Here's Why Fans Think Gwen Stacy Is Trans in 'Across The Spider-Verse'
Gwen Stacy’s Spider-Woman has long been a queer icon, with many fans headcanoning her as queer due to her undercut, her membership in an all-girl punk band, her lesbian vibe, and being voiced by Hailee Steinfeld (famous for her portrayals of queer characters like Emily Dickinson in Dickinson and Vi in Arcane).
But now, fans are starting to flock to a new queer headcanon about the character in the new movie Across The Spider-Verse: that she’s trans.
The first piece of evidence fans found was an image of Gwen in her room where she has a large trans flag that says “Protect Trans Kids” on it above her door. When the image came out before the film was released, fans were already quick to call Stacy a trans icon.
\u201cI am going to see Spider-verse on Wednesday, and I have no doubt it's going to be stellar, but whether it is or not, it has already given me incalculable amounts of joy seeing transphobes going apoplectic with impotent rage over Gwen Stacy's "Protect Trans Kids" pride flag.\u201d
— A Queer and Pleasant Danger \ud83e\udd96\ud83e\udd95 (@A Queer and Pleasant Danger \ud83e\udd96\ud83e\udd95) 1685859850
Now that the movie is out, the evidence just keeps on piling up.
Fans have also pointed to another pivotal scene where Gwen talks about her struggles revealing her identity as Spider-Woman to her dad all while being awash in the trans pride colors (as she is for the entire movie). It’s an easy metaphor.
\u201c\u201cGwen Stacy isn\u2019t trans\u201d SHE LITERALLY HAS THE TRANS COLORS ON HER BRO\u201d
— Amy/Sarah!!(atsv era)\ud83d\udd77\ufe0f\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f (@Amy/Sarah!!(atsv era)\ud83d\udd77\ufe0f\ud83d\udd78\ufe0f) 1685928713
Fans also point to the fact that Gwen’s dad, who is a cop, wears a trans pride flag pin above his badge.
“Her white cop dad wears the trans colors on his uniform,” Twitter user DC Lady wrote. “No fuck1ng cop is that much of an ally unless they have a trans family member!”
\u201c#GwenStacy is Trans.\nHer whole arc is a trans allegory. The colors are the trans flag.\nBut most telling.HER WHITE COP DAD WEARS THE TRANS COLORS ON HIS UNIFORM. NO FUCK1NG COP IS THAT MUCH OF AN ALLY UNLESS THEY HAVE A TRANS FAMILY MEMBER!\n#SpiderVerse\u202f\u202f\u202f #AcrossTheSpiderVerse\u201d
— DC Lady (@DC Lady) 1686004768
Many fans are praising the movie for featuring a potentially trans character at a time when trans teens are being so violently attacked in America. And people across the internet are reminding viewers that if they want Gwen to be trans, she’s trans. There’s nothing stopping you from believing that.
Still, others aren’t so sure about this representation. While some are questioning the idea of a cop being a trans ally (historically, and currently, cops have been one of the trans community’s worst attackers), others are tired of not-really-there representation.
\u201cPlus if Globby was straight he would have been in bed with a human woman\u201d
— dawn weiners (@dawn weiners) 1685978218
Whether or not Gwen is trans in Across the Spider-Verse doesn’t really matter in the end. All that matters is that trans people are enjoying themselves when they watch.
