Why Gender bender?

[Hoshino]

Let's be real: most authors write gender-bender stories only because they're famous; only some of them write because of it as a trope.

I suppose they write it because cute girls doing cute things are popular, right? But no, there’s gender-bender romance disguised as BL or GL; they are just too afraid to write the actual thing. They gender-bend the male lead and have him fall in love with another male lead, which is just BL. Okay, their genders are opposite, but there still remains the same gender in the same person inside; only their bodies have changed, not their consciousness. Sure, the brain responds to the body's needs, but are you not the same person you were before? No, you aren't. The you that was the real you is gone; the one now is just another you, not exactly you. Yes, using this, you can explore themes like identity loss or self-discovery, and dynamics that you normally can't, unique character writing, or some stereotypes; however, only some of them do that.

And don't even get me started on those stories that just gender-bend the main character for no reason. Oh yeah, they turned into a female SCP, cool, but why female exactly? They don't even provide a reason; it could be anything else or not have a gender, in which case it’s just a cute girl. Let me tell you, those who write these are just doing it because it's popular (a lack of originality), or they just don't want to write a female main character, which I like to believe. It would be a whole other thing if the stories were actually good, but most of them are terrible slop that uses the same formula again. I know not all of them are terrible, and some of them are actually good, but I don't care.

I'm not asking why you write gender-bender stories or what purpose you have in writing such things, or what you think of this.

But I'm asking: why gender-bend the protagonist? WHY?

 

[NotaNuffian]

Let's be real: most authors write gender-bender stories only because they're famous; only some of them write because of it as a trope.

I suppose they write it because cute girls doing cute things are popular, right? But no, there’s gender-bender romance disguised as BL or GL; they are just too afraid to write the actual thing. They gender-bend the male lead and have him fall in love with another male lead, which is just BL. Okay, their genders are opposite, but there still remains the same gender in the same person inside; only their bodies have changed, not their consciousness. Sure, the brain responds to the body's needs, but are you not the same person you were before? No, you aren't. The you that was the real you is gone; the one now is just another you, not exactly you. Yes, using this, you can explore themes like identity loss or self-discovery, and dynamics that you normally can't, unique character writing, or some stereotypes; however, only some of them do that.

And don't even get me started on those stories that just gender-bend the main character for no reason. Oh yeah, they turned into a female SCP, cool, but why female exactly? They don't even provide a reason; it could be anything else or not have a gender, in which case it’s just a cute girl. Let me tell you, those who write these are just doing it because it's popular (a lack of originality), or they just don't want to write a female main character, which I like to believe. It would be a whole other thing if the stories were actually good, but most of them are terrible slop that uses the same formula again. I know not all of them are terrible, and some of them are actually good, but I don't care.

I'm not asking why you write gender-bender stories or what purpose you have in writing such things, or what you think of this.

But I'm asking: why gender-bend the protagonist? WHY?

 

[Puji-Maki]

Because it's hot?

Because it's fappable?

Because it's different?

Because the pole became a hole?

Because the hole became a pole?

Swordfighting, but not.

Scissoring, but not.

Perhaps it's a kink and fetish.

 

[melchi]

False. Famous is to write shonen. Writing GB stories will limit the story's appeal.

Having a tom-boy / tom-girl protag is a valid reason. But there really isn't a 100% accurate reason, people that try to throw shade at entire genres are just pre-judging.

Ex: Ranma 1/2 is nothing like she professed herself pupil as the wise man. Like any work, each merits treating it as its own thing. Are there common themes? Yeah, but still, saying authors who write GB are .... is like saying authors who write fantasy are ....

It is just so broad.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

There is true GB, but their is way too much fake GB. Mostly for popularity reasons.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

People are degenerates.

 

[RepresentingDesire]

I think it's applicable to gender in general often. Like why is a given protagonist male or female, yes both have different norms but they can just be changed? I would answer that it's just audience appeal, like how many would like the generic anime protagonist female edition that liked the original version.

 

[Clo]

I think for many authors of GB stories, it's a way to explore their own complicated feelings about gender.

There are so many authors who discovered they were trans as they wrote a story, possibly because of how relatable their MC's experience is to them.

Then there are trans folks who write gender-bender as a way to pay it forward. They have read thousands of GB stories, it was instrumental to their own awakening, and now they want to create their own, for future generations.

I don't know many authors who do it because it "sells" (I am fairly sure it reduces your potential audience), but it certainly targets a specific crowd.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

I've always kind of liked the idea of characters who either are forced to or are able to change their genders (heck, if I could turn back, I'd be willing to do it myself for long enough to experience all of it for real - though, honestly, I'd be even more interested in the way Lazarus Long did it in Time Enough For Love - have a clone that is identical but female, just to see how a hypothetical female me would behave) since I was fairly little.
Had a challenge issued on another website (don't even remember which one or what the challenge was exactly - something about looking in the mirror at a reflection that is not your own or something, I think) that resulted in me writing the first chapter of Strange Awakening... and then just sitting on it for about six months before I had any idea what to do with it beyond that chapter.
Probably has something to do with being introduced to British sketch comedy at an early age, and/or the episodes of Quantum Leap where Sam leapt into a woman...

 

[JayMark]

I dunno. Sometimes the wizards are just evil that way.

 

[Justhetip...]

Let's be real: most authors write gender-bender stories only because they're famous; only some of them write because of it as a trope.

I suppose they write it because cute girls doing cute things are popular, right? But no, there’s gender-bender romance disguised as BL or GL; they are just too afraid to write the actual thing. They gender-bend the male lead and have him fall in love with another male lead, which is just BL. Okay, their genders are opposite, but there still remains the same gender in the same person inside; only their bodies have changed, not their consciousness. Sure, the brain responds to the body's needs, but are you not the same person you were before? No, you aren't. The you that was the real you is gone; the one now is just another you, not exactly you. Yes, using this, you can explore themes like identity loss or self-discovery, and dynamics that you normally can't, unique character writing, or some stereotypes; however, only some of them do that.

And don't even get me started on those stories that just gender-bend the main character for no reason. Oh yeah, they turned into a female SCP, cool, but why female exactly? They don't even provide a reason; it could be anything else or not have a gender, in which case it’s just a cute girl. Let me tell you, those who write these are just doing it because it's popular (a lack of originality), or they just don't want to write a female main character, which I like to believe. It would be a whole other thing if the stories were actually good, but most of them are terrible slop that uses the same formula again. I know not all of them are terrible, and some of them are actually good, but I don't care.

I'm not asking why you write gender-bender stories or what purpose you have in writing such things, or what you think of this.

But I'm asking: why gender-bend the protagonist? WHY?

But why not? I'm being sincere. We could pose this same argument for isekai, LitRPG, or even smut, if I'm stretching it a lil bit.

Genres exist, it's the authors that do what they want to with them, it's just that genderbender has a shitton of folks that fetishize it. And yes, this might be me also feeling attacked and defending it.

As for writing it because it's popular, there's nothing wrong with it. It's literally giving the audience what they want, it's called catering to the market for a reason.

Yes genderbender can be explored more deeply than it currently is, yes, it can be written to be thought-provoking and actually immersive, but your question is somewhat misplaced.

Rather than why genderbender? It's why write bad genderbender?

-----


In the end, this is me, a degen trying to be eloquent. I don't really care if it's trash or something really good. If I like it, I read it, if I don't, I move to the next. Simple.

The good stuff will shine through in the end for obvious reasons.

 

[HelloHound]

maybe dudes think women are existing wrong and they could do a better job

 

[MajorKerina]

This one. This is my explanation from now on.

Plus it allows me to explore a lot of cool character things in particular I have character who by reality editing methods is turned into a girl and they befriend a trans masculine leaning non-binary neighbor and share a lot in common.

 

[Arkus86]

Yes genderbender can be explored more deeply than it currently is, yes, it can be written to be thought-provoking and actually immersive, but your question is somewhat misplaced.

Rather than why genderbender? It's why write bad genderbender?

And while the OP singled out gender bender, this argument can be made for practically any genre, especially if it gets popular at any point.

Isekai is a famous example. It got popular, so everyone and their dog started writing it, but most of it is low-effort slop made with one of several universal isekai templates.
Harem, or at least the Japanese take on them, is my personal pet peeve. Dense virgin protag who would not recognize flirting if it kicked him in the balls, and who can't handle interacting with one girl, so he gets swarmed by five who all want to get into his pants for some reason. Every. Single. Time.
System stories, perhaps to a lesser extent, but most most LitRPGs do not do the concept justice either. They are nothing more than a crutch to numerize raw physical, magical and mental strength and standardize abilities, making it easier to keep track of individual power levels as well as giving significant boons at convenient timing.

We could go on and on, but really, the point is that this issue is not specific to GB, not in the slightest.

 

[Corty]

 

[JayMark]

maybe dudes think women are existing wrong and they could do a better job

There needs to be more female to male gender bender.
I probably won't write one because nobody will read it.
Or I might just to spite everyone.

 

[Golden_Hyde]

The very least thing I can think of when it comes to gender bender is either FOMO, horniness, and... chasing the like number and the trending space. And as you have said, a certain number of them does it as a trope.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

I'm not asking why you write gender-bender stories or what purpose you have in writing such things, or what you think of this.

But I'm asking: why gender-bend the protagonist? WHY?

I feel these are contradictory sentences.

 

[Clo]

There needs to be more female to male gender bender.
I probably won't write one because nobody will read it.
Or I might just to spite everyone.

I have a FtM character in my main novel, and he's beloved and popular.

There is a clear demand for more stories featuring FtM folks, too. Believe me, people will read it.