Nonbinary gender in fiction

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This list of fictional depictions of nonbinary gender is for taking note of all examples of nonbinary gender identity in fiction in any kind of media. The media includes animation, board and card games, books and other literature, comics and graphic novels, movies, performance, TV, webseries, and video games. Since most people don't know that people can have a nonbinary gender identity, the way that nonbinary genders are represented in fiction can be a valuable part of nonbinary visibility and awareness. Fiction can also be an outlet for nonbinary people to explore their identities and the possibilities of society's attitudes toward them. These are reasons why representation matters. It's very rare for fiction to have any real representation of nonbinary gender. It's almost as rare for characters to have an undisclosed gender, or to have a fictional sex, which almost but not really counts as nonbinary representation. They're close enough that they are dealt with on this page and the page Undisclosed gender in fiction.

There is a difference between being born with a physical intersex condition, and having a nonbinary gender identity. Many intersex people identify as just female or male, not nonbinary. Many nonbinary people are not intersex. If a character has a real-life kind of intersex condition, you should still list them on this page only if they also have a nonbinary gender identity.

If you add a piece of media to this list, please describe exactly which character is nonbinary, and how this is told in canon, or your entry will be deleted. Do not include media here that just has a popular "headcanon" (a fan's imaginary interpretation) of a nonbinary character, because this isn't representation. Please include direct quotes from canon that are evidence that the character is nonbinary.

Nonbinary genders in fiction

This section is for the most true-to-life representation of nonbinary gender identities. The story explicitly says that they don't identify as a woman or man, but as a different gender. The characters aren't nonbinary because of having fictional sexes. Their physical sexes and genders assigned at birth are non-intersex or a real-life intersex condition. If their physical sex or gender assigned at birth is undisclosed, their gender identity is still explicitly, specifically labeled as not female or male, but something else. They may or may not take a social or physical transition in their gender expression. They may or may not look androgynous. They may or may not go by gender-neutral pronouns.

Animation

  • In Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, the character Leeron states "I'm both and neither a man and a woman."[1] (Most fans treat Leeron as a gay man.)
  • Season four of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power introduces the nonbinary character Double Trouble, who uses singular they pronouns and is voiced by nonbinary actor Jacob Tobia.
  • In the anime Soul Eater, the character Crona is nonbinary. In a interview[citation needed] the writer said that he wanted to make a character that normalizes nonbinary/X-gender, so all the other characters accept Crona's identity without question. (In the original translation they call Crona he/him; this is due to a mistranslation.)
  • Shep in Steven Universe Future is a human nonbinary character (as opposed to the Gems who are nonhuman, see Fictional sexes section of this page). Shep uses singular they and is voiced by Indya Moore.
  • In Nickelodeon's Middle School Moguls, one of the teachers, Wren, is nonbinary.[2]
  • Yuta "Yū" Asuka (飛鳥 悠, Asuka Yūta) from the Tokyo Broadcasting System anime series Stars Align had a short arc that touched on how they were questioning their gender identity. During this, they tell Maki that they want to be referred to with gender neutral language and that they think they are X-gender but don't want to be categorized.
  • Astolfo from the Fate series uses both he/him and they/them pronouns, but presents in a very feminine manner. In their profile in Grand Order they list their gender as "le secret" per their request, and they use both male and female terms to describe themself, calling themself both a "cute boy", and a "maiden" in different scenes. Quotes from their bio include "Instead of making judgments based off of merits, Astolfo makes all choices based off if it feels good or not." and "Gender means nothing in the face of Astolfo's cuteness! But there's really no way Astolfo could be a girl...". Despite this many fans treat Astolfo as either a feminine man or a trans woman. Their pronouns also vary depending on the translation, with Grand Order's English localization using they/them and Apocrypha's English dub using he/him.
  • Le Chevalier d'Eon from the Fate series is genderfluid, and accepts being seen as either a man or a woman by the player. Both he/him and she/her pronouns are used interchangeably, and their "Self Suggestion" skill allows them to alter both their body and aura between being masculine and feminine. The historical figure they are based on was also intersex.
  • Enkidu from the Fate series is genderless and uses they/them pronouns.
  • Odee the Okapi is a nonbinary character introduced in the Hulu show Madagascar: A Little Wild, which is a spinoff of the Dreamworks film franchise. Odee is voiced by nonbinary actor Iris Menas.[3]
  • In the Cartoon Network show Craig of the Creek, minor character Merkid is nonbinary, recurring character Angel Jose is agender, and minor character Pullstring is also agender.[4]
  • In the Netflix show Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts, the recurring character Asher Berdacs is nonbinary.[4]
  • In the Netflix show The Dragon Prince, minor character Kazi is nonbinary.[4]
  • Recurring character Puck/Owen Burnett in the 1994-1997 Disney show Gargoyles was confirmed to be genderfluid and polysexual in a 2014 interview with the creative team.[4]
  • Minor characters Milo and Sweet, from the Danger & Eggs animated series, are nonbinary.[4] Milo is played by the agender voice actor Tyler Ford[5] and Sweet is voiced by nonbinary comedian RB Butcher.
  • In the Netflix kids' show Ridley Jones, Fred the Bison is nonbinary and is voiced by nonbinary actor Iris Menas.[6]
  • In the Disney show The Owl House, the character Raine Whispers is shown to be nonbinary, using singular they pronouns throughout their appearances. They are voiced by Avi Roque. Raine debuts in episode 7 of season 2.[7]
Animation
Which character(s) are nonbinary Proof of nonbinary status Character Role Title Showrunner(s) / Creator(s) Air Dates Publisher(s) Genre(s) Content Warning Notes
Leeron Littner Littner states "I'm both and neither a man and a woman." Protagonist - Supporting Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann Hiroyuki Imaishi and Kazuki Nakashima 04/01/2007 - 09/30/2007 Aniplex, Konami Adventure, Mecha Many major characters die in the series, but not Leeron. Most fans treat Leeron as a gay man.
Double Trouble uses singular they pronouns Side character She-Ra and the Princesses of Power Noelle Stevenson 13/11/2018 - 15/05/2020 Dreamworks Animation Television Adventure Double Trouble is voiced by nonbinary actor Jacob Tobia.
Envy uses singular they pronouns Secondary Antagonist Hagane no Renkinjutsushi Furumetaru Arukemisuto Director: Yasuhiro Irie

Original Author: Hiromu Arakawa

04/5/2009 – 07/4/2010 Bones, MBS, Aniplex Adventure, Dark fantasy, Steampunk Many hard events in first episodes Many older translations used he/him when mentioning Envy, despite them only ever using non-gendered ways of refering to themself.

Audio

Note: See the page Podcasts for nonfiction podcasts on the topic of gender outside the binary.

  • In the podcast The Adventure Zone, there are several characters who are referred to with they/them. In the first season, The Adventure Zone: Balance, a minor character named Roswell (an Earth Elemental made of living clay in a suit of armor, who talks via a small bird) is agender and uses they/them pronouns.[8]
    • In the second season, The Adventure Zone: Amnesty, a reoccurring secondary character named Hollis (the leader of a local gang named The Hornets) is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. [9]
    • In the third season, The Adventure Zone: Graduation, both a gnome student named Mimi and one of the recurring teachers, Festo the faerie, use they/them pronouns.[10][11]
  • In the podcast series Welcome To Night Vale, there are several nonbinary characters who are referred to with "they" pronouns. Recurring nonbinary characters include a scientist named Alice and the town's new Sheriff, Sam.
  • In the podcast The Penumbra Podcast, there are a vast number of nonbinary characters. The most prevalent of these is the namesake of the Juno Steel arc, who uses he/him pronouns but is explicitly nonbinary and refers to himself as a lady on several occasions.[12]
  • In the podcast The Strange Case of Starship Iris, Krejjh uses they/them pronouns, finds the concept of binary genders funny and states "[no pronouns] feel great"
  • The main character known as "The Runner" in the fantasy podcast And 195 is nonbinary.[13]
  • The main character Rion in Sidequesting is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Inn Between, Velune and Knowles both use they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Moonbase Theta, Out, Ashwini Ray uses ze/zir pronouns, Wilder uses she/they pronouns, and Alexandre Bragado-Fischer uses he/they pronouns.[14]
  • In Novitero, Medic and Valzin both use they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Less Is Morgue, Riley uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Light Hearts, Kale uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Transmission Folklore, Sorrel uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Null/Void, supporting character Dodger uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Love and Luck, supporting character CJ uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In The Van, supporting character Audre uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Soulborn City, supporting character Anacrea uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In Zoo, supporting character Normandy uses they/them pronouns.[14]
  • In the Trinyvale Campaign of Not Another D&D Podcast, the world has three deities: one male, one female, one nonbinary.
  • In Loveville High, a musical podcast, the character Jendrix is genderqueer and played by nonbinary actor Mason Alexander Park.

2018

  • In the urban fantasy podcast Kalila Stormfire's Economical Magick Services, supporting character Desiree Onasis is nonbinary, uses they/them pronouns, and is played by nonbinary performer Zayn Thiam.