CBS’ 28-year-old soap The Bold and the Beautiful revealed on Wednesday’s episode that popular character Maya Avant, who is a model dating character Rick Forrester, transitioned from male to female at a young age after her sister confronted her with her birth certificate in typical, soap-style secret reveal reports USA Today.

Said actress Karla Mosley, who plays Maya:

"My first reaction was surprise, because 10 or 20 years ago, this is not a story we would be telling, and not in a way that's truthful and not sensational. My second reaction was, 'Thank you.' It's a gift it's a privilege. It’s a real opportunity to educate our viewers here and all over the world."

Bradley Bell, executive producer and head writer behind B&B, says Avant’s story is about love and tolerance.

Said Bell:

"It is about people respecting other people's differences and their uniqueness. In the end, we all want to be loved, and in order to love someone else you first have to love yourself. If you are transgender, gay, straight, it doesn't matter. It's about finding love in life. This is a love story."

Entertainment Tonight interviewed Karla Mosley about her character’s revelation and how she reacted to the news. Check out the interview, AFTER THE JUMP…