Non-binary characters and tropes
Much like with gay and transgender characters, representation of non-binary characters is small. Eighty percent of non-binary people noted in a survey from Trans Media Watch that they felt media coverage of non-binary characters is poor.[5] The Daily Dot has noted that in Japanese media, genderqueer identities are often portrayed as a joke, featuring "flamboyantly gay people who crossdress" rather than serious explorations of gender performance.[6] However, in May 2015, Flavorwire stated that genderqueer characters are getting "increasing critical and aesthetic prominence" in literature.[7]
Steven Universe and beyond
Some franchises alleviated that concern. For instance, the Steven Universe franchise, from 2013 to 2020, included various non-binary characters. For instance, Obsidian, a fusion of Steven Universe and fellow Crystal Gems Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, and Rainbow Quartz 2.0, a fusion of Steven Universe and fellow Crystal Gem Pearl, were confirmed as non-binary by storyboarders Colin Howard and Joe Johnston.[8][9] Additionally, Smoky Quartz, a fusion of Steven Universe and fellow Crystal Gem Amethyst,[10] is nonbinary since, as series creator Rebecca Sugar stated, the Gems are "all non-binary women,"[11] which applies to Amethyst specifically. Furthermore, Sunstone, a fusion of Steven Universe and fellow Crystal Gem Garnet, uses singular they and feminine pronouns[12] and Shep is non-binary. Shep is the first character in the series to be a non-binary human, is the partner of Sadie Miller. Shep is voiced by Indya Moore who is also non-binary, transgender, uses gender neutral they/them pronouns, and is a person of color.[13] Another character is Stevonnie, who is a fusion of Steven and Connie. Steven and Connie identify as male and female respectively, but the gender of Stevonnie is difficult to describe,[14] with series creator Rebecca Sugar describing it as the "living relationship between Steven and Connie."[15] Stevonnie is commonly referred to with gender neutral pronouns (such as the singular they), while male and female characters seem to be physically attracted to Stevonnie.[16]
Steven Universe is only one of the many animated series with characters that identify outside the gender binary. One of the first characters was Princess Sapphire in Princess Knight. Sapphire was raised as a boy by her father since women are not eligible to inherit the throne;[17] this storyline has led some reviewers to interpret her as genderqueer. Many years later, in 2003, Kino's Journey, featured another character outside the binary as well. In this series, the protagonist, Kino, was assigned female at birth, but has an "androgynous persona," alternating between using feminine and masculine pronouns, while resisting those that attempt to pin a gender on them as a "girl" or "boy."[18] This led some reviewers to call Kino one of the "rare transmasculine anime protagonists." One year afterward, bro'Town began. In this show, Brother Ken is fa'afafine, a Samoan concept for a third gender, a person who is born biologically male but is raised and sees themself as female[19] A few years later, in 2009, Kämpfer featured a genderqueer character. Natsuru Senō is a second-year student at Seitetsu High School and has a crush on Kaede Sakura, one of the school's beauties.[20] Apart from Sapphire, Kino, and Natsuru, there is Violet Harper/Halo in Young Justice. Halo is genderqueer, not identifying as male or female[21][22] In 2011, Nathan Seymour / Fire Emblem was a character in Tiger & Bunny. Nathan is a highly effeminate homosexual man[23] who identifies as genderqueer though he prefers to be identified as a woman at times,[18] often spending more time with the female heroes while flirting with the male heroes.[24][a] A few years later, from 2014 to 2015, Knights of Sidonia featured another character outside the binary. Izana Shinatose belongs to a new, nonbinary third gender that originated during the hundreds of years of human emigration into space.[25] Wren in Middle School Moguls who is non-binary.[26] In 2017, Milo in Danger & Eggs, an agender character, who uses they/them pronouns, first appeared.[27] Milo later forms a band with the show's protagonists, DD Danger and Philip, named the Buck Buck Trio and play a music festival together.[28][29][30] Tyler Ford, an agender model and speaker is the voice of Milo, said they loved that their character, is an "accurate representation" of them.[29] Finally, in 2019, Stars Align featured Yū Asuka, a character who is not sure of whether they are "binary trans, x-gender, or something else entirely" and is still figuring their gender identity.[31]
Other series and films
While animation has various characters outside the gender binary, there are some in other mediums. One of the first was Krazy Kat, in the comic of the same name, alternates pronouns, which was syndicated from 1913 to 1944. Author George Herriman left Krazy ungendered, describing the character in private correspondence as "something like a sprite, an elf" with "no sex".[32] In another first, in 1976, the novel Two Strand River included Alan / Leslie, a genderfluid character, making it one of the earliest literary novels to star a genderfluid character.[33] Following this was Desire in The Sandman, which ran from 1989 to 2015. In this comic, Desire is both male and female, because the character represents everything someone might desire,[34] Many years later, in 2010, the novel Annabel included a genderfluid character. In that novel Annabel / Wayne is born intersex and assigned male at birth, sometimes taking on the name "Annabel".[7][35] In 2015, Magnus Chase & the Gods of Asgard featured Alex Fierro, who was described as transgender and genderfluid.[36][37] Then, in 2019, Jerico Soberanis appeared in The Toll, as a genderfluid character[38] who goes by he/him or she/her based on the presence of the sun and moon.
While All in the 2016 film, Zoolander 2, was criticized as "an over-the-top, cartoonish mockery of androgyne/trans/non-binary individuals,"[39][40] there were other positive examples in film. One of the earliest was Little Horse in Little Big Man, a Two-Spirit character.[41] A number of films in the 2010s featured characters ourside the binary. In the 2017 film, They, J is a trans teen on puberty blockers that needs to decide their gender before meeting with a doctor, with J saying they feel male, female, or neither at various times. The actor, Fehrenbacher, was also undergoing gender transition at the time of filming.[42] In a film the following year, Upgrade, Jamie is a hacker not identifying with any of the genders, requesting that the protagonist not ask their gender,[43] Then, in the 2019 Hollywood blockbuster, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, there is a character named The Adjudicator. This character does not have a specified gender in the script since Asia Kate Dillon, a nonbinary person, came up with the idea of making their character nonbinary while talking with the director.[44]
Live-action television series included various characters outside the gender binary. For instance, Sam Malloy in the 2007–2008 series, The Riches, is transgender and frequently dresses in feminine clothing. The idea for Sam's non-binary gender expression came about before Izzard, a gender non-conforming comedian, joined the show.[45] Sam's gender expression is accepted and respected by the Malloy parents and siblings. Additionally, Janet in the 2016–2020 series, The Good Place, is a non-human, genderless entity who uses she/her pronouns, which corrects other characters who attempt to gender her by saying she is "not a girl".[46] Another series that began the same year, Degrassi: Next Class featured a similar character. Yael Baron is genderqueer and uses singular they/them pronouns.[47] Also that year, The Switch featured Zoey, a feisty "transgender genderqueer" woman who is guarded by her neighbor, Detective Sandra McKay, a cisgender lesbian.[48] In 2019, Good Omens and Nightflyers premiered and both featured non-binary characters. In the first show, Crowley and Pollution are non-binary, as is Aziraphale in the original book.[49][50][51] In the second show, Lommie Thorne is a genderfluid cyber technician specialist who prefers to interface with computers more than humans.[52] The same year, the ongoing series Good Trouble included a non-binary character. Joey Riverton comes out as nonbinary to their cisgender lesbian girlfriend, Alice, and begins using they/them pronouns,[53] Lindsay Brady in the same show is also non-binary.[54] The 2020s brought various non-binary characters. For example, Bishop in Deputy is considered the first non-binary character on broadcast television.[55][56][57] Additionally, there is Ripley Lennox in Hollyoaks. They run a shop for second-hand clothes and befriends some of the show's younger characters like Peri Lomax and Romeo Quinn, while she is a friend of Tom Cunningham, a regular character, and are non-binary.[58][59]
There's also a number of characters which some have considered non-binary such as Chick the Cherub in John Dough and the Cherub,[60] Zoë Hange in Attack on Titan,[61] K1-B0 in Danganronpa,[citation needed] Glen/Glenda Ray in Seed of Chucky,[62] and Pat in Saturday Night Live,[63][64] although there is no agreement they are non-binary. The same applies to Twogami / Imposter in Danganronpa,[citation needed] Master Chief in Halo (franchise),[65] Nights and Reala in Nights into Dreams,[66] and The Knight in Hollow Knight.[67]
The 2018 manga Love Me for Who I Am features a nonbinary protagonist, Mogumo, who explicitly tells other characters that they are neither male nor female.[68]
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