Toronto is one of the world's most diverse cities in many different ways, now that wonderful feature of Ontario's capital is about to be shown to the world thanks to a brand new CBC and HBO Max Original Series.

Sort Of is a new series created by and starring Bilal Baig, the first queer (trans-feminine) South Asian and Muslim in Canada to be cast in the lead role of a primetime TV series.

It will also mark one of the first non-binary lead characters on North American network television.

The story follows a gender-fluid millennial character who straddles various identities from sexy bartender at a queer bookstore/bar, to the youngest child in a large Pakistani family, to the de facto parent of a downtown Toronto family.

Both set in and filmed in Toronto, the show features neighbourhoods such as Parkdale, High Park, Queen West and Little India.

It will be the sort of pop culture piece that tours Toronto in a way we haven't seen since Scott Pilgrim.

The series will make its North American premiere during TIFF with a wider release in Canada on CBC Gem beginning October 5 and broadcast on CBC TV on November 9.

It will also be available in the US via HBO Max sometime in October with UK, Australia and other countries to follow suit at later dates. 

Sort Of unapologetically represents and pushes against the walls of underrepresentation on TV to create space for queer people of South Asian, Muslim backgrounds; and of colour across North America and beyond.