As a long-time Star Wars enthusiast and a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, I can’t help but feel a mix of joy and anticipation as I witness the gradual evolution of gender diversity within this iconic universe. It’s been a slow journey, much like Han Solo’s Kessel Run, but every new character that breaks the mold brings us one step closer to a galaxy far, far away that truly reflects the rich tapestry of identities and experiences that make up our own world.
Any universe with hundreds of sentient species and thousands of star systems is bound to have a lot of gender diversity. While “Star Wars” took longer than queer fans would have liked to begin to explore that side of the galaxy far, far away, the franchise has slowly but steadily expanded its canonical view of gender over the last eight years or so. If you only watch the movies and the Disney+ shows, though, you might not even know about all of the trans and nonbinary characters who now populate the timeline. That’s because they’ve generally been relegated to novels and the High Republic comics, at least for now.
It’s well-known that Disney has typically been hesitant when it comes to portraying queer or genderqueer themes in its main franchises. For instance, I’ll always advocate for Finn and Poe having an endgame. As a longtime queer Star Wars fan who’s worked professionally within the franchise, I can attest that progress often seems slow and more characterized by token gestures than genuine representation. However, there are many writers and creators who have strived to increase gender diversity in the series, albeit incrementally.
As a passionate Star Wars gamer, I’ve been thrilled to witness the evolution of gender representation within this expansive galaxy far, far away. Back in 2016, a groundbreaking genderqueer character was unveiled in the novel “Aftermath: Life Debt.” Fast forward five years to 2021, and Marvel’s High Republic comics introduced not one, but two canonical trans characters! This journey into understanding gender depiction in Star Wars, exploring its history of genderqueer characters, and witnessing these changes firsthand has been nothing short of exhilarating.
A brief history of gender in Star Wars
In the era before Disney acquired Lucasfilm (which was back when the “Star Wars” Expanded Universe was around), there weren’t many instances of genderqueerness portrayed in the series. This wasn’t because “Star Wars” itself lacked inclusivity, but rather a reflection of the societal norms at that time. However, representation has significantly improved since the early 2000s, particularly when it comes to queer characters. Back then, even portraying gay characters was challenging, let alone depicting any form of gender variance. In the old “Star Wars” stories (now known as Legends), you might encounter alien species that used plural pronouns due to their unique biology or Hutts being hermaphroditic, but that’s as far as it went in terms of exploring gender diversity.
In the Disney-era continuity of “Star Wars,” one of the initial nonbinary characters was introduced, a character being Eleodie Maracavanya, a space pirate. Introduced in Chuck Wendig’s 2016 novel “Star Wars: Life Debt” and reappearing in “Aftermath: Empire’s End” the following year, this character uses neopronouns (zhe/zher). In both novels, Eleodie assumes a crucial role and even seizes control of an Imperial Super Star Destroyer within the “Aftermath” series.
Since then, an increasing number of nonbinary characters have been introduced. For instance, Keo Venzee, a Mirialan pilot, is a prominent character in the video game “Star Wars: Squadrons.” Similarly, a brief appearance of a nonbinary Jedi can be found in the animated Disney+ series “Star Wars: Tales of the Empire.” In 2021, the “Star Wars” universe introduced its first trans characters, twins named Ceret and Terec, through the High Republic comics.
Ceret and Terec were the first trans Star Wars characters
In the 2021 release of “Star Wars: The High Republic” #2, Ceret and Terec are presented as trans nonbinary siblings who belong to the Kotabi species and were brought up and educated as Jedi. These bonded twins possess a strong mental link and served at the renowned Starlight Beacon space station, a crucial element in the entire High Republic narrative.
As opposed to Eleodie Maracavanya who employs neopronouns, Ceret and Terec opt for they/them pronouns. In the comics, they embark on a string of Jedi escapades, clashing with both the formidable Hutts and the space outlaws known as the Nihil, serving as the main adversaries throughout most of The High Republic saga. These twins manage to flee from the cataclysmic collapse of the Starlight Beacon, ensuring their survival for further tales yet to be spun in the future.
Originally, Ceret and Terec were the only known trans characters in “Star Wars,” but that’s no longer the case. In E.K. Johnston’s 2022 novel “Star Wars: Queen’s Hope,” a transfem clone trooper named Sister and a genderfluid human character called Tepoh have been introduced to the Star Wars universe.
Star Wars continues to slowly expand its view of gender
Sci-fi and fantasy narratives serve as captivating realms to envision alternative existences. Regrettably, the creative freedom in these worlds sometimes clashes with what’s considered “commercial-friendly” when they belong to large franchises such as “Star Wars.” Notably, queer representation has significantly increased within this series, with characters like the protagonist Osha from “The Acolyte,” portrayed by Amandla Stenberg, and popular character Doctor Aphra gaining substantial recognition. The influx of numerous genderqueer figures in recent times is unquestionably a significant stride for Lucasfilm, indicating that things are moving towards greater inclusivity.
Despite having a minor role in “Tales of the Empire,” the nonbinary Jedi character on Disney+ represents a much larger platform compared to supporting roles in books or comics. In 2024, Abigail Thorn made history by becoming the first openly transgender actor to portray a named character in “Star Wars” on screen as Eurus in “The Acolyte.” Notably, showrunner Leslye Headland and star Amandla Stenberg are both gay and prefer both she/her and they/them pronouns. It’s encouraging to see diversity among the production team, but live-action “Star Wars” projects often tend to avoid featuring openly queer or genderqueer characters prominently.
In a science fiction setting like Star Wars, there is ample opportunity to delve deeper into the spectrum of gender identities, as evidenced by Claudia Gray’s statement on Lucasfilm’s Tumblr in 2021. She noted that the galaxy far, far away (GFFA) boasts numerous new genders and species. Over time, the franchise has been introducing these concepts more explicitly.
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2024-08-04 18:00