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From Cinderella to Steven Universe: How language has shaped Trans+ and Genderqueer representation in animation across the last century

The Timeline From famous Disney villains inspired by drag queens, to the openly non-binary characters of new fantasy cartoons, the way that trans and genderqueer characters are described, voiced and treated has shifted massively over the years. This post will cover several canonical transgender and non-binary characters, as well as those who are genderqueer-coded, to … Continue reading From Cinderella to Steven Universe: How language has shaped Trans+ and Genderqueer representation in animation across the last century

The basics: Terminology around Genderqueer, Trans+ and Gender Non-Conforming identities in Animation

Here is a list of concepts and terminology in relation to trans, genderqueer and gender non-conforming identities with explanations to help deepen understanding of this area. Androgynous Androgynous is not a specific label for an identity – instead it refers to a mixture of feminine and masculine characteristics, or an absence of gender. Characters who … Continue reading The basics: Terminology around Genderqueer, Trans+ and Gender Non-Conforming identities in Animation

“But I’m not a girl! I’m a shark!” – A discourse-focused analysis of genderqueer allegory through language in Nimona

Representation in Animation  Animation can arguably be a medium of exploration and growth. As other GLARe posts have shown, animated films are far more than just cartoons for children! Films like Into the Spiderverse (Persichetti et al., 2018) and The Mitchells vs the Machines (Rianda, 2021) are some of my personal favourite examples of the … Continue reading “But I’m not a girl! I’m a shark!” – A discourse-focused analysis of genderqueer allegory through language in Nimona

Hegemonic masculinity and the subversion of gender stereotypes: A linguistic analysis of DreamWorks’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

"When I was a boy, my father told me to bang my head against a rock, and I did it. I thought it was crazy, but I didn’t question him. And you know what happened? That rock split in two. It taught me what a Viking could do, Gobber. He could crush mountains, level forests, … Continue reading Hegemonic masculinity and the subversion of gender stereotypes: A linguistic analysis of DreamWorks’ ‘How to Train Your Dragon’

Gender queering and villainy in animated films: a linguistic analysis of Hades from Hercules

The picture so far  In recent years, an increasing number of commentaries have focused on the presentation of gender in animated villains — take, for instance, these articles from The Tempest, Screen Rant, and Feminism in India. More specifically, these commentaries have considered ways in which the villains don’t conform to traditional gender norms, while … Continue reading Gender queering and villainy in animated films: a linguistic analysis of Hades from Hercules