's gadgets AND the game's first trans character to boot.
Crystal Guard is the third update of Year 6, meaning Osa follows in the footsteps of Flores and Thunderbird. Interestingly, Flores' introduction with Year 6 Season 1's Crimson Heist was the game's first instance of an LGBTQ+ operator.
If Osa wasn't enough, the Crystal Guard update also reworks the maps of Bank, Club, and Coastline. The update goes live today (August 17), so we can't wait to see what mark she makes on Rainbow Six Siege. Either way, Osa is flying the pink, white, and blue flag proudly inside R6 Year 6.