(loved trope) Trans characters who do not/cannot pass but everyone still respects their identity

[u/altrightobserver]

• Lev from The Last of Us Part II: Lev is a trans boy who cannot medically transition due to being in a zombie apocalypse with a fascist government, yet the main cast in the story supports and affirms him as male.
• Denise Bryson from Twin Peaks: A trans woman DEA and FBI agent. She does not pass in the series, which is an integral part of her character; her boss simply tells people who don't like it to "fix their hearts or die."
• Cordelia from Vinland Saga: As a trans woman living in Northern Europe during the Viking age, it is impossible for Cordelia, who has a hulking, muscular figure, to transition to female. But despite not looking the part physically, everyone is cool with it and refers to her as female.
• Ladiva from Granblue Fantasy: A pro wrestler who makes no attempts to pass (save for hair) and is still beloved by the cast as a maternal figure, serving as a stark contrast to her species' women who are petite.

Edit: typos and incorrect lore fixes

[u/Daniilsa209]

Doris (Shrek)

[u/Confident-Arm-7883 → u/Daniilsa209]

As a kid, I never even registered her as male. The “gruff sounding tavern keeper” was completely normal to me so it didnt even click in my head that she was trans.

[u/Shinjitsu- → u/Confident-Arm-7883]

My mom had a naturally mannish figure. She was nearly 6 foot, had hands the size of my head, and had a voice that was regularly mistaken as male over the phone. She still wore make up and in fact did her make up like Doris, the thin eyebrows and heavy lined lips. I always thought Doris was like that, and that was the joke. 

[u/Lech2D → u/Shinjitsu-]

Did your mom like Doris as a character?

[u/Shinjitsu- → u/Lech2D]

My mom was a troubled person, she probably felt insecure when seeing her but she played it off as just laughing at the trans person. She would never clarify to us kids that Doris was a joke about crossdressing though, so her laughing just looked like her thinking "at least I'm not that ugly". I dunno, it's one of those things where she didn't see it but everyone else did and was just polite. 

[u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm → u/Shinjitsu-]

I still dont think Doris is a joke about crossdressing.

Maybe its the UK in me, pantos and theatre shows etc.

I knew it was ambigiuous, but never took it as a joke.

[u/PISSED_ANT → u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm]

i never read "Doris = Crossdresser" in any of the times i've watched the franchise, and can't recall her being the butt of any jokes?

[u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm → u/PISSED_ANT]

Yeah that's what i'm saying.

I only said joke because the person i replied to said their mother would never explain that doris was a crossdressing joke.

I never ever saw a joke in it.

[u/PISSED_ANT → u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm]

ye ye, wasn't disagreeing with ya, just chiming

having just finished a clip compilation, no, she most definitely was never the butt of any joke, though was used to facilitate other people being so (the king accidentally calling her 'the ugly step sister' to her face)

[u/ShittyDriver902 → u/PISSED_ANT]

The two jokes that come to mind is when she’s introduced the king says “I’m looking for the ugly step sister- oh” as she turns around, and then when the princesses help storm the castle (not sure if that 2 or three) and she distracts the guards by showing a lot of leg from around the corner and then reveals her ugliness.

Nothing explicitly making fun of them being trans/crossdressing but instead about her being ugly, which could have been transphobic if they hadn’t been as sparing as they where

[u/Golfisactuallyfun → u/PISSED_ANT]

The joke is that shes a crossdresser, when this movie came out it was a common trope. The joke is its played completely straight even though it is inherently silly.

[u/PISSED_ANT → u/Golfisactuallyfun]

played so completely straight it never even occurred to me that that was a joke

so, it isn't; eye of the beholder, and all that

[u/Golfisactuallyfun → u/PISSED_ANT]

Maybe you just didnt find it funny? That is the joke, that its played straight even though it is inherently silly. The comedy comes from the ridiculous nature of the situation being played completely straight.

[u/PISSED_ANT → u/Golfisactuallyfun]

uh, nah, watch the movie again? she was never the butt of any joke she was in, played straight or otherwise

[u/Golfisactuallyfun → u/PISSED_ANT]

She IS the joke. It was 2004 when calling people “Gay” as an insult was normal and seen as humorous.

[u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm → u/Golfisactuallyfun]

Nah see i think thats bigoted.

I dont think she was written in as a joke, i think she was just written in.

[u/Golfisactuallyfun → u/mdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdmdm]

It was 2004, much different time where calling people/things “Gay” and “Retarded” as an insult was very normal and seen as humorous. It was absolutely bigoted, but the joke is playing this as completely straight.

[u/realgaryglitter → u/Shinjitsu-]

How tall are you

[u/Shinjitsu- → u/realgaryglitter]

Short king at 5' 4", so her height was extra noticeable near me. Dad was 5' 7".

[u/VibraniumQueen → u/Shinjitsu-]

My mom was 6 foot 1. Very wide shoulders. Did not do her makeup like that. I thought it was supposed to be like how those evil Russian ladies in old movies did their makeup, lol

[u/readytodiebynow → u/Shinjitsu-]

i think both are very valid ways of seeing her! I always thought of her in your way!

[u/IntelligentYak5870 → u/Shinjitsu-]

I also thought the joke was that she was ugly. Maybe I was just a dick as a kid

[u/ActualWhiterabbit → u/Shinjitsu-]

Yeah I was thinking they were just an older Chola