r/TopCharacterTropes • u/altrightobserver • 5h ago
Characters (loved trope) Trans characters who do not/cannot pass but everyone still respects their identity
- 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
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u/Cheeky_Hustler 3h ago
I think Oda suffers from "confused but has the spirit." His early work depicting trans people is problematic at best but he doesn't villify them (e.g. Bon Clay, Ivankov). Later trans characters are a lot better represented (Kiku, Yamato, Morley). I think he just didn't have a lot of exposure to trans people growing up. (Bon Clay is based off the traditional Japanese charicature of a gay person, for example.)