I LOVE comic books! They have been a part of my life since childhood and still are as a professional writer.

But, I'm hesitant about saying too much so as not to "out" myself in real life. While I'm quite comfortable with friends knowing about my professional connections to the comic book industry, I'm not sure about the reception I'd get from the people I work with and for. And how fans would react.

That is the inherent curse of being transgender. While I am finally transitioning into the person I was meant to be, the societal pressures prevent me from doing so fully in public. I'm fortunate in one sense, since writing is a solitary job. I don't have to sit in an office or be around curious, judgmental co-workers all day long as most people do. I make much of my journey in private, away from prying eyes. Only a few know my secret identity.

Which brings me back to comic books.

Over on TRANS VITAE, the essential reading site created and run by one of our own, u/ohbricki, there resides an article written by Val'lyn De'ana concerning trans superheroes.

If you are familiar with the superhero genre at all (and chances are if you've seen a movie in the past 20 years, you are), you are also familiar with one of its established tropes: They are always preternaturally gifted and always a cis male or female. But that has changed.

"Once relegated to the margins, transgender characters are now stepping into the light, wielding powers that transcend the physical. They’re bending time, space, and society’s expectations, all while clad in spandex and capes. This isn’t just about adding color to the superhero spectrum; it’s a radical reimagining of what it means to be powerful and different in a world that often fears both."

The gist of De'ana's article is about the positive influences these newly-created superheroes are having. They are an affirming example for transgender youth and in her words: "are more than entertainment; they’re personal. They’re a chance to see oneself in the battle for justice and to find camaraderie in characters who fight not just with fists and powers but with heart and identity."

The article is relatively short, so I suggest you read it in its entirety. But with a caveat.

As someone personally involved with comic book fandom, a life-long nerd, I know comic book fanboys all too well.

When De'ana notes: "The impact of trans superheroes stretches beyond the confines of their fictional worlds. They’re sparking conversations in comic book stores, on social media, and in living rooms," she is putting a happy face onto a far darker reality.

There is a part of comic book fandom--a significant part--that is vehemently against the introduction of transgender characters into "their" comic books. This has led to bitter arguments in online forums (that I've personally witnessed) and a schism of sorts between factions for and against trans depictions in comic books.

That may seem trivial to you. After all, who really cares what appears in a comic book, other than movie and television studios looking for licensing material?

But what you may be overlooking if you feel that way, is that these anti-trans readers are a microcosm of society in general. Comic book readership is no longer 8-year olds reading "Archie." Now, much of its audience are teenagers and young adults already out in the world, living and working alongside you. Your neighbors, co-workers, and perhaps, relatives. They are a significant slice of American society and probably as representative of it as any poll conducted.

It hurts me to write that. I wish I could say that comic book fans were enlightened people. More tolerant and accepting of others, of transgender people, than the rest of America. But sadly, that is not true.

So, while we can celebrate the introduction and inclusion of transgender superheroes into the respective universes of Marvel and DC, keep in mind that those universes are fictional.

Our universe is nowhere nearly as accepting.

--- Anni

p.s.-- Let me once again put in a plug for TRANS VITAE. I see they finally fixed the Sign Up bug and I did so today. I also noted that the site now has a Shop page with some very cool merch on it! I plan on buying a "Trans Vitae" T-shirt myself when I have the extra money. Check it out and support this very worthy site!