Non-binary characters in fiction
representation of non-binary genders outside reality
Non-binary (also spelled nonbinary) or genderqueer is a spectrum of gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine—identities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities can fall under the transgender umbrella, since many non-binary people identify with a gender that is different from their assigned sex. Another term for non-binary is enby (from the abbreviation "NB"). This page examines non-binary characters in fictional works as a whole, focusing on characters and tropes in cinema and fantasy.
For more information about fictional characters in other parts of the LGBTQ community, see the corresponding pages about pansexual, intersex, and gay characters in fiction.
Non-binary characters and tropes
Much like with gay and transgender characters, representation of non-binary characters is small. Eighty percent of non-binary people noted in a survey from Trans Media Watch that they felt media coverage of non-binary characters is poor. The Daily Dot has noted that in Japanese media, genderqueer identities are often portrayed as a joke, featuring "flamboyantly gay people who crossdress" rather than serious explorations of gender performance. However, in May 2015, Flavorwire stated that genderqueer characters are getting "increasing critical and aesthetic prominence" in literature.
Steven Universe and beyond
Some franchises alleviated that concern.
The public source identifies “Non-binary characters in fiction” as representation of non-binary genders outside reality. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Non-binary, characters and fiction.
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The citation trail is more important than the brevity of the summary: it shows where individual claims can be examined in context. The source revision retrieved here is dated Feb 26, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q104880795. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2015.
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This entry incorporates text from “Non-binary characters in fiction” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.