Ever since the release of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse earlier this year, several background details in the movie have made fans wonder if theĀ film’s version of Gwen Stacy is meant to be transgender. However, is this an explicit creative decision by the filmmakers, or a cannon-supported fan theory? Here’s whether we think Gwen is trans in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.
Is Spider-Verseās Gwen Stacy the First Transgender Spider-Woman?
The short version is that Gwen doesnāt explicitly say sheās trans, but thereās a lot of evidence for the interpretation.
Early in Across the Spider-Verse, in the scene set on Gwenās Earth, thereās a quick shot at the start where thereās a trans pride flag on the arm of Captain Stacyās uniform. Later, after Gwenās argument with her father, thereās a quick shot where you can see another trans pride flag tacked on her bedroom wall (circled below), above her door, with āProtect Trans Kidsā written on it.
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Further, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse frequently bathes Gwen in the same pinks, blues, and whites as the transgender flag. In a movie thatās so specifically concerned with color, which frequently shifts its art style or palette to underscore the action or drama, thereās no way this wasnāt done with purposeful intent.
That being said, a lot of Marvel Comicsā characters are built on the concept of the superhero as allegory. The X-Men are the most famous example, which famously uses its mutant characters as a sci-fi stand-in for various cultural minorities. One of the reasons why the X-Men got popular in the first place was how easy it was for any and all readers to see themselves reflected in the characters.
Thatās not as common a plot arc for Spider-Man stories, but itās also not unheard of. A lot of writers from outside the comic have pointed out the thematic similarities between a superhero whoās forced to keep a secret identity and a deeply closeted queer kid.
Marvel itself has occasionally made that parallel. A decent example comes from 2002ās Amazing Spider-Man Volume 2 #38, by J. Michael Straczynski and John Romita Jr., where May Parker has just discovered Peter is Spider-Man:
It can be an effective allegory, although itās obviously not going to be universally applicable. The benefit is that you can often make a point more effectively with an allegory than you could with a straightforward explanation.
That parallel is visibly at work in a lot of the personal conflict in Across the Spider-Verse, particularly between Gwen and her father. Sheās got a secret that she canāt bear to tell him, for fear that her father will reject her outright. Granted, the secret is that he doesnāt know heās been trying to arrest Gwen for a murder she didnāt commit, but for the purposes of the comparison, a secret is a secret.
Gwen may or may not be transgender in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (and one way or the other, thatās what your head canon is for), but as a superhero with a secret identity that sheās desperate to keep, sheās a useful sort of character for examining queer issues.
If you’re looking for more explanations of Marvel lore, check out just how many versions of Spider-Man there actually are.
Published: Sep 29, 2023 02:27 pm