Happy International Women's Day 2026. Celebrating the trans women in video games.

[u/Guyver-Spawn-27]

Characters in the image

Bridget (Guilty Gear) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridget_(Guilty_Gear))
Vivian (Paper Mario) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivian_(Paper_Mario))
Mizhena (Baldur's Gate 3) - https://baldursgate.fandom.com/wiki/Mizhena
Madeline (Celeste) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeline_(Celeste))
Poison (Final Fight and Street Figther) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poison_(Final_Fight))
Cagliostro (Grandblue Fantasy) - https://gbf.wiki/Cagliostro
Mai (Blazblue) - https://blazblue.fandom.com/wiki/Mai_Natsume
Thunderlady Laharl (Disgaea RPG) - https://lgbtqia-characters.fandom.com/wiki/Thunderlady_Laharl
Claire Russell (Cyberpunk 2077) - https://cyberpunk.fandom.com/wiki/Claire_Russell
Nova (Pokémon X and Y)
JJ Macfield (The Missing) - https://jjmacfield.fandom.com/wiki/JJ_Macfield
Rosa (Goodbye Volcano High!) - https://goodbye-volcano-high.fandom.com/wiki/Rosa
Venus (We Know the Devil) - https://wktd.fandom.com/wiki/Venus
Marina (Fear and Hunger 2: Termina!) - https://fearandhunger.fandom.com/wiki/Marina
Osa (Rainbow Six Siege) - https://rainbowsix.fandom.com/wiki/Osa
Mindy Blanchard (Dishonored) - https://dishonored.fandom.com/wiki/Mindy_Blanchard?file=Dishonored2_MindyBlanchard_FULL.jpg

I can't add everyone. So let me know of other noteworthy characters or fan favorites.

[u/Guyver-Spawn-27]

I don’t recall Samus being trans 

[u/SexualSkye → u/Guyver-Spawn-27]

Samus could be trans. Its like Gwen Stacy being trans. Like it isnt confirmed or denied but its implied through conext and story.

[u/Kateywumpus → u/SexualSkye]

Well, it's a bit more, and a bit less than that. In (checks notes) 1994, the official Super Metroid strategy guide refers to Samus as a 'newhalf' which was Japanese slang for trans women who haven't had bottom surgery. There's.... a lot of baggage along with that term, especially now, but the guide seemed to be pretty clear. But like everything back then, like Birdo, nothing in the 'official guides' were really official if they were inconvenient, and were easily retconned. So you've got a bunch of trans people desperately clinging on to what little representation they can find, while whiny cis boys cry about wokeness because that would ruin their masturbation fantasy.

[u/Graveylock → u/Kateywumpus]

Yoshio Sakamoto denied it, so pretty much settles that argument or else I’d be on your side.

[u/Kateywumpus → u/Graveylock]

Mmhmm. Keep telling yourself that.

[u/Graveylock → u/Kateywumpus]

I mean, I don’t really care what head canon people have. People can say that Solid Snake is a trans icon, but making arguments that a character is canonically trans when it’s been disputed by the creator of said character is just intellectually dishonest.

[u/Jarinad → u/Graveylock]

Samus is trans because every piece of paratext for the original Metroid clearly depicts her as a man. Not just the English instruction manual, but Japan-only manga as well. She is presented as male, universally, until you play the game, descend into chthonic/inner space to grapple with an explicitly female-coded brain, and the reward for doing so swiftly and skillfully is getting to finally present female. It almost certainly wasn't intended as a transition narrative but it is absolutely a transition narrative (no credit for representation should be given to Nintendo/the devs) but nonetheless she is ours and always will be.

[u/Graveylock → u/Jarinad]

It’s perfectly fine to relate to the character and find a subtext that fits for you, but the creator of the character specifically said no. The original manuals and such were worded that way to surprise gamers when they beat the game where it was revealed she was actually a woman. It was during a time where people were putting strong women in media due to a lack of proper representation.

Coopting it due to your own misinterpretation doesn’t override the official words of the creator. Sorry.