Finding Dory will feature Disney’s first transgender character, Ellen DeGeneres has confirmed. The movie will include a stingray that’s ‘becoming sting-Rhonda’, the lesbian star said. DeGeneres was asked in an interview with USA Today about whether there was a lesbian couple in the film. By Tris Reid-Smith – Full Story at Gay Star News
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Richard Wood: Speaking of FF and other non MM varieties of LGBT sex, why are almost all shifters male? Can a male shifter be female when shifted or choose which sex to be? Or how about shifters who shift between male and female human forms? Why are all shifters shifting between human and animal forms? How many men and women would like to experience sex from both male and female perspectives? Thinking here of Heinlein’s “I will Fear No Evil”. This topic deals with gender issues, which can be a touchy topic, so I … Read more
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Matthew J. Metzger: For trans: the difference between trans stories and genderbending stories. This could be a dicey one. Gender discussions often are, so let’s try to talk this in a respectful, polite way. As Matthew points out, gender bending and being transgender are two different things, though to the outside observer, they may have some similarities, in that both challenge our traditional conceptions about gender. And in addition to transgender, we can also add the gender fluid category. So here are my thoughts – and feel free to tell me if I am … Read more
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer Matthew J. Metzger: The big one for me is the double standards. There seems to be a presumption that you need to have a degree in gender studies to write a trans character, no matter the actual plot or genre of the book. Whereas I can see eight novels on my feed right now that are M/M and could be changed to M/F with a simple pronoun switch-up. Why can LGB books be about, well, anything you want, but the idea of a book with a character who just so happens to be transgender … Read more
Today’s writer topic comes from QSFer ‘Nathan Smith: How do we walk the fine line between categorizing books as readers (or writers) in order to challenge the industry to be more representative? A novel with gay characters is often listed as gay (or, m/m) primarily, and discussed that way, even if it’s a science fiction or fantasy or romance or mystery. In SF we have a bit more leeway and I feel like we’ve made a bit more progress than other genres, but even then: if the book involves LGBTQ characters, it’ll be very much treated as a queer book–which … Read more
A trans woman has claimed to be the first person to have both ears surgically removed, for cosmetic reasons, in her quest to become a dragon. Eva Tiamat Baphomet Medusa, or Tiamat for short, is a 55-year-old trans woman from Arizona who has undergone a series of procedures to become a ‘mythical beast’. She has had her nose radically altered, tooth extractions, eye coloring, a forked tongue and a full-face tattoo. Full Story at Gay Star News
Today’s topic comes from QSFer Elizabeth Barrette: How magic or technology can allow people to alter their bodies, and what that means for transfolk. This is a fascinating one, and a tricky one. I used magic to “transform” a trans character, and ran it by one of my trans friends. I was surprised by some of the minefields I was walking across without even knowing it. How would your trans character feel about having their physical gender changed to match their internal one? Are we being myopic thinking every trans person would want such a thing? What about gender non-conforming … Read more
QSFer Jaylee James has a new sci fi book out: Collin is in high school when he is visited by a time traveler – a woman who claims to be his wife in a hypothetical future… only the timeline has been disrupted, and the two will never meet unless he makes four key choices in his life that will guide them together again. “Choosing You” is a short story in a conversational, first-person voice, about what happens when deciding to love someone becomes a literal choice. It’s 7300 words long and features a transgender protagonist. Excerpt The first time I … Read more
‘Jamie – A Transgender Fairytale’ is the latest video from Olly Pike, a UK-based performer and activist. His YouTube channel, Pop’n’Olly, aims to teach children issues effecting the LGBT community and encourage tolerance and understanding. He aims to do this with the help of original animated videos – and a talking balloon named Pop. Orignal Post at Pink News
‘Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate’ will include the long-running series’ first transgender character. The character – Ned Wynert – is a trans male and one of several supporting characters that act as quest givers for the game’s protagonists. Developers Ubisoft have also updated Assassin’s Creed’s opening statement for the first time since the first game’s release in 2007. See the Full Story at Pink News