Dummy’s Guide to XBG — Xenobigender Dirk and how it works!
(Posted to my safe for work artblog for easier sharing.)
I can’t actually take credit for the term xenobigender. That was coined by a friend of mine, who I will credit here once I relocate their contact information. However, the actual concept’s been a fun one that I’ve wanted to share outside Discord DMs for a while!
BELOW are concepts regarding: gender expression, gender exploration, human and troll gender identities, misgendering, transitioning. I’ll add to it if more becomes relevant.
XBG Dirk is my foray into Dirk performing some gender exploration and discovery outside of the human binary, after a very rousing round of Kanaya completely mistaking his gender upon formally meeting him.
Basically, Kanaya makes the assumption that Dirk is actually Rose’s mother upon meeting him. Human sexual dysmorphism is a slippery slope for a rainbowrinker to grasp. Rose’s description of her maternal figure, sarcastic and insincere with immaculate hair, as well as the fact that Rose and Dirk share the same self-assured smirk and eye shape, leads Kanaya to assume that this must be the famed Mom Lalonde, albeit the ectoclone.
(This is furthered by Roxy being mistaken for Bro, between their ass fixations, the fact that they’re always down for a scrap, and having a clear skill with code. Also: “wild” hair and being more docile than Dirk’s twitchy ass.)
The confusion this causes is massively amusing for everyone involved, but it sends Dirk down a recreational dive into Alternian culture. He specifically gets into Alternian gender roles, researching the expectations of “male” and “female” and "nonbinary” trolls.
If you know me at all, you know that I firmly maintain that Dirk exhibits many troll behaviors, and think he’d be mistaken for a highblood (true blue or above, with many hallmarking traits of a tyrianblood) if all you had to go off of was a description of his personality and a sample of his writing / speaking style. But it goes a layer deeper when you recognize that many traits shared by “apex” female Alternians (such as Vriska, Feferi, or Nepeta) are showcased in Dirk himself.
Examining this from that angle, the concept of Alternian women being expected to be dangerous killing machines with wild manes of hair and machinations / plots dependent on their place in the caste, and you might understand why Dirk becomes fascinated with it. The idea of being able to embrace his feminine side without feeling emasculated or hypermasculine. To explore his more dangerous tendencies under an Alternian lens, where things are more acceptable because you can vent those habits and tendencies.
Now, picture Dirk growing out his hair to have a proper Alternian mane (see: fluff) and wearing skirts with splits up the side for battle-ready mobility and painting his filed-to-a-point nails for a night out on the town with the Girls. Introducing himself in mixed circles as He / [Alternian She]. Engaging in the composition and execution / DM role of FLARPing campaigns where his darker brainweirds are lauded and enjoyed by people who can appreciate a good horror narrative and respect his rules.
It’s as much about empowering Dirk as it is about introducing the idea of trans-species gender identity, which could be interesting to apply to characters like Cronus or Roxy or Nepeta! I would love to see what sort of thoughts people might have on this.
As an added bonus: Yes, Dirk learns how to speak Classic Alternian! However, because he can’t click like trolls do, he compensates by snapping his fingers or clapping to elicit a similar noise. They all think his “accent” is very cute.
If asked, my perspective will always be that polycules are the only true way to approach media. I'm sure there's a lot to be said about Julia Ogden & William Murdoch as a couple but let's be honest. Everyone else in Station House 4 is absolutely part of that relationship. Especially Crabtree.
