How to represent trans characters in non-transphobic settings?

[joannekwan]

I try to be nonchalant with it as much as possible.
One character I showed a childhood photo of.
Another character mentioned she "grew her A-cup [boobs] herself" so she felt compelled to show them off in a dress with a plunging neckline.

[GloamingCat]

Thank you all!! Something like medical appointments and childhood photos sound like what I'm looking for!

@NickRowler

I guess that's my problem, I do not want a character to just suffer. I want them to be just like any other character but somehow visibly transgender, so people can actually know that they're trans... Because I don't know if it's enough to just write a possibly-cis character then just lazily state that they're trans. For me it feels like the author just wants to dismiss the trans people asking for representantion, without actually trying? Does anyone else feel this too?

But of course, if trans people are happy with characters like these, then I guess that's what matters!

[JeffBaker]

This. The biggest thing for Trans people is that they don't necessarily view themselves as straight cis people see trans. A straight cis person sees trans as having been one gender, and now saying they are another. But for a trans person, they ARE their declared gender, even if they haven't started any hormone therapy or gender affirmation surgery. I saw somebody else say that people could call them by their dead names (their names before they came out) and that's probably a good thing to hit on a few times, but do it in a way that illustrates what I'm talking about here. "It's inappropriate to call me John because I'm Anita. I've always been Anita, I just didn't know how to say it or show it." Obviously I do not speak for the trans community, but I am in the LGBTQ2PIA+ community, so this has been something many of my friends have had to deal with

[indagold]

Is it like a fantasy or sci fi setting? Cause i'm personally sick and tired of those settings being so pessimistic to trans people (i.e. not allowing them to transition, etc), I like the idea there's an escapism to be able to transition easily and without fear is something I don't see much. You could explore them getting a potion or going to some lab or something, though it only works in fantasy settings. Idk how realistic your story is.

[DukeOfOool]

thats a good point.
I've though something similar: In my comic's lore some people have basically trancended sex/gender, through surgery and whatnot you can become a man, a woman, a penguin, bear and so on. Nobody really cares as it's just seen as an outside change, which in a society of cyborgs is totaly mundane.

[NickRowler]

I want them to be just like any other character but somehow visibly transgender, so people can actually know that they're trans

There isn’t really a universal way of doing this because trans people are all very different. If you are going this route, I would recommend not to over do it. Some transwomen are taller then the average ciswoman and some transmen are shorter then the average cisman. That might be your safety way of doing it.

[ThatFanwriter_EV]

One of my characters is trans but it hasnt been explicitly stated in the story because theres been no reason to, the way I'm sharing it is in an extra where she's wearing a sweater with the trans flag for a pride thing shes doing with some of her friends and her partner

[indagold]

I think its the idea that transitioning is a long, arduous thing and should be portrayed realistically (and showing someone mid transition is easier to clock I guess ) Idk why though in a fantasy setting though, it is fantasy

And that sounds interesting as a plot point.

[DukeOfOool]

yeah, mine isn't realistic portrayal of trans-people, but rather a utopic idea, where everybody just minds his own buisiness and is supportive of eachother nomatter how they look, act, dress.

[Kelheor]

Depending on who the character is and what their appearance is you can just make them look like they are in the middle of transitioning. You are drawing a comic, you literally can make them changing every chapter Like maybe they start having short hair and wearing jeans, their hair becoming longer and they start wearing skirts.
Otherwise maybe just don't state it or do it very subtle like @joannekwan advised.

[unicornfield]

1) If the trans character is getting into a relationship, you can have a scene of the character disclosing that they're trans.
2) If the character is medically transitioning, you could mention doctor appointments, blood tests, prescription collection etc.
3) If the character is changing their gender expression, you can have them wear a binder, growing out their hair etc.
4) Depending on the situation, the character could talk about their gender dysphoria.
5) The character could have a trans flag on their bedroom wall.

[GesuGesu]

If you wanted them to be written as a character that lives normally like a cis character, then just write them as if you would a cis character. Normalize it, I guess? They wouldn't really have "wrong bathroom" moments if the society you write is not transphobic and your character lives life normally as their intended gender, right? They'd just go to their appropriate bathroom. You may not even have to mention bathroom visits at all. Are those scenes really necessary in the overall plot..?

It's like....

This is Joe. Joe is in the hospital today, because he's about to welcome a new life into his family. The family congratulates Joe as he holds his newborn in his arms in the hospital bed, after a somewhat short labour.

I don't have to write that he's trans or anything. Joe is Joe. Joe also just happens to have an uterus that he never removed.

I'm not a writer, but I do prefer that characters fit in so well that being trans doesn't need to be "explained" or explicitly said.

In regards to real-life experiences, I could say that, in an accepting society, it's just that any events are simply not questioned or not very "tense". For example, I had a friend who said they wanted to be referred to as they/them. Everyone went with it, no questions. A year or 2 later, they officially went by he/him pronouns. I was confused, but I just went with the new pronouns. Other people did the same. There were no arguments, no nosy business, nothing. Announcements were made, and the people just went along with it.

Similarly, another friend was born AFAB, but went by he/him pronouns when I met them. I just went with it, since all our existing friends did too. Years pass, and that friend switched to more neutral they/them pronouns. Same deal, I just call them by what they wanted. There's no extra effort on my part, really. Other people also did the same. We just... call them by whatever they wanted us to call them.

As for bathrooms, I identify as nonbinary/gender nonconforming/you get the deal. I don't really have bathroom problems. I either pick the universal (all gender) washroom, the single stall washroom, or the washroom that matches my genital needs. It may have just been a history unique to me, but my high school had some gender nonconforming students and often students see a "boy" go into the girl's washroom, or a "girl" go into the boys' washroom, but no one said anything about it. We were confused little high schoolers, but in the end we just went to do our business and didn't really care who was hanging around in front of the mirrors or stalls. I guess this would be your non-transphobic real life anecdote. I can't say that my entire city is non-transphobic, but we're fairly open (eg. having all gender washrooms available in most public sector buildings) and even if people are weirded out, they tend to stay silent or keep their thoughts to themselves.

[NUG-Boster]

hi there i am a trans male and i have a lot of trans and gender diverse friends and we would be happy to answer questions

[rajillustration]

I mean why are you writing the character? When you lock down why you want to write a trans character, it will guide you better into what you want to show of their life experience. Just make sure not to lean into stereotypes to show that they're trans like husky builds and huge adams apples. You'll be best to just have them talk about their transitioning experience with the main character straight up--because otherwise...how would they know? And how would our audience know that this is a utopia for trans people unless the trans person shows it by openly talking about it?

[thedude3445]

Offhanded mentions are the only way to achieve this in the way you'd like. If the trans person is open about their identity, you can have them mention their childhood and transitioning long ago. You can have them mention the hormones they take or the top surgery they may have had, but it's all just random references to the past that they probably don't bring up often.

Do NOT do stuff involving bathrooms or genitals or that kind of stuff because it will feel really forced and also exactly the sort of stuff trans people in real life hate talking about.

[Bree_Mana]

I could see even doing something as small as wearing a trans Pride pin somewhere on their accessories like a backpack or whatever. I've met several Trans people that do this IRL when They're comfortable with their own identity.

As a nonbinary person I've also found I have a tendancy to just casually come out if I'm comfortable with a group. I can't speak for binary trans people in that sense though.

[whiskeyjack]

Hey, trans guy here.

The fact that you want to show a trans character "visibly" honestly feels kinda like tokenism. Trans people just want to be normal people, and your trans characters should be that - normal people. Being trans is just part of who they are - like someone having black hair, or blue eyes - and unless it's extremely relevant to the story in some way, I would avoid having them talk about the fact that they are trans.

Most trans people don't like to divulge this to others unless they already have an established relationship, but of course this can depend on what kind of character you're writing and the setting.

Bree's suggestion of a pride pin is a good non-obvious way to show it.

[jordansearose]

NB person here with several binary trans friends. If if isn't directly relevant to the plot or the character's development, there isn't really a reason to show that they are trans (outside of sensationalism). If you want to give background info on them, I agree with other suggestions in this thread that environmental storytelling is a good avenue. Normal little things, like a pride item in their personal space, or medication in their bathroom -- whatever makes sense for your setting. But because not all trans people are the same (they may not wear binders, may not be doing HRT, etc), what specifically you include depends on the details of your character. This will require some research on your part.

[Inspector_Spinda]

In a comic, easy. Just make them look a bit like their birth gender. Like a woman with no breasts or a man with a bit of a fem face. Have them not relate to the childhood experiences of their new gender. Girls playing with dolls? Trans woman maybe never did that. Can’t relate to periods. Maybe wears a wig. Maybe has a bit more body hair. Adam’s apple. Not everyone can afford to transition perfectly. If they can’t transition at all just have them have the body language of their desired sex

[spadesart]

it's its ok to have your trans characters just talk about their experiences. its also not tokenism to include trans characters that are open about their experiences in stories that arent about being trans lol. alternatively if they're post-op you can show surgical scars, or if not, gender-affirming things like binders or inserts, or a trans flag/pride pin.

my comic spire takes place in a fantasy society where anti-lgbt sentiment is near nonexistant. i addressed my character blaise being trans in chapter 5 by showing him being comfortable at the beach with his top surgery scars visible, with some earlier dialogue that mentions his transition and that he takes hormones. i dont think it was clear in these panels but after victor sees blaise's surgical scars he's more at ease showing his battle scars before swimming.