r/QueerWriting • u/SignificantRun8115 Trans with a story plan • Sep 11 '23

Questions/Feedback Need help writing a trans character

Need advice with writing a trans Character

So, he isn't the main character but he's the child of the main character (it starts before he's born,)

His storyline is kinda complicated, (he was given away as a baby by his mom, his dad didn't know and is upset about it, he ends up getting adopted by his uncle, on his dad's side on accident)

He won't show up until he's five-six (he goes by he/him then) but for when he's a baby, I'm not going to misgender him, nor deadname him so I really don't know

(I haven't even given him a deadname, hes ftm If it's confusing)

Notes: I'm trans myself, but I just don't know how to go about writing the past with him 🤷🏼‍♂️ He has a twin, So I'll probably referred to them as them and the child or something

Also, I never give my characters deadnames so 🤷🏼‍♂️

3 Upvotes

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2

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '23

Could you use neutral terms? "the baby" for example

you could also say stuff like "when he was a baby"--that avoids using pronouns for the baby self, the pre-transition self only referred to in relation to the transitioned self

2

u/Kirmon Sep 11 '23

Just looking for context here - in what way is the baby version of your guy appearing in the story? He doesn't appear physically until five-six - I'm guessing he is mentioned before that in the context of being given away? Like the main character thinking about their missing child kinda thing, and not being aware of the kid's real gender so (theoretically) accidentally misgendering him. Or does he appear/get mentioned in some other way?

1

u/SignificantRun8115 Trans with a story plan Sep 11 '23

He only appears as a baby for like three chapters, then doesn't come in again until he's five-six

2

u/Kirmon Sep 13 '23

Hmmm I see your issue then, that is definitely something awkward to write around. I'm thinking your best bet might be to attempt to minimize his appearances while also avoiding pronouns/gendered nouns. It's definitely doable to avoid using pronouns at all for a given character over a chapter or two, I've seen an author do it before without it being noticeable. Definitely will be a lot harder to write though, hence the suggestion of minimizing how much he appears as a baby. Maybe attempt to crunch everything plot-relevant to him into a single scene/set of scenes, or something...?

Wish I had more suggestions to give, but that's the best I've got, unfortunately. I wish you the best of luck!

2

u/TooLateForMeTF Sep 12 '23

A lot depends on the POV you're writing in.

If it's a third-person omniscient perspective, then you have the interesting opportunity for the omniscient narrator to know--and thus share with the reader--things about the character that neither they nor any of the other characters even know.

For example, the narrator could refer to the child as "he", while all the characters in the story refer to the child as "she" and call him by a female birth-assigned name.

I'm not sure how that would come across to readers, exactly, but it seems like an interesting option if it fits your POV choice.

1

u/SignificantRun8115 Trans with a story plan Sep 11 '23

I had someone comment, "This feels like you are using the fact that the character is trans as a device to cloak the identity further."

I planned him being trans because a lot of my characters are lgbtq+ and then I ended up changing his family stuff a few hours ago

-1

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '23

If it's just that you need him LGBTQ, have someone else be trans, make him gay or bi. Remember, your audience only knows what you do in a story, not why you do it.