In the Feb. 13 episode of Glee, viewers should prepared to meet a new Coach Beiste. Dot-Marie Jones’ character Shannon Beiste becomes Sheldon. Titled Transitioning, the season follows the coach, who revealed to coworkers that she was transgender in the Jan. 16 episode, as she makes her transition from female to male. She takes a leave of absence for her surgeries, with Sam handling the coaching of the football team in the meantime. Feb. 13 marks her return.

Jones says that when she was first told that her character was going to come out as transgender, she had some hesitation because he did not want to let down the tomboys that her character has represented. But once she saw the script, which she said was “amazing,” she became more excited, and says she is honored to play the first regular character on a television network broadcast to make such a portrayal.

The actress reported having “thousands of Tweets” after the Jan. 16 episode when her character made the announcement of “gender dysphoria.” Jones said she cried, reading messages from member of the transgender community expressing how much it meant to them, and hoping that “now, maybe people will get it.”

Coach Beiste tells characters Sam and Sue that gender dysphoria means “your outsides don’t match how you feel you are on the inside.” She says no matter what she did she never felt at home in her own skin, and that she needs to “get her body in alignment with how she sees herself.”

Jones is now relishing the opportunity to play a transgender person. She gives major credit to her hair and makeup team for helping her become fully immersed in the role. She said that coworkers would walk past her without recognizing her when she was in the hair and makeup to make her look like a man.

The reaction to Coach Beiste’s transformation is said to be positive from McKinley high school. Sue and Sam tell her that when she is ready to return to the school she will be welcome, and will have their full support.