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Nonbinary gender in fiction: Difference between revisions

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Nonbinary gender in fiction (edit)

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Some characters have a nonbinary gender identity only because they have a fictional kind of a physical sex. Their sex is different than female, male, or any kind of real-life intersex condition. For example, a robot that never had a physical sex, and might be correspondingly genderless. Or characters who have the fictional ability to change their sex at will, and might be said to have a  corresponding [[genderfluid]] identity. Or an alien species that reproduces by different means than humans, resulting in an alien culture with different gender roles. The fictional sexes are used as ''justification'' for these characters having nonbinary gender identities. No real nonbinary people have these sexes, and can't use that justification. As such, these kinds of characters don't really count as nonbinary representation.
Some characters have a nonbinary gender identity only because they have a fictional kind of a physical sex. Their sex is different than female, male, or any kind of real-life intersex condition. For example, a robot that never had a physical sex, and might be correspondingly genderless. Or characters who have the fictional ability to change their sex at will, and might be said to have a  corresponding [[genderfluid]] identity. Or an alien species that reproduces by different means than humans, resulting in an alien culture with different gender roles. The fictional sexes are used as ''justification'' for these characters having nonbinary gender identities. No real nonbinary people have these sexes, and can't use that justification. As such, these kinds of characters don't really count as nonbinary representation.


===Audio===
=== Animation ===
*''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 name="TheMind">{{Cite web |title=The Mind Behind America's Most Empathetic Cartoon |work=NPR.org |date=14 July 2018 |access-date=27 October 2020 |url= https://www.npr.org/2018/07/13/628885509/the-mind-behind-americas-most-empathetic-cartoon}}</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> [http://steven-universe.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_Burnett Matt Burnett] confirmed on Twitter that Stevonnie uses they/them pronouns,<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413004824/https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408|archive-date=13 April 2016|title=@Tumble234 Stevonnie uses them/they.|date=13 July 2015|url=https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408}}</ref> which do get used for Stevonnie in later episodes. Later, in a 2019 public service announcement about self-esteem and social media, which is also part of the canon, Stevonnie is briefly seen scrolling past their Instagram profile, in which they have described themself with the words "nonbinary" and "intersex."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pride.com/geek/2019/6/26/cartoon-network-confirmed-steven-universe-character-intersex|last=Ermac|first=Raffy|title=Cartoon Network Confirmed This ''Steven Universe'' Character Is Intersex|date=June 26, 2019|website=Pride.com|accessdate=September 10, 2019}}</ref> These are both real human identities and conditions, even though Stevonnie's origins are only possible in fiction.
*Izana Shinatose in ''Knights of Sidonia'' is neither female nor male, but has the ability to eventually choose a sex if they fall in love.  Izana's uniform is different from that of her classmates, reflecting their lack of gender (while females have skirts and males wear pants, Izana wears shorts). This gender is given the name of "middlesex" in the second season. Izana's body does eventually become female after falling in love with Nagate, against their conscious wishes and to their dismay.
*The Sailor Starlights in the ''Sailor Moon'' anime are male in their human form, but they can change to female when transformed into Sailor Senshi.
*Envy from ''Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'' is genderless and uses they/them pronouns.{{citation needed}}
 
=== Audio ===


*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.
*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.
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* The aetherborn race from Magic the Gathering's Kaladesh setting are sexless and typically [[agender]].<ref>James Wyatt, [https://media.wizards.com/2017/downloads/magic/Plane-Shift_Kaladesh.pdf Plane-Shift Kaladesh], pg. 16</ref> Agender aetherborn use they/them pronouns, including a secondary character for the Kaladesh arc, Yahenni.<ref>Alison Luhrs, [https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/born-aether-2016-09-21 Born of Aether]</ref>
* The aetherborn race from Magic the Gathering's Kaladesh setting are sexless and typically [[agender]].<ref>James Wyatt, [https://media.wizards.com/2017/downloads/magic/Plane-Shift_Kaladesh.pdf Plane-Shift Kaladesh], pg. 16</ref> Agender aetherborn use they/them pronouns, including a secondary character for the Kaladesh arc, Yahenni.<ref>Alison Luhrs, [https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/born-aether-2016-09-21 Born of Aether]</ref>


===Books and other literature===
=== Books and other literature ===


*The Children of the Triad fantasy novel series by Laurie Marks includes a genderless species. The books are ''Delan the Mislaid'' (1989), ''The Moonbane Mage'' (1990), and ''Ara's Field'' (1991). The title character and protagonist of the first book is a member of that species.<ref>''All our worlds: Diverse fantastic fiction.'' http://doublediamond.net/aow</ref>
*The Children of the Triad fantasy novel series by Laurie Marks includes a genderless species. The books are ''Delan the Mislaid'' (1989), ''The Moonbane Mage'' (1990), and ''Ara's Field'' (1991). The title character and protagonist of the first book is a member of that species.<ref>''All our worlds: Diverse fantastic fiction.'' http://doublediamond.net/aow</ref>
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* The comic series ''Crash and Burn'' involves "a genderless race of bird-like aliens" called the ornos.<ref>https://www.comixology.com/Crash-and-Burn/comics-series/78750</ref>
* The comic series ''Crash and Burn'' involves "a genderless race of bird-like aliens" called the ornos.<ref>https://www.comixology.com/Crash-and-Burn/comics-series/78750</ref>


===Movies ===
=== Movies ===


*''E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982), directed by Steven Spielberg. In an interview, Spielberg said that E.T. is a plant-like creature, and is neither male nor female.<ref>"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Trivia." ''Internet Movie Database.'' https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/trivia </ref> The finished movie itself doesn't mention this fact. The finished script refers to E.T. as "he" and "the creature." This fact about E.T. was included in the first draft of the script written by Melissa Mathison.<ref>Charlie Jane Anders, "Weird Facts That You Didn't Know About E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial." October 10, 2012. ''Gizmodo''. https://io9.gizmodo.com/weird-facts-that-you-didnt-know-about-e-t-the-extra-t-5950664</ref>
*''E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial'' (1982), directed by Steven Spielberg. In an interview, Spielberg said that E.T. is a plant-like creature, and is neither male nor female.<ref>"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial - Trivia." ''Internet Movie Database.'' https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0083866/trivia </ref> The finished movie itself doesn't mention this fact. The finished script refers to E.T. as "he" and "the creature." This fact about E.T. was included in the first draft of the script written by Melissa Mathison.<ref>Charlie Jane Anders, "Weird Facts That You Didn't Know About E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial." October 10, 2012. ''Gizmodo''. https://io9.gizmodo.com/weird-facts-that-you-didnt-know-about-e-t-the-extra-t-5950664</ref>
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*In the fantasy show ''The Good Place'', Janet is a nonhuman entity who acts as something akin to a superpowered computer-like assistant. Janet uses she/her pronouns but frequently corrects people who call her a girl. Janet's actor D'Arcy Carden and the show's creator Mike Schur have "unofficially concluded that Janet is [[agender]]."<ref name="Yip" />
*In the fantasy show ''The Good Place'', Janet is a nonhuman entity who acts as something akin to a superpowered computer-like assistant. Janet uses she/her pronouns but frequently corrects people who call her a girl. Janet's actor D'Arcy Carden and the show's creator Mike Schur have "unofficially concluded that Janet is [[agender]]."<ref name="Yip" />


===Animation===
=== Video games ===
*''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 name="TheMind">{{Cite web |title=The Mind Behind America's Most Empathetic Cartoon |work=NPR.org |date=14 July 2018 |access-date=27 October 2020 |url= https://www.npr.org/2018/07/13/628885509/the-mind-behind-americas-most-empathetic-cartoon}}</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> [http://steven-universe.wikia.com/wiki/Matt_Burnett Matt Burnett] confirmed on Twitter that Stevonnie uses they/them pronouns,<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413004824/https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408|archive-date=13 April 2016|title=@Tumble234 Stevonnie uses them/they.|date=13 July 2015|url=https://twitter.com/mcburnett/status/620637717731217408}}</ref> which do get used for Stevonnie in later episodes. Later, in a 2019 public service announcement about self-esteem and social media, which is also part of the canon, Stevonnie is briefly seen scrolling past their Instagram profile, in which they have described themself with the words "nonbinary" and "intersex."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pride.com/geek/2019/6/26/cartoon-network-confirmed-steven-universe-character-intersex|last=Ermac|first=Raffy|title=Cartoon Network Confirmed This ''Steven Universe'' Character Is Intersex|date=June 26, 2019|website=Pride.com|accessdate=September 10, 2019}}</ref> These are both real human identities and conditions, even though Stevonnie's origins are only possible in fiction.
*Izana Shinatose in ''Knights of Sidonia'' is neither female nor male, but has the ability to eventually choose a sex if they fall in love.  Izana's uniform is different from that of her classmates, reflecting their lack of gender (while females have skirts and males wear pants, Izana wears shorts). This gender is given the name of "middlesex" in the second season. Izana's body does eventually become female after falling in love with Nagate, against their conscious wishes and to their dismay.
*The Sailor Starlights in the ''Sailor Moon'' anime are male in their human form, but they can change to female when transformed into Sailor Senshi.
*Envy from ''Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood'' is genderless and uses they/them pronouns.{{citation needed}}
 
===Video games===
* The Asari species in ''Mass Effect'' are an alien race that all appear feminine. However, Liara T'Soni of the Asari says that the species is "mono-gendered", and "male and female have no real meaning for us." Liara also says that she is "not precisely a woman." Despite this, the Codex describes the Asari as an all-female race.
* The Asari species in ''Mass Effect'' are an alien race that all appear feminine. However, Liara T'Soni of the Asari says that the species is "mono-gendered", and "male and female have no real meaning for us." Liara also says that she is "not precisely a woman." Despite this, the Codex describes the Asari as an all-female race.


===Webseries===
=== Webseries ===


*"[http://sulmere.tumblr.com Ask Sulmere]" by Draque Thompson is an ongoing ask blog featuring aliens of a race that never evolved sexual dimorphism or the concept of gender.
*"[http://sulmere.tumblr.com Ask Sulmere]" by Draque Thompson is an ongoing ask blog featuring aliens of a race that never evolved sexual dimorphism or the concept of gender.
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