when people complain about “too much gender-fluid/non-binary/trans rep is with shape shifters” I counter with: every gender-fluid/non-binary/trans person WANTS TO BE A SHAPE SHIFTER
being a shapeshifter honestly would solve all of my gender problems. want a fat ass for a day? bingo bongo I got it. Want to be able to snap the rock into a slim jim like macho man? ya got it. want to be some kind of ultrahot dragon lady who can bench press a car? you got it. I think I’d lose all conventional sense of gender and just decide “today is a gawr gura day.” and look like ryan gosling in blade runner 2049 the next.
The absolute best description for it I've seen comes from Nimona, where she describes not shifting as this itchy scratching feeling that gets worse and worse until she shifts.
And like, YEAH, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT'S LIKE.
So yeah, at least for my fluid self and friends, we LOVE being depicted almost purely by shapeshifters. Because it's all our deepest desire, to have a power that would instantly not just alleviate dysphoria, but generate immense euphoria. Even if the shifting was painful, excruciating, it would be worth it.
Cosmetics and surgery and presentation can only go so far for us Fluids, as our entire identity has its foundation in not being a concrete thing. Often times we have to settle for some form of androgyny as a baseline for when we don't have the time or effort to put into making expression/appearance match the "gender of the day".
I can't speak for every fluid person, let alone every trans/nonbinary person, but I myself at least absolutely love being depicted as a shapeshifter in media. Not only do I want to be like that, it's also a great way to help explain to cis people what it feels like to be us. My cis best friend practically broke down my figurative digital door when Ninona came out, shoving the scene I mentioned above in my face to excitedly ask if this was how I felt all the time.
So yes, gimme all the shapeshifters, I'll love and treasure them forever!
















