Welcome back to Queering the Narrative! This week, we’re rounding out our discussion on genderfluid characters by talking about some tropes you should be mindful of when writing genderfluid characters!
Since then, the term has really stuck with me and I wanted to create a safe space for womxn and non-binary folx to share their work. I've always been a feminist. As a twenty-something year old womxn who has suffered from various forms of abuse, womxn's empowerment, equality for all voices, and the fight to acquire basic human rights are. Transgender, Gender Nonconforming, and Nonbinary Folx One important aspect of my practice is providing therapy for people of all genders.
Many of these tropes might sound familiar — and that’s because there’s a decent amount of overlap between the tropes to avoid for non-binary and binary trans folx, which I’ve written about before. However, there are some versions of these tropes which are unique to writing genderfluid characters, and that’s what I’ll be focusing on today.
If you’re writing genderfluid characters, though, I recommend that you go and check out the tropes to avoid posts for trans and nonbinary people as well. You don’t want to stumble into any of those, either!
Light Switching
This one should be familiar if you’ve read my lasttwo posts, but I’ll recap it.
Genderfluidity is rarely flipping between two simple options, especially binary options (ie, man and woman). A lot of authors with static or binary genders seem unable to conceptualize this, and so think genderfluidity means “sometimes a boy, sometimes a girl.”
But, as I’ve said previously, genderfluid people usually experience more ebbs and flows with their genders. There aren’t always hard lines or easy delineations between the different genders a genderfluid person might experience! As something which is rarely correct but also seems to pervade a lot of popular portrayals and understanding of genderfluid folx, this is definitely a trope to be avoided when writing genderfluid characters.
Duplicitousness
Many characters who are explicitly genderfluid — or who are assumed to be based on their abilities or characterization — use their variable expression to confound their adversaries. These shapeshifters or cunning spies can go incognito as whatever gender or persona they’d like, and only the cleverest of characters will recognize them.
This isn’t an inherently negative character trait — the spy or trickster archetype is a popular one, and there are ways to execute this trope which play to the character’s strengths and endear them to the audience (such as with Double Trouble from Netflix’s She-Ra). However, it’s important to bear in mind the message that you’re sending when writing genderfluid characters like this. It’s easy to slip into painting genderfluidity as an identity as duplicitous, which can then lead people to think that genderfluid individuals in real life are trying to deceive them. Gender expansive folx aren’t trying to trick anyone — we’re just trying to live authentically!
Focus on Assigned Gender
This is the “but what are you really?” question, and it’s a bad one. Do not ask it, and do not imply that characters in your narrative are in the right for asking it.
Gender expansive folx do not owe anyone information about the gender they were assigned at birth — and they certainly don’t have to tell people details about their anatomy. This is extremely common in fiction about genderfluid individuals — a driving mystery in their narratives becomes “what’s in their pants,” often so that the male protagonist can wrestle over whether or not it’s gay to want to sleep with them.
This is a bad trope. Don’t do it. And if you’re going to portray it in a negative way to try and demonstrate that it’s bad, know that it can be triggering or traumatic for a genderfluid, nonbinary, or even binary trans person to read. If you yourself are a part of this community, have experience with this in real life, and want to share your story, then by all means go for it. We need your voice and people should hear your experiences. Otherwise, find a different motivation for your character’s gay panic (or, better yet, don’t do that).
Multiple Personas
Gender is so intrinsic to so many peoples’ personalities that a lot of folx can’t even conceptualize what it would be like for that identity to shift. The only way they’re able to understand this is by having their genderfluid characters have multiple distinct personas which they move between, each with different names, pronouns, personalities, and sometimes even goals or desires.
This isn’t a genderfluid person’s experience. At their core, a genderfluid person is always themself, and their core personality doesn’t change. Experiencing different genders may bring out certain aspects of their personality — on more masc days they might be more assertive, for example — but those traits are always a part of them.
Some genderfluid folx also want to use different names or pronouns depending on the gender they’re experiencing, but this does not mean that they’re a different person. It just means that certain words fit best with their internal experience that day
This trope often plays into the Light Switching and Duplicitousness tropes. It’s also sometimes linked to mental health disorders like schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or DID. Don’t imply that any gender identity is caused by some sort of mental health disorder (neurogenders notwithstanding — I’ll get to those in a later post, don’t worry). Gender expansive folx are still facing discrimination based on this idea, and it’s not a cool thing to perpetuate in fiction.
Insecurity
This one’s rare, but it does happen and is again based on a very static understanding of gender. It plays out as a genderfluid character starting out insecure, but by the end of the arc coming to terms with themself… by settling into their “true” identity or persona. This is common in shapeshifter narratives, but can also be a “who are you really?” type story in a spy or coming-of-age narrative.
If you’re writing genderfluid characters, the end result of their storyline should not be that they cease to be genderfluid. That implies that genderfluidity is a negative or temporary character trait that your character needs to grow out of, and that’s not cool! Genderfluid characters should be allowed to embrace their fluidity and the beauty of their variable expression, not be forced into being one “right way” at all times.
Conclusion
Non Binary Folx
That’s it for this week! Once again, this is not an exhaustive list of negative tropes you might stumble into when writing genderfluid characters, just the ones most specific to that identity. I highly recommend you go and read my “Tropes to Avoid” posts about trans and non-binary folx before you dive into writing genderfluid characters, because a lot of those tropes apply to genderfluid people as well!
Until next time stay safe, stay healthy, and keep writing!
Dani Bryant, MHC
Overwhelm-- especially as we concluded 2020-- might feel par for the course. Phrases like “the new normal” are probably getting on your nerves by now as we continue to exist in a space of unknowns.
Over the past nine months, we’ve become highly adaptable. For some, the school/work/life balance became a bit more manageable. Soft pants, all access snacks and alone time helped some be more productive.
But for others the massive shift in environment illuminated the ways in which they had created life-long, fine tuned. performative coping skills to get by. Now at home, with little stimulation and a whole lot of screen time, the complex coping systems used to focus and manage procrastination anxiety may have no longer proved effective.
And no, folx struggling with focus, productivity and executive functioning were not lazy or unmotivated, rather they may have never been diagnosed with the neurobehavioral disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD.)
What we know about ADHD is a bit outdated and has a long lasting narrative of applying to mostly young hyperactive male children. More and more ADHD is being diagnosed in women and non-bianary folx--often for the first time in their lives in their late 20s & 30s.
Here are some of the classic and well known symptoms of ADHD:
● Impulsivity
● Being Restless or Fidgety
● Difficulty Focusing
● Disruptive
● Executive Functioning Issues
And...here are some of the many other (often unknown) ways that ADHD can present in women identified and non-binary folx:
● An extreme amount of effort and time is spent trying to get and remain organized, finish a very, very long to do list and hold it all together.
● A consistent fear of not being able to meet social expectations and obligations.
● A difficulty in shutting out distractions and remaining on task (podcasts, tv shows, smartphone,social media, people watching, etc.)
● A tendency towards “messiness”, even though you try very hard to keep up.
● A feeling that you are always “catching up” and end up over-working or engaging home projects on your off days or evenings when you would rather be resting or having fun.
● A tendency to live life in an all or nothing way. Either you are at 0% engaged or 100% engaged. For example, you haven't cleaned your desk in 6 months or you must clean every inch of your office, scrub the doorknobs, polish the floor and respackle the hole in the wall all in one go.
● Imposter syndrome feels very real. You may feel like you are tricking those around you, not living up to your potential and always on the cusp of “getting in trouble.”
ADHD is often missed in the childhood of young female and non-bianary children. The cost of undiagnosed ADHD can be very high. Their lifelong struggles with focus, worth and productivity are passed over and then viewed by the individual as “not being good enough” or that their struggles are “a character flaw”--easily fixed with hard word, perfectionism and perseverance.
Often other co-occurring mental health disorders are identified and treated before the ADHD is identified---this leaves out a crucial and essential piece in how a person would understand their ability to function from one day to the next. Common co-occurring diagnosis with ADHD include eating disorders, anxiety and depression.
Young girls and non-bianary folx often develop a performative or “people pleasing” mask or cope with the internal struggle. What we know now is that ADHD has very little to do with intelligence. Often individuals who are diagnosed later in life did not struggle in school, maybe have a few masters degrees or a Phd and might run huge,successful businesses. They may have done all these things while struggling with executive function and living in a constant mode of toggling between overwhelm and seemingly impenetrable procrastination.
The more we talk about how and why ADHD is often missed in women identified and non-bianary folx--the more we can work to help those struggling find the support they need.
More Resources:
1. https://add.org/start/adhd-test/
2. https://chadd.org/
3. https://www.kaleidoscopesociety.com/
Trans Non Binary Folx
4. https://thebodyisnotanapology.com/magazine/10-everyday-ways-in-which-we-shame-neurodivergence/
5. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/LGBTQI#sthash.6ctwy6FA.dpuf
Non-binary Folx
6. https://www.understood.org/pages/en/young-adults/?_sp=2f857c4c-9888-41b5-aa31-410d598067d5.1606107127564