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Nonbinary gender in fiction: Difference between revisions
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===Audio=== | ===Audio=== | ||
* The audio drama series ''Bernice Summerfield'' (a Doctor Who spinoff) features a character named Chanticleer in the episode ''The Tub Full of Cats''. Bernice Summerfield and Margarita Matsumoto Braxiatel have a conversation about Chanticleer's gender, in which they both admit to not being able to tell what gender Chanticleer really is. Neither Benny nor Maggie want to ask Chanticleer about the matter, and at the end of the episode it's left uncertain. Chanticleer is referred to by he pronouns and is played by a female actor. | * The audio drama series ''Bernice Summerfield'' (a [[Gender in Doctor Who|Doctor who]] spinoff) features a character named Chanticleer in the episode ''The Tub Full of Cats''. Bernice Summerfield and Margarita Matsumoto Braxiatel have a conversation about Chanticleer's gender, in which they both admit to not being able to tell what gender Chanticleer really is. Neither Benny nor Maggie want to ask Chanticleer about the matter, and at the end of the episode it's left uncertain. Chanticleer is referred to by he pronouns and is played by a female actor. | ||
===Books and literature=== | ===Books and literature=== | ||
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===Audio=== | ===Audio=== | ||
* In the ''Doctor Who'' audio dramas by Big Finish, the character of Zagreus is an alien entity who inhabits various minds and bodies. Zagreus is played by one male actor and one female actress, and changes pronouns depending on each stolen body. | * In the ''[[Gender in Doctor Who|Doctor Who]]'' audio dramas by Big Finish, the character of Zagreus is an alien entity who inhabits various minds and bodies. Zagreus is played by one male actor and one female actress, and changes pronouns depending on each stolen body. | ||
===Books and other literature=== | ===Books and other literature=== | ||
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* In ''Static'', a romance novel by L. A. Witt, there have always been a marginalized minority of humans capable of changing sex instantly and at will, known as "shifters." Shifters are usually, though not always, genderfluid, having different gender identities at different times, including male, female, and other genders. (Though they only have the ability to change between two sexes.) Alex, one of the protagonists and part of the lead romantic pair, is a genderfluid shifter who is the victim of medical assault to force them to remain in one form, but continues to be genderfluid and experience dysphoria. | * In ''Static'', a romance novel by L. A. Witt, there have always been a marginalized minority of humans capable of changing sex instantly and at will, known as "shifters." Shifters are usually, though not always, genderfluid, having different gender identities at different times, including male, female, and other genders. (Though they only have the ability to change between two sexes.) Alex, one of the protagonists and part of the lead romantic pair, is a genderfluid shifter who is the victim of medical assault to force them to remain in one form, but continues to be genderfluid and experience dysphoria. | ||
* In the book ''Good Omens'' by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, the character Aziraphale (and A. J. Crowley by extension) are described as man-shaped, sexless beings. | * In the book ''Good Omens'' by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, the character Aziraphale (and A. J. Crowley by extension) are described as man-shaped, sexless beings. | ||
* In the Faction Paradox novel ''This Town Will Never Let Us Go...'' by Philip Purser-Hallard (a Doctor Who spinoff), there is a species of posthumans who are engineered to change sex from male to female as they mature. Some of these transformations are never completed. One of the main characters, Keth Marrane, is part of this species and has a body with both male and female characteristics. Marrane is fully happy with this body and is referred to as a "hermaphrodite" by other characters; a word without negative connotations in the cultures that are described. Marrane uses "one" pronouns when narrating. | * In the Faction Paradox novel ''This Town Will Never Let Us Go...'' by Philip Purser-Hallard (a [[Gender in Doctor Who|Doctor Who]] spinoff), there is a species of posthumans who are engineered to change sex from male to female as they mature. Some of these transformations are never completed. One of the main characters, Keth Marrane, is part of this species and has a body with both male and female characteristics. Marrane is fully happy with this body and is referred to as a "hermaphrodite" by other characters; a word without negative connotations in the cultures that are described. Marrane uses "one" pronouns when narrating. | ||
* Adam Rex's sci-fi novel, ''The True Meaning of Smekday'' (2007), features the Boov, an alien people with seven genders (boy, girl, girlboy, boygirl, boyboy, boyboygirl, and boyboyboyboy) based on their fish-like role in fertilizing an egg after they lay it in a designated part of town. Because of the impersonal way they reproduce, Boov society is egalitarian and aromantic. The sequel, ''Smek for President'' (2015), has a girlboy character named Ponch Sandhandler. She-he is addressed as "ladyfellow," and by she-he pronouns. The movie loosely based on the books, ''Home'' (2015), doesn't directly mention anything about Boov gender, and only refers to any Boov by he pronouns. | * Adam Rex's sci-fi novel, ''The True Meaning of Smekday'' (2007), features the Boov, an alien people with seven genders (boy, girl, girlboy, boygirl, boyboy, boyboygirl, and boyboyboyboy) based on their fish-like role in fertilizing an egg after they lay it in a designated part of town. Because of the impersonal way they reproduce, Boov society is egalitarian and aromantic. The sequel, ''Smek for President'' (2015), has a girlboy character named Ponch Sandhandler. She-he is addressed as "ladyfellow," and by she-he pronouns. The movie loosely based on the books, ''Home'' (2015), doesn't directly mention anything about Boov gender, and only refers to any Boov by he pronouns. | ||
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* In the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outcast_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation%29 The Outcast]" the Enterprise encounters an alien race called the "androgynous J'naii", whose society long ago had female and male roles, but their society had become sexless and genderless, which they believe to be more advanced. They have no physical sex differences, and reproduce without copulation. They all dress alike, and ask to be called by [[Pronouns#It|it]] pronouns. The J'naii believe that it's unhealthy to be female or male, and the genderlessness of their society is enforced on all its members. In that episode, a J'naii named Soren is revealed to be secretly a [[transgender women|transgender woman]]. In a reference to real-life "[[conversion therapy]]" used coercively on transgender people to make them not be transgender, the J'naii use brainwashing to force Soren to identify as androgynous rather than female. The episode fails at exploring the possibilities of a genderless society or identity, which is depicted as bland and repressive, but is a decent critique of conversion therapy, as well as a defense of transgender rights. | * In the ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' episode "[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Outcast_%28Star_Trek:_The_Next_Generation%29 The Outcast]" the Enterprise encounters an alien race called the "androgynous J'naii", whose society long ago had female and male roles, but their society had become sexless and genderless, which they believe to be more advanced. They have no physical sex differences, and reproduce without copulation. They all dress alike, and ask to be called by [[Pronouns#It|it]] pronouns. The J'naii believe that it's unhealthy to be female or male, and the genderlessness of their society is enforced on all its members. In that episode, a J'naii named Soren is revealed to be secretly a [[transgender women|transgender woman]]. In a reference to real-life "[[conversion therapy]]" used coercively on transgender people to make them not be transgender, the J'naii use brainwashing to force Soren to identify as androgynous rather than female. The episode fails at exploring the possibilities of a genderless society or identity, which is depicted as bland and repressive, but is a decent critique of conversion therapy, as well as a defense of transgender rights. | ||
* The series Earth: Final Conflict is primarily about interactions between modern-day humans and aliens called Taelons, who seem to have neither sex nor gender. The Taelons use [[Pronouns#He|he pronouns]] for human convenience, but do not identify as male. | * The series Earth: Final Conflict is primarily about interactions between modern-day humans and aliens called Taelons, who seem to have neither sex nor gender. The Taelons use [[Pronouns#He|he pronouns]] for human convenience, but do not identify as male. | ||
* Time Lords in ''Doctor Who'' are able to transform their bodies in order to prevent death, giving them a new personality each time they undergo this process. It should be noted that the new bodies that Time Lords receive after regeneration are usually not chosen intentionally. In addition to possibly changing sex when they regenerate, they may also change gender — in the words of showrunner Steven Moffat, "We must assume that gender is quite fluid on Gallifrey". This process has been depicted several times on television, most prominently with the character of the Master/Mistress, who was introduced in male form in 1970 and took on her first known female form in 2014. Alternate timelines show the Doctor in female form as well, such as in the audio play ''Exile'' and in the telivised parody ''The Curse Of Fatal Death''. | * Time Lords in ''[[Gender in Doctor Who|Doctor Who]]'' are able to transform their bodies in order to prevent death, giving them a new personality each time they undergo this process. It should be noted that the new bodies that Time Lords receive after regeneration are usually not chosen intentionally. In addition to possibly changing sex when they regenerate, they may also change gender — in the words of showrunner Steven Moffat, "We must assume that gender is quite fluid on Gallifrey". This process has been depicted several times on television, most prominently with the character of the Master/Mistress, who was introduced in male form in 1970 and took on her first known female form in 2014. Alternate timelines show the Doctor in female form as well, such as in the audio play ''Exile'' and in the telivised parody ''The Curse Of Fatal Death''. | ||
* "Simoun" takes place in a world that recognizes three genders: male, female, and a feminine "maiden" gender which everyone is assigned at birth. When people in this world come of age, they're required to give up the "maiden" gender and commit to male or female--those who do not choose have it chosen for them. Several of the main characters, including the two leads, decide that they do not want to be men or women, but rather keep their "maiden" gender, which goes against the rules of society. Despite the maiden gender being feminine, the fact that choosing to keep it is regarded as significantly different from choosing to become a woman shows that it is a third gender role and not the same as womanhood. | * "Simoun" takes place in a world that recognizes three genders: male, female, and a feminine "maiden" gender which everyone is assigned at birth. When people in this world come of age, they're required to give up the "maiden" gender and commit to male or female--those who do not choose have it chosen for them. Several of the main characters, including the two leads, decide that they do not want to be men or women, but rather keep their "maiden" gender, which goes against the rules of society. Despite the maiden gender being feminine, the fact that choosing to keep it is regarded as significantly different from choosing to become a woman shows that it is a third gender role and not the same as womanhood. | ||
* ''Steven Universe'' is about an alien kind called Gems, who all look similar to human women, except for the half-human Gem named Steven. The show creator, Rebecca Sugar, says the Gems aren't female: "Steven is the first and only male Gem, because he is half human! Technically, there are no female Gems! There are only Gems!"<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2e4gmx/i_am_rebecca_sugar_creator_of_steven_universe_and/cjw8e1p</ref> The Gems are called by [[Pronouns#She|she]] pronouns just because it's easy: Sugar said, "There's a 50 50 chance to use some pronoun on Earth, so why not feminine ones-- it's as convenient as it is arbitrary!"<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2e4gmx/i_am_rebecca_sugar_creator_of_steven_universe_and/cjw8ztw/</ref> In a later interview, Rebecca stated outright that "the Gems are all nonbinary women. [...] They wouldn’t think of themselves as women, but they’re fine with being interpreted that way amongst humans." (She also identified herself as a nonbinary woman in this same interview.)<ref>[https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2018-07-09/the-mind-behind-americas-most-empathetic-cartoon/114886/ The Mind Behind America's Most Empathetic Cartoon], July 09 2018</ref> Furthermore, Gems can temporarily fuse together to become a combined being. In episode "Alone Together", the aforementioned Steven manages to pull off this skill with human girl Connie, resulting in a fusion named "Stevonnie." When asked about Stevonnie's gender, Rebecca Sugar replied that "Stevonnie is an experience! The living relationship between Steven and Connie," describing them as a "metaphor that is so complex and so specific but also really, really relatable, in the form of a character."<ref>http://io9.com/steven-universe-guidebook-spills-the-secrets-of-the-cry-1704470546</ref> In that episode, the characters don't use any pronouns for Stevonnie ([[Pronouns#No pronouns|no pronouns]]), but [http://steven-universe.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_Burnett Matt Burnett] confirmed on Twitter that Stevonnie uses they/them pronouns.<ref>https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408</ref>. | * ''Steven Universe'' is about an alien kind called Gems, who all look similar to human women, except for the half-human Gem named Steven. The show creator, Rebecca Sugar, says the Gems aren't female: "Steven is the first and only male Gem, because he is half human! Technically, there are no female Gems! There are only Gems!"<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2e4gmx/i_am_rebecca_sugar_creator_of_steven_universe_and/cjw8e1p</ref> The Gems are called by [[Pronouns#She|she]] pronouns just because it's easy: Sugar said, "There's a 50 50 chance to use some pronoun on Earth, so why not feminine ones-- it's as convenient as it is arbitrary!"<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/2e4gmx/i_am_rebecca_sugar_creator_of_steven_universe_and/cjw8ztw/</ref> In a later interview, Rebecca stated outright that "the Gems are all nonbinary women. [...] They wouldn’t think of themselves as women, but they’re fine with being interpreted that way amongst humans." (She also identified herself as a nonbinary woman in this same interview.)<ref>[https://the1a.org/audio/#/shows/2018-07-09/the-mind-behind-americas-most-empathetic-cartoon/114886/ The Mind Behind America's Most Empathetic Cartoon], July 09 2018</ref> Furthermore, Gems can temporarily fuse together to become a combined being. In episode "Alone Together", the aforementioned Steven manages to pull off this skill with human girl Connie, resulting in a fusion named "Stevonnie." When asked about Stevonnie's gender, Rebecca Sugar replied that "Stevonnie is an experience! The living relationship between Steven and Connie," describing them as a "metaphor that is so complex and so specific but also really, really relatable, in the form of a character."<ref>http://io9.com/steven-universe-guidebook-spills-the-secrets-of-the-cry-1704470546</ref> In that episode, the characters don't use any pronouns for Stevonnie ([[Pronouns#No pronouns|no pronouns]]), but [http://steven-universe.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_Burnett Matt Burnett] confirmed on Twitter that Stevonnie uses they/them pronouns.<ref>https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408</ref>. | ||