There is something both incredibly heartwarming and deeply frustrating about the transgender representation in Across the Spider-Verse.
Let’s start with the heartwarming part: there is a deep joy in seeing that the people who made this movie share the same vision, at least on some level. Now, after many years, the character, interpreted as a trans woman, is now being portrayed by a trans woman like myself.
I have seen trailers for the movie before watching it, so I knew that Gwen’s flag “protect trans kids” was included in her room. However, I thought it would be nice if the movie added a genuine sense of queerness without shying away from portraying one of their well-known characters canonically as transgender, considering the rich history of comic books spanning almost 60 years.
Instead of conveying queerness through explicit dialogue or labeling, the movie does not include any trans characters, nor does it state that Stacy Gwen is a trans woman. I believe it is fair to say that there was no wrong point in the movie, but rather, it becomes more frustrating, yet interesting, to explore the general ways and specific visual clues that subtly hint at queerness.
In order to understand both Gwen’s identity and the counter-arguments of the people who would rebuke her, it is still relevant to list the intentions of the creative team. However, instead of investigating them in a Silvia-esque Pepe conspiracy theory board, I think it is more interesting to understand Gwen’s transness in the context of the whole movie. I won’t spend too much time focusing on the specific visual clues of Gwen’s transness.
I would like to examine these clues as counter-arguments to the general mindset around queer representation in superhero stories, as I think they are symptomatic of the mainstream media as a whole.
The additional one on their parent’s occupational attire and the one showcased above their bed, which includes one with two transgender flags in their residence, no ally I’ve ever encountered has, although I’ll be frank, understandable! Certain individuals contend that Gwen might simply be a transgender supporter, initially.
I would like to ask those people why they couldn’t accept the possibility of a major character being transgender instead of the character’s backstory being only a part in their cisgender mind, and why the subtext of the movie is built around a character who is dead rather than having the possibility of being transgender. I’ve also seen people argue that the flags of being transgender are in Gwen’s memory in her house, rather than the possibility of Earth-65’s Peter Parker being transgender and Gwen herself being transgender.
People have debated that pink has consistently been one of Gwen’s primary colors, and blue might simply symbolize the complex emotions she is experiencing during those moments, as for the background colors transitioning to those of the trans flag. However, it is still peculiar that blue, pink, and white are the exclusive colors specifically present in scenes where Gwen discusses only being able to reveal half of her life to those around her, grappling with having two identities, and being confronted about it by a paternal authority figure. It is difficult to believe that this is anything other than a deliberate creative decision to depict Gwen’s story as a trans story in a film where a significant amount of narrative and character development is conveyed through the visuals, and where great attention is given to every detail of those visuals. At the very least, it finds an emotional essence and resonance in the trans community’s experiences.
So, is Gwen transgender?
The Spider-Verse is a predominantly non-queer comic book and film industry, where every character, regardless of their gender identity, is not explicitly considered queer until the story specifies otherwise. This means that every character exists in a Schrödinger’s box of gender identity, where they are neither trans nor cis until it is explicitly stated otherwise. It is argued that this conclusion ignores the real-life context of the Spider-Verse, where trans representation isn’t purely canonical or proven verbally. The movie never states whether any character is trans or cis, as it takes a canonical standpoint. It is a difficult question to answer because there are multiple co-existing answers.
But is this the way we desire to discuss literature? Is this how we wish to examine queerness in media?
The central theme of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a narrative about a transgender individual, which undeniably strikes a chord. While this potential for denying the truth may come across as somewhat cowardly, whether intentional or not, Gwen’s LGBTQ+ identity in Across the Spider-Verse is depicted in a manner that allows individuals who wish to ignore its existence to do so effortlessly.
The Underlying Message
The queerness of Spider-Verse finds its roots in the inherent queerness of the superhero genre, making it undeniably trans about choosing a new name for yourself and building a new identity around that name. It’s hard to read classic Spider-Man scenes, like Peter Parker revealing his secret identity to Aunt May or MJ, without seeing echoes of the anxieties that come with being a trans person and wanting to stay safe by hiding this new identity even from close relatives and friends.
If we consider the inclusion of various queer identities in the parallel narratives of queerness, it becomes evident that these identities may not be immediately recognizable to non-queer individuals or resonate with queer audiences, whether intentionally or not. However, the parallels that emerge between these identities and the experiences of Miles, who learns not to succumb to the fear instilled by those who hate him, as well as his desire to hide from his parents, showcase the transformative journey of Miles’ life. In essence, the movie already presents a thematic resonance, and if that is what you are seeking, then “That” is all there is to it.
Instead of placing the place first, place it in the first place. Place the place first in the designated location. Place it in the initial position. Place it in the foremost spot. Place it at the beginning. Place it at the start. Place it at the outset. Place it at the commencement. Place it at the onset. Place it at the initiation. Place it at the introduction. Place it at the opening. Place it at the inauguration. Place it at the kickoff. Place it at the launch. Place it at the outset. Place it at the origin. Place it at the starting point. Place it at the initial stage. Place it at the primary position. Place it at the top. Place it at the head. Place it at the forefront. Place it at the front. Place it at the lead. Place it at the vanguard. Place it at the forefront. Place it at the forefront. Place it at the forefront. Place it at the forefront. Place it at the forefront.
In the narrative, the focus shifts to a transgender teenager who becomes the central figure of tension when a police officer aims a firearm at them. This occurrence marks the point where the superhero science fiction elements of the story fade away, and the metaphor seamlessly blends into reality. The confrontation between the two characters takes place against the backdrop of an ongoing threat to trans rights by law enforcement agencies throughout the United States, who argue that their actions are aimed at “protecting children.” The fate of Gwen, the protagonist, hinges entirely on her father’s response, and the decision to portray him persistently pursuing her arrest and refusing to listen to her feels achingly authentic. Revealing one’s true identity to a parent can leave one exposed and vulnerable, a sensation that is further magnified by the fact that Gwen is compelled to disclose this information under the threat of a gun.
“I don’t understand why you want to see me, but I have been thinking about what you told me… Dad.”
“For how much time have you been deceiving me?”
Could you kindly pause your duties as a law enforcement officer and assume the role of my father in this situation, and actively listen to what I have to say?
“…Are you truly this scared of me?”
Gwen has no choice but to stay, as long as it remains tolerable, in a very real and risky situation of potentially being outed after returning home from her father’s. It’s not just a threat, she could actually be kicked out of Society Spider. The Queerness line can only stay profitable and quiet for so long. In this dire situation, Gwen finds herself relying on Miguel O’Hara, who only helps her as long as she’s useful to him. She realizes that running away is not an option, as she has seen others in the same predicament and knows that she will only find community and understanding by facing the same challenges.
In order to cease being an adversary, it involves undergoing significant personal transformations that involve actively opting to challenge and discard the perspective that you have been ingrained with since childhood. Furthermore, the fact that allyship can only be achieved by him resigning from his job is not only a source of relief because it disproves Miguel’s assertions about canonical events (which will be further explored later), but also because the ultimate resolution to her narrative can only arise from her father prioritizing her over his occupation and political beliefs upon her return.
Queerness is an integral part of humanity, and if we forget that, superheroes become nothing. Spider-Verse: Across the Man-Spider understands the true essence of being human by exploring fantastical ideas and colorful worlds, utilizing the immense potential of its genre. In this rare superhero story, it feels like one can truly relate to the experiences and proportions blown up by the Spider-Verse. What makes Gwen’s character even more powerful is how it fully embraces the fictional aspects of sci-fi while anchoring it with the real-life subtext of her queer identity.
Is it also true that Across the Spider-Verse as a whole does not revolve around Gwen, the main character? Additionally, is it a story that features a transgender character?
Let’s discuss Miles Morales.
Discovering Transidentity in Miles’ Narrative
Similarly, despite not being highlighted in the visuals, a significant amount of the queerness found in Miles’ narrative is also evident in Gwen’s story. Without recognizing this, it becomes impossible to thoroughly examine the trans resonance of the film. Up until now, we have primarily examined the legitimate visual and thematic justifications for the majority of the trans analysis centered around Gwen in Across the Spider-Verse.
We find Miles at the beginning of the movie, living a double life as a teenager and hiding a big part of his identity, just like many transgender teenagers, Gwen included. He doesn’t feel safe telling the truth about himself and hiding his identity, so he lies and hides. It is clear to us, the audience, that his parents are portrayed as haters or bigots, making him deeply distrustful and afraid of making himself vulnerable to the potential hurtful reaction of people whose opinion is important to him. Even now, as he starts working with Spidey and develops a relationship with him, who is opposed to deeply distrusting his father, it is incredibly accepting and loving. We see that his parents are not safe because they don’t make him feel safe, so he feels the need to hide a big part of his identity and live a double life, just like many transgender teenagers, Gwen included, at the beginning of the movie. Before deciding to reveal his secret identity and come out to his parents, he imagines several tense scenes that could create tension if they were to happen, including a scene where he interacts with his parents and Gwen, depicting a lot of scenes with Miles that can be easily read as queer.
Instead of simply telling his parents about the important part he’s been hiding from them, the child who wants to tell them desperately is a supervillain attacked by a superhero, putting their family in danger. The problem is not that he doesn’t know how to tell them, but that he has decided not to tell them, which would be easier. In the Spider-Verse, however, the weight of Miles’ secret identity feels omnipresent as it implies his mind is always on it, in every single scene.Output: Rather than merely informing his parents about the significant aspect he has concealed from them, the child who is eager to desperately disclose it is a supervillain assailed by a superhero, jeopardizing their family. The predicament lies not in his lack of knowledge on how to inform them, but in his deliberate choice to refrain from doing so, which would be more convenient. Nonetheless, in the Spider-Verse, the burden of Miles’ hidden persona is constantly present, manifesting in his thoughts and permeating every scene.
When confronted by the consequences of his actions, Miguel is faced with strong parallels to the fight for transgender rights, which suggests that it is better to achieve something and try to shake things up than to accept tragedies as the norm. According to Miles, the young spider-hero, the reliable enemy is the tragedy of accepting those tragedies caused by events canonically enforced in the name of security, but only accepted should be the tragedies caused by the doctrine of Society Spider-the.
Miles refuses to surrender to the narrative of tragedy and doom, deeply resonating with the current situation of trans people in the US and echoing the mindset of some cis queer individuals in the LGB Alliance. Although he has gone through the same experiences as Gwen and Miles, Miguel seems to think that sacrificing safety to reach a sense of legitimacy legitimizes the actions of those who jeopardize the community. However, Miles clearly sees that letting individuals like Spot escape the rules of the multiverse is not a threat but rather empowers the actual enemies of the community. He hopes to escape his invisible destiny by embracing his identity and relinquishing the freedom of embracing repressive and meaningless rules. This argument only makes sense to someone who has accepted the idea that only those who call themselves what they can call themselves have the right to embrace the identity of freedom. In this case, Miguel’s position as Spider-Man under the pretense that he didn’t get his powers the right way invalidates Miles’ very identity. To legitimize his position, Miguel fears an invisible hand of destiny that lets him escape the rule, but clearly, only Miles sees the threat that the rule isn’t found in the rules of the multiverse but rather in the actions of hateful individuals.
Understanding Spider-Verse from an Intersectional Perspective
So why the particular emphasis on Gwen?
It is undeniable that Gwen’s metaphoric character permeates the entire feel of Miles’ queer themes, resonating with him in a way that cannot be ignored. It is clear that Gwen’s transness is not a mistake, but a deliberate and intentional artistic choice that is evident in every visual aspect of the film.
He doesn’t realize that he doesn’t belong to the world he’s in, until he grows up and feels the pressures of the world against his family’s expectations. Being a Latino Black teenager from Brooklyn, he is rooted in his previous story, and this movie acknowledges that fact in various coming out scenes and his relationship with his parents. But discussing his queer story doesn’t mean that it is antithetical to being rooted in his identity as a person of color, especially since characters like Miguel in Spider-Man resonate with being queer, even though they present themes of resistance, marginality, tragedy, and oppression that are recognized in his own story. It is also important not to absolutize Miles’ queerness in his story.
Now, as for me, my father, and you, I am strong because I know how to overcome all of them. I didn’t let them have it. They didn’t want me, but I met all these incredible individuals and witnessed all these incredible locations.
Gwen and Peter clearly emerge as ineffective white supporters – particularly when compared to Hobie and Margo, the only other African-American spider-heroes (excluding Jess) in the film, who are the ones to genuinely aid Miles in his escape from this perspective. What ultimately saves him is the unity among black individuals whom he barely knows, as his white friends abandon him. Meanwhile, due to their inability to relinquish their attachment to the existing state of affairs, in a somewhat similar manner to Gwen’s father, Peter and Gwen disappoint as allies to Miles for the majority of the film. (I highly recommend reading Omar Holmon’s outstanding article on the movie, which delves into these themes of black solidarity and deceptive white allyship much more eloquently than I ever could.)
The movie is about superheroes in colorful suits trying to save the multiverse, where each way they connect and reinforce ideas, intermingling with each other. It is said to be a story of Miles, who refuses to submit to the crushing weight of institutionalized racism and being disappointed by white allyship. It is also said to be a story that resonates as a struggling trans teenager who has been outed to her cop father. Similarly, Gwen’s story resonates as a story of a teenager struggling with her identity as a trans person. Spider-Verse opts to make its real-world issues resonate with its subtextual readings, allowing the audience to fully understand the inner workings of its characters without neglecting the social issues at stake in the real world. It goes beyond using mutants as metaphors and shamelessly fulfills the potential of superhero stories as empowering fiction for marginalized groups. In many ways, Spider-Verse understands and fundamentally fulfills the potential of superhero stories as empowering fiction for marginalized groups. Perhaps this is what makes Spider-Verse the greatest across all.
It’s frustrating to see ourselves left out of our own stories in this way, especially when the movie The Spider-Man contains queer themes. It’s obvious that popular stories like Spider-Man have the power to push the limits of what can be done, so it’s important to look at independent art created by under-represented communities. While blockbuster movies should strive for real representation, it’s never going to happen if we don’t even bother to push for it.
It’s cool to see a Spider-Man movie that acknowledges we are the anomaly rather than the norm. As a reminder, each person feels euphoria in their spider suit, and it’s amazing to see fan art of Gwen-Spider holding a trans flag. I’ve seen how much queer people are able to see themselves in the Spider-Verse, and I want to celebrate how much I see myself reflected back through Gwen Stacy. However, I can’t even do that.
After all, if anyone is able to wear the mask, why couldn’t we?