Nonbinary gender in fiction: Difference between revisions
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*''Luna: Wolf Moon'' and ''Luna: Moon Rising'', also by Ian McDonald, have a nonbinary character named Vidhya Rao.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna:_Wolf_Moon and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna:_Moon_Rising</ref> | *''Luna: Wolf Moon'' and ''Luna: Moon Rising'', also by Ian McDonald, have a nonbinary character named Vidhya Rao.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna:_Wolf_Moon and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luna:_Moon_Rising</ref> | ||
*Alex Fierro is a [[genderfluid]] character from the book series ''Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard'', by Rick Riordan. Alex switches between she/her and he/him pronouns, although expressing that she normally uses she/her pronouns. Alex first appears in the book ''The Hammer of Thor,'' and is the love interest of the main character of the series, Magnus Chase. During ''The Hammer of Thor'', Alex states "I'm gender fluid and transgender" (Riordan 54). | *Alex Fierro is a [[genderfluid]] character from the book series ''Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard'', by Rick Riordan. Alex switches between she/her and he/him pronouns, although expressing that she normally uses she/her pronouns. Alex first appears in the book ''The Hammer of Thor,'' and is the love interest of the main character of the series, Magnus Chase. During ''The Hammer of Thor'', Alex states "I'm gender fluid and transgender" (Riordan 54). | ||
*Min Lee in the ''Under My Skin'' series by A. E. Dooland is nonbinary and accepts [[he/him]] or [[she/her]] pronouns, depending on the situation. Furthermore, the author has said that "She doesn't really like [[they/them]] (because she feels in many cases it draws too much attention to her gender), but in an event where someone used those pronouns, she'd prefer you just went along with it, too. [...] Min ''does'' typically prefer male-gendered words, such as 'boyfriend' and 'husband' etc."<ref>{{cite web|title=Anonymous asked: What pronouns does Min prefer?|date=July 19, 2019|url=https://asynca.tumblr.com/post/186394898034/what-pronouns-does-min-prefer}}</ref> | *Min Lee in the ''Under My Skin'' series by A. E. Dooland is nonbinary and accepts [[he/him]] or [[she/her]] pronouns, depending on the situation. Furthermore, the author has said that "She doesn't really like [[they/them]] (because she feels in many cases it draws too much attention to her gender), but in an event where someone used those pronouns, she'd prefer you just went along with it, too. [...] Min ''does'' typically prefer male-gendered words, such as 'boyfriend' and 'husband' etc."<ref>{{cite web|title=Anonymous asked: What pronouns does Min prefer?|date=July 19, 2019|url=https://asynca.tumblr.com/post/186394898034/what-pronouns-does-min-prefer}}</ref> | ||
*In the fantasy books ''Divided Worlds'' and ''The Ascension of Lark'', by Jennifer Ridge, the character Lark is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. There is an author's note at the end of ''Divided Worlds'' which specifically describes Lark as "non-binary and androgynous". Note: In ''The Ascension of Lark'' there is some misgendering, homelessness, and physical abuse in the flashbacks to Lark's younger days. Their [[deadname]] is redacted in the text. | *In the fantasy books ''Divided Worlds'' and ''The Ascension of Lark'', by Jennifer Ridge, the character Lark is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. There is an author's note at the end of ''Divided Worlds'' which specifically describes Lark as "non-binary and androgynous". Note: In ''The Ascension of Lark'' there is some misgendering, homelessness, and physical abuse in the flashbacks to Lark's younger days. Their [[deadname]] is redacted in the text. | ||
* Sal in ''Mask of Shadows'' and ''Ruin of Stars'', by Linsey Miller, is genderfluid. | * Sal in ''Mask of Shadows'' and ''Ruin of Stars'', by Linsey Miller, is genderfluid. | ||
*Lelia in ''The Lost Coast'', by Amy Rose Capetta, is a nonbinary gray-asexual, and described as such in the text. | * Lelia in ''The Lost Coast'', by Amy Rose Capetta, is a nonbinary gray-asexual, and described as such in the text. | ||
* In ''The Way of Thorn and Thunder'' fantasy series (also called ''The Kynship Chronicles''), by [[Two-Spirit]] author Daniel Heath Justice, there is a race called the Kyn, who recognize three genders: he-Kyn, she-Kyn and zhe-Kyn. These are specifically [[gender]]s, not [[sex]]es, according to reviewer [[Bogi Takács]].<ref name="kynship">{{Cite web |title=QUILTBAG+ Speculative Classics: The Way of Thorn and Thunder by Daniel Heath Justice (Part 1) |authorlink=Bogi Takács |last=Takács |first=Bogi |work=Tor.com |date=21 May 2019 |access-date=24 July 2020 |url= https://www.tor.com/2019/05/21/quiltbag-speculative-classics-the-way-of-thorn-and-thunder-by-daniel-heath-justice-part-1/ }}</ref> | * In ''The Way of Thorn and Thunder'' fantasy series (also called ''The Kynship Chronicles''), by [[Two-Spirit]] author Daniel Heath Justice, there is a race called the Kyn, who recognize three genders: he-Kyn, she-Kyn and zhe-Kyn. These are specifically [[gender]]s, not [[sex]]es, according to reviewer [[Bogi Takács]].<ref name="kynship">{{Cite web |title=QUILTBAG+ Speculative Classics: The Way of Thorn and Thunder by Daniel Heath Justice (Part 1) |authorlink=Bogi Takács |last=Takács |first=Bogi |work=Tor.com |date=21 May 2019 |access-date=24 July 2020 |url= https://www.tor.com/2019/05/21/quiltbag-speculative-classics-the-way-of-thorn-and-thunder-by-daniel-heath-justice-part-1/ }}</ref> | ||
* In ''What We Left Behind'' by Robin Talley, Toni is a genderqueer student at Harvard in a long-distance relationship.<ref name="Acree">{{Cite web |title=Robin Talley: Young love in a nonbinary world |author=Acree, Cat |work=BookPage.com |date=17 November 2015 |access-date=15 September 2020 |url= https://bookpage.com/interviews/19062-robin-talley-ya}}</ref> | * In ''What We Left Behind'' by Robin Talley, Toni is a genderqueer student at Harvard in a long-distance relationship.<ref name="Acree">{{Cite web |title=Robin Talley: Young love in a nonbinary world |author=Acree, Cat |work=BookPage.com |date=17 November 2015 |access-date=15 September 2020 |url= https://bookpage.com/interviews/19062-robin-talley-ya}}</ref> | ||
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* ''Why We Fight'', by T.J. Klune, has a bigender protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | * ''Why We Fight'', by T.J. Klune, has a bigender protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | ||
* ''Euphoria Kids'', by [[Alison Evans]], has a nonbinary protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | * ''Euphoria Kids'', by [[Alison Evans]], has a nonbinary protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | ||
* ''Moth & Whisper'', by Ted Anderson & Jen Hickman, has a genderqueer protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | * ''Moth & Whisper'', by Ted Anderson & Jen Hickman, has a genderqueer protagonist.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | ||
* In '' Every Day'', a novel by David Levithan, the protagonist named A wakes up every day in a different person's body. Each person whose body A inhabits has a clear-cut gender identity, but A themself says, "I didn’t think of myself as a boy or a girl—I never have."<ref>{{cite web |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040504if_/https://outwritenewsmag.org/2018/06/trans-characters-in-fiction/|archive-date=31 January 2019|url =https://outwritenewsmag.org/2018/06/trans-characters-in-fiction/|title=Trans Characters in Fiction|date=27 June 2018|last=Miceli|first=Cami}}</ref> The novel was adapted into a 2018 film.<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7026672/</ref> | * In '' Every Day'', a novel by David Levithan, the protagonist named A wakes up every day in a different person's body. Each person whose body A inhabits has a clear-cut gender identity, but A themself says, "I didn’t think of myself as a boy or a girl—I never have."<ref>{{cite web |archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20190131040504if_/https://outwritenewsmag.org/2018/06/trans-characters-in-fiction/|archive-date=31 January 2019|url =https://outwritenewsmag.org/2018/06/trans-characters-in-fiction/|title=Trans Characters in Fiction|date=27 June 2018|last=Miceli|first=Cami}}</ref> The novel was adapted into a 2018 film.<ref>https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7026672/</ref> | ||
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* In the novel ''Anger is a Gift'', by [[Mark Oshiro]], the main character has a nonbinary friend.<ref name="AngerGift">{{Cite web |title=Interview with Mark Oshiro, Author of ANGER IS A GIFT |last=Sridhar |first=Priya |work=BOOK RIOT |date=30 May 2018 |access-date=4 March 2021 |url= https://bookriot.com/mark-oshiro-interview/}}</ref> | * In the novel ''Anger is a Gift'', by [[Mark Oshiro]], the main character has a nonbinary friend.<ref name="AngerGift">{{Cite web |title=Interview with Mark Oshiro, Author of ANGER IS A GIFT |last=Sridhar |first=Priya |work=BOOK RIOT |date=30 May 2018 |access-date=4 March 2021 |url= https://bookriot.com/mark-oshiro-interview/}}</ref> | ||
* The Micah Grey trilogy, by Laura Lam, stars Micah, an intersex nonbinary teen who runs away from home to join the circus. | * The Micah Grey trilogy, by Laura Lam, stars Micah, an intersex nonbinary teen who runs away from home to join the circus. | ||
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* The protagonist of ''Annabel'', written by Kathleen Winter, is [[intersex]] and raised as male, including genital surgery and being put on masculinizing medical treatments. They are given the name "Wayne" but sometimes go by "Annabel", and they identify "at least in part" with femininity/girlhood.<ref>{{cite book |title=Annabel |last=Winter |first=Kathleen |year=2010 |publisher=House of Anansi Press |quote=...he wondered what would happen if he could tell her they were both girls, at least in part.}}</ref> The protagonist's father takes great strides to encourage his child to be more masculine, whereas multiple women encourage the child's feminine side. Wayne/Annabel has been interpreted as nonbinary by some readers, with one reviewer saying the character is "both male/female in both body and soul".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/487958071?book_show_action=false |date=28 December 2012 |title=Laurie's Reviews > Annabel |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> Content note: Coercively assigned gender, infant genital surgery, sexual assault, ectopic pregnancy, some inaccurate/unrealistic depiction of intersex experiences. | * The protagonist of ''Annabel'', written by Kathleen Winter, is [[intersex]] and raised as male, including genital surgery and being put on masculinizing medical treatments. They are given the name "Wayne" but sometimes go by "Annabel", and they identify "at least in part" with femininity/girlhood.<ref>{{cite book |title=Annabel |last=Winter |first=Kathleen |year=2010 |publisher=House of Anansi Press |quote=...he wondered what would happen if he could tell her they were both girls, at least in part.}}</ref> The protagonist's father takes great strides to encourage his child to be more masculine, whereas multiple women encourage the child's feminine side. Wayne/Annabel has been interpreted as nonbinary by some readers, with one reviewer saying the character is "both male/female in both body and soul".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/487958071?book_show_action=false |date=28 December 2012 |title=Laurie's Reviews > Annabel |access-date=13 February 2021}}</ref> Content note: Coercively assigned gender, infant genital surgery, sexual assault, ectopic pregnancy, some inaccurate/unrealistic depiction of intersex experiences. | ||
* In ''Surface Detail'', by Iain M. Banks, the character Yime Nsokyi is "[[neuter]]-gendered" and has an [[intersex]] body by choice. | |||
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* In ''Defying Convention'', also by Cecil Wilde, one of the main characters, AJ, is a [[femme]] genderqueer person who uses singular "they" pronouns.<ref name="Evans2017">{{Cite web |title=My gender didn't exist in fiction when I was growing up – so I wrote myself into existence |author=Evans, Alison |authorlink=Alison Evans |work=the Guardian |date=27 February 2017 |access-date=2 November 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/28/my-gender-didnt-exist-in-fiction-when-i-was-growing-up-so-i-wrote-myself-into-existence}}</ref> | * In ''Defying Convention'', also by Cecil Wilde, one of the main characters, AJ, is a [[femme]] genderqueer person who uses singular "they" pronouns.<ref name="Evans2017">{{Cite web |title=My gender didn't exist in fiction when I was growing up – so I wrote myself into existence |author=Evans, Alison |authorlink=Alison Evans |work=the Guardian |date=27 February 2017 |access-date=2 November 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/28/my-gender-didnt-exist-in-fiction-when-i-was-growing-up-so-i-wrote-myself-into-existence}}</ref> | ||
* In ''Love Spell'', by Mia Kerick, the protagonist Chance is out as [[gay]] but feels uncertain about their gender identity, "being stuck in the gray area between girl and boy".<ref name="good_Love">{{Cite web |title=Love Spell |author= |work=goodreads.com |date= |access-date=9 October 2020 |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25550836-love-spell}}</ref> | * In ''Love Spell'', by Mia Kerick, the protagonist Chance is out as [[gay]] but feels uncertain about their gender identity, "being stuck in the gray area between girl and boy".<ref name="good_Love">{{Cite web |title=Love Spell |author= |work=goodreads.com |date= |access-date=9 October 2020 |url= https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25550836-love-spell}}</ref> | ||
*In Kameron Hurley's fantasy novel, ''Empire Ascendant,'' all people in a consent culture get to choose which of the five gender roles they identify with. Hurley calls characters who are "ungendered" by singular they pronouns.<ref>{{Cite web |title=GUEST POST: Beyond He-Man & She-Ra: Writing Non-Binary Characters by Kameron Hurley |author=Hurley Kameron |work=Intellectus Speculativus |date=3 September 2014 |access-date=27 September 2021 |url= https://intellectusspeculativus.wordpress.com/2014/09/03/guest-post-beyond-he-man-she-ra-writing-non-binary-characters-by-kameron-hurley/}}</ref> | |||
*''Long Macchiatos and Monsters'', by [[Alison Evans]], is a romance between a trans guy and a genderqueer person.<ref name="Casey" /> | |||
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* In ''An Unsuitable Heir'', by K.J. Charles, the character Pen Starling says "I'm not a woman, but that doesn't make me a man either." He/him pronouns are used for Pen, although Pen states that these pronouns don't feel ideal. Note: much of the plot involves an "imminent threat to force Pen to [..] conform to a binary gender."<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33841918-an-unsuitable-heir</ref> | * In ''An Unsuitable Heir'', by K.J. Charles, the character Pen Starling says "I'm not a woman, but that doesn't make me a man either." He/him pronouns are used for Pen, although Pen states that these pronouns don't feel ideal. Note: much of the plot involves an "imminent threat to force Pen to [...] conform to a binary gender."<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33841918-an-unsuitable-heir</ref> | ||
*''An Unkindness of Ghosts'', by [[Rivers Solomon]]. The author has said "Aster is an [[intersex]] [[butch]] [[lesbian]], but maybe [[agender]]. Theo is a nonbinary trans woman. These are my interpretations, but arguments could certainly be made for other classifiers."<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625035918/https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|url=https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|date=10 October 2018|archive-date=25 June 2019|title=An Interview with Author Rivers Solomon|last=Falck|first=Alex}}</ref> | *''An Unkindness of Ghosts'', by [[Rivers Solomon]]. The author has said "Aster is an [[intersex]] [[butch]] [[lesbian]], but maybe [[agender]]. Theo is a nonbinary trans woman. These are my interpretations, but arguments could certainly be made for other classifiers."<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190625035918/https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|url=https://www.oif.ala.org/oif/?p=15918|date=10 October 2018|archive-date=25 June 2019|title=An Interview with Author Rivers Solomon|last=Falck|first=Alex}}</ref> | ||
* A minor character in ''A Tyranny of Queens'' by [[Foz Meadows]] is nonbinary. | * A minor character in ''A Tyranny of Queens'' by [[Foz Meadows]] is nonbinary. | ||
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*'' Starless'' by Jacqueline Carey includes a major character who discovers their own identity and unique relationship with gender while travelling all over their world in an effort to prevent an ancient consuming darkness. They encounter a number of different cultural expressions of gender and expected gender roles and eventually find their own place among them. | *'' Starless'' by Jacqueline Carey includes a major character who discovers their own identity and unique relationship with gender while travelling all over their world in an effort to prevent an ancient consuming darkness. They encounter a number of different cultural expressions of gender and expected gender roles and eventually find their own place among them. | ||
* Eli/Ellie, the protagonist of ''Genderfluid: A Cinderella Story'' (by Bridget Quinones) is, as the title says, [[genderfluid]]. Note: story contains transphobic violence and the T-slur.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45880850-genderfluid</ref> | * Eli/Ellie, the protagonist of ''Genderfluid: A Cinderella Story'' (by Bridget Quinones) is, as the title says, [[genderfluid]]. Note: story contains transphobic violence and the T-slur.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45880850-genderfluid</ref> | ||
*In ''The Brilliant Death'' by Amy Rose Capetta, one of the main characters, Cielo, is nonbinary. (Another main character, who is cis, has to [[crossdress]] for a disguise.)<ref name="Casey" /> | |||
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* ''The Nap-Away Motel'', by Nadja Lubiw-Hazard, has a supporting character named Ori who is nonbinary.<ref name="NapAwayMotel">{{Cite web |title=First Fiction Friday: The Nap-Away Motel |work=All Lit Up |date=16 August 2019 |access-date=24 July 2020 |url= https://alllitup.ca/Blog/2019/First-Fiction-Friday-The-Nap-Away-Motel}}</ref> | * ''The Nap-Away Motel'', by Nadja Lubiw-Hazard, has a supporting character named Ori who is nonbinary.<ref name="NapAwayMotel">{{Cite web |title=First Fiction Friday: The Nap-Away Motel |work=All Lit Up |date=16 August 2019 |access-date=24 July 2020 |url= https://alllitup.ca/Blog/2019/First-Fiction-Friday-The-Nap-Away-Motel}}</ref> | ||
* In the mystery-fantasy book ''Out of Salem'' by Hal Schrieve, the protagonist Z Chilworth is nonbinary and recently became a zombie. Content note: the story contains body horror, family abuse, suicidal ideation, police violence toward children and marginalized groups, fatphobic and homophobic bullying, and discussion of medical abuse.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40585222-out-of-salem</ref> | * In the mystery-fantasy book ''Out of Salem'' by Hal Schrieve, the protagonist Z Chilworth is nonbinary and recently became a zombie. Content note: the story contains body horror, family abuse, suicidal ideation, police violence toward children and marginalized groups, fatphobic and homophobic bullying, and discussion of medical abuse.<ref>https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40585222-out-of-salem</ref> | ||
* ''The Melting Queen'', by Bruce Cinnamon, has a genderfluid protagonist named River Runson. | |||
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* ''The Four Profound Weaves'', by [[R.B. Lemberg]], has a nonbinary side character.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | * ''The Four Profound Weaves'', by [[R.B. Lemberg]], has a nonbinary side character.<ref name="readsrainbow" /> | ||
* In ''The Empress of Salt and Fortune'' and ''When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain'' by Nghi Vo, the character Chih is nonbinary.<ref name="Ladd">{{Cite web |title=Review: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo |last=Ladd |first=Christina |work=The Nerd Daily |date=29 December 2019 |access-date=19 October 2020 |url= https://www.thenerddaily.com/the-empress-of-salt-and-fortune-nghi-vo/}}</ref> | * In ''The Empress of Salt and Fortune'' and ''When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain'' by Nghi Vo, the character Chih is nonbinary.<ref name="Ladd">{{Cite web |title=Review: The Empress of Salt and Fortune by Nghi Vo |last=Ladd |first=Christina |work=The Nerd Daily |date=29 December 2019 |access-date=19 October 2020 |url= https://www.thenerddaily.com/the-empress-of-salt-and-fortune-nghi-vo/}}</ref> | ||
* ''Loveless'', by Alice Oseman, has a nonbinary side character.<ref>{{cite tweet|user=PineappleRobin|number=1401566434170376193 |title=Loveless by Alice Oseman One of my all time favorite books, I love the characters, I love the enemy to love romance between two side characters but the book is mostly about friendships. rep: Aroace MC, lesbian best friend, pansexual roommate, non binary side character|date= 6 June 2021}}</ref> | |||
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