Author Julia Quinn of "Bridgerton" argues in favor of Francesca's love interest's gender switch

Julia Quinn agrees with Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell's choice to transgender her main character, Michael Stirling. Quinn argues that viewers should "grant [her] and Shondaland team some faith" and is committed to making Bridgerton more diverse and inclusive. The third season of the Netflix series introduced Francesca as Michaela, a change that has sparked criticism from fans who argue it is "forced inclusion."

"But switching the gender of a major character is a huge change, and so when Jess Brownell first approached me with the idea of turning Michael into Michaela for the show, I needed more information before conferring my agreement. I trust Shondaland's vision for Bridgerton, but I wanted to be sure that we could remain true to the spirit of the book and of the characters. Jess and I talked for a long time about it."

The writer continued: "I'm confident now that when Francesca has her Bridgerton season, it will be the most emotional and heart-wrenching story of the show, just like When He Was Wicked has always been the true tear-jerker of the Bridgerton book series. Honestly, it may pack even more of a punch, since John is getting a lot more time on the screen than he ever did on the page, and I think it's fair to say we've all fallen a little bit in love with him."

Quinn's novels set in the regency period, which Shondaland adapted for television with Regé-Jean Page, have taken a daring new turn. The choice to transform Kate Sheffield into Kate Sharma, an Indian-American figure, was praised for bringing a fresh and intriguing element to the historical drama subgenre. This modification was viewed as a big risk for the show.

Michael Michaela was a great choice for the third season of Bridgerton, and this might help the plot resonate with and captivate viewers. The plot of When He Was Wicked, in which Francesca struggles to conceive, inspired the choice to genderswap Michael. Two female characters could offer an alternative viewpoint on topics like Daphne's wish to become a mother. In Season 3, the program also delves into gay love, initially via Francesca and Michaela and then via Benedict's bisexuality. The choice to genderswap Michael may have been the best one made for the show so far because it explores various relationship kinds and reflects the present reality.