12 Characters That Destroy Traditional Gender Roles

Some of our most beloved fictional characters break free from the gender binary!

In a world where plenty of people are living beyond the gender binary, television is also working its way toward being more inclusive and representative of all walks of life.

Here's a look at some of the most iconic characters who have defied gender from both past and present.

(A sidenote before reading: in cases where a character's gender identity is specified, it is used. In cases where gender identity was not specified, gendered pronouns and assumptions are not used. Also, some spoilers may be ahead!)

Cal Bowman (Sex Education)

Cal Bowman’s character joined Netflix’s Sex Education in 2021. Her role allows viewers to open up with discussions about things like gendered dress codes and non-binary dating.

Deputy Brianna Bishop (Deputy)

Deputy Bishop, who only uses their last name and uses they/them pronouns, who's known for being a cop sidekick to the show's main character, Sheriff Bill Hollister.

Sailor Uranus (Sailor Moon Crystal)

Sailor Uranus is referred to by their partner as "both male and female, but also neither," which made the depiction of the character on the 2014 Sailor Moon Crystal reboot more in line with the original character from the manga.

Stevonnie (Steven Universe)

Steven Universe is on the forefront of inclusive representation. The show does an outstanding job in its portrayals of relationships, unique and complex characters, and the fluidity of gender. Stevonnie—the fusion of Steven and Connie—is an exemplary representation of the fluidity of gender. Above all else, Stevonnie identifies simply as themself. They’re an absolute joy to watch and a fan favorite among a series of favorable characters.

S. LaFontaine (Carmilla)

S. LaFontaine of the Canadian web series Carmilla is a non-binary person who prefers the their/they/them pronouns. This science wiz transcends gender and is allowed the autonomy to pursue relationships with other characters, something that often depicted in television series.

Taylor Mason (Billions)

Non-binary actor Asia Kate Dillon made history for their portrayal of Billions character Taylor Mason, who is also non-binary.

“While they were writing the character of Taylor, before I was cast, they auditioned people from the entire LGBTQ spectrum,” Dillon told The Hollywood Reporter. “They spoke with non-binary people. They really wanted to make sure that they had an understanding about something that—as [show runners] Brian [Koppelman] and David [Levien] like to say—they self-identify as white, cis-gender, straight men, so this was unfamiliar territory for them. And so I really credit them and respect them for reaching outside of their comfort zones to investigate non-binary-gender issues and gender-identity stuff in general.”

Zoë Hange (Attack on Titan)

Hange's gender is never directly discussed in Attack on Titan—the anime and the manga. This was an intentional choice made by the folks behind the show. People can guess or project, as they usually do, but they’re wasting their time. This quirky, genius character didn't need the gender binary to completely steal the show.

Poison (Street Fighter)

Poison is a controversial character in the gaming world, with a complex journey from storyboards to actual game play. Poison is identified as a trans woman in the North American version of the game, and a man “tucking away their business to look female” in the Japanese version. What remains true in both versions is that Poison is far from embracing strict or traditional gender norms.

Asari (Mass Effect)

The Mass Effect series is a sci-fi adventure game with humans and aliens of all kinds. One of the more interesting species is the Asari, a powerful, a bluish race with high standing in the advanced universe. They are agender, meaning they don't identify as having any particular gender. In the series, Asari can breed with one another and all another other species.

Zer0 (Borderlands 2)

Zer0 is the badass assassin of Borderlands 2. Their features are not masculine nor feminine, and their face always remains covered. Because Zer0 has a deep voice, fans have argued that the careful assassin could be using something to mask their voice in an effort to protect their identity. Zer0's gender is never specified, which is interesting considering every other playable character has a clearly defined gender identity.

Frisk (Undertale)

In a gaming world where gamers must often inhabit the body of a (cis, white) man, Undertale drops gamers in the shoes of a gender neutral character. Players are encouraged to project their preferred gender onto the character, or not to think about it all, and instead look at the character for other aspects of who they are.

Everyone (Minecraft)

The creator of worldwide powerhouse Minecraft declared that all characters in the game are gender neutral. "The human model is intended to represent a Human Being," creator Markus Persson wrote. "Not a male Human Being or a female Human Being, but simply a Human Being. The blocky shape gives it a bit of a traditional masculine look, but adding a separate female mesh would just make it worse by having one specific model for female Human Beings and male ones. That would force players to make a decision about gender in a game where gender doesn't even exist."

BMO (Adventure Time)

The adorable Adventure Time character BMO has no specified gender, though some fans have argued otherwise. It may seem silly to highlight an anthroppomorchic character as no-binary, but honestly, non-human characters get gendered all the time. BMO is an exception.