I think a number of people could benefit from the addition of a transgender tag. Yes, indeed, gender bender does exist as a genre. However, gender bender tends toward two three divergent experiences. The protagonist will either accept, reject, or be ambivalent towards the change. The difference in experience between a protagonist who welcomes the change and one who rejects it can be quite substantial. Spoiler: Examples For example, compare the works of QuietValerie with Demon Sword Maiden. Substantial enough that the audiences will likely be different. I think adding a 'transgender' or similar tag that can supplement the existing genre designation will help to separate the two opposed experiences. There we go. I feel uncomfortable making requests like this because I know that this will likely only benefit a small subset of people. Still, the idea has been in the back of my mind for a while, and I want it out. Thank you for taking your time to read this.
The tag will definitely be made if you can list at least 5 novels or so which should have this tag, along with a draft definition for the tag.
In my opinion, the difference between gender bender and transgender would be the order between physical and mental changes. With gender bender, the MC suddenly finds themselves in the body of the opposite gender and the story continues with them either coming to terms and accepting the changes (even embracing) or they desperately try to find a way back (or its just smut xD). For transgender, it would be the opposite - over time, the MC would find themselves more and more uncomfortable with their own body and seek to change their life and body to fit their mental state. That's a fairly simplified version of the reality and struggle that people of the transgender community have, but I'm not here to have an argument and hopefully you get my point. Of course, that's just my opinion on how you would differentiate the two - maybe you would view both situations as transgender, idk. Or maybe the transgender tag should be reserved for novels using it as a serious theme, and gender bender used for the more 'fun' ones... you know, the gay-but-not-gay ones lol
I think these might fit the bill, but it's hard to differentiate these from the more general 'gender-bender' tag. "Ah, Senior Brother is Actually a Sister!", "When TS High School Boys Are Too Adaptable", maybe "Levelmaker" Most gender bender's involve a forced transition or magical change against the persons will, so I don't think it fits. To classify as transgender, the character should show a desire for the change in some way, or that they find themselves more comfortable and happier specifically after being changed.They should show that they are comfortable either posing as or becoming the other gender more so than they were. Edit:If you need more to make it official, I found a few more to thorw in the pot. "How Can the Saintess Be a Boy!?", "I Am My Wife", "Happy Ending of a Male-Dressed Noble", "Kyuuketsu Hime wa Barairo no Yume o Miru"
I read this one. I don't see how it has any relation to transgenders. It's a pretty standard run in the mill gender bender.
guess not that one, then. Been a while since I read it. Thought there was enough introspection and coming to terms with gender and sexuality to qualify, but I can't really back that up
Introspection and coming to terms (or rejection) with gender and sexuality are extremely common tropes in Gender Bender... >.> Rather, the Gender Bender stories that don't have those aspects are usually the worst ones because they basically lose the whole point of being a gender bender story.
if you put gender bender and psychology together then you get closer to transgender perhaps? psychology tend more serious one so maybe it fit~ well tag used pretty loosely on NU as magical girl heretic who turn herself into digital monster fans said gender bender actually deal with conflict of sudden change of gender it just mostly used on fan service scene while rarely explore in deep about conflict change of gender~ so do want transgender tag is gender bender + psychology or hmmm other explanation?
Maybe transgender is reserved only for people who surgically or willingly / want to change to other gender?? I think gender bender is too broad, there is crossdressing, and changing because of random accidents or God. Sometimes I just want to find mc changed literally to opposite gender, not crossdressing, which is hard to differentiate sometimes.
I think in order to qualify as Transgender, a person needs to: A. Know that the process will change their gender (he/she must not have been tricked into the process) B. Willingly choose to undergo the process if given the choice (not being given a choice disqualifies this tag) C. Accepts the process as permanent (believing that this is only temporary is a disqualification)