The Trans and Non-Binary Hero’s Journey

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A brave heroine whose quest involves living her true gender. A genderqueer knight who battles the transphobic court to save their prince. The journeys taken by trans heroes weave in and out of Joseph Campbell's classic pattern, but deviate from it in specific ways. The hero often fears discovery by the close community, but nonetheless departs on the adventure--leaving a place of dangers to find a refuge and community of acceptance. Talismans include gendered tools that show the mentor's acceptance of the hero's real identity. The romance is likewise a guided path to selfhood and affirmation. Villains are the transphobes of real life, mythologized and made deadlier. In happier stories, the parent figures learn from the conflict, and finally seek reconciliation.

This book takes Joseph Campbell's classic pattern of comparative mythology and applies it to trans and non-binary heroes in popular media. Trans and non-binary characters, works, and authors are presented through Campbell's lens to show modern heroes wielding dual worlds. Analyzed works include Steven Universe, The Matrix, The Umbrella Academy, Sense8, Sandman; DC and Marvel comics; and television, fantasy books, and graphic novels from trans and non-binary creators worldwide.