Gwen Stacy has been one of the most remarkable Spider-people debuts in the Spider-Verse, especially since we’re seeing our first Spider-Woman in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Now, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse explores her story far more than what meets the eye.
This is not just about her having to tell her dad the truth that she is a Spider-woman, but many fans have speculated Gwen Stacy is transgender.
WARNING: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, so READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
Why Do Spider-Verse Fans Think Gwen Stacy is Trans?
This theory began way back in April 2023 when we first got our first look into Gwen’s bedroom in the Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse trailer. Many fans spotted a very discreet poster hanging above her door, a trans flag poster that said, ‘Protect Trans Kids.’
Since the movie came out on June 2, 2023, the theory kept on circulating the Spider-Verse fandom, especially because the movie opened up with Gwen being afraid of ‘coming out’ as the Spider-Woman from her universe.
At first, this was because she had to protect her father and best friend Peter Parker. But on a mission to kill the rampaging Lizard during their high school prom night, Gwen discovers that the Lizard was her best friend.
She had to flee the scene and never reveal her identity as the Spider-Woman to anyone, most especially her dad. Her dad had been convinced that it had all been the Spider-Woman’s fault as to why Parker is dead.
Apart from the implied trans story allegory in ‘coming out’ as Spider-Woman, there’s the fact that the color palette always somehow changes in Gwen’s universe, as you might notice in some of the pictures below:
Hailee Steinfeld (who voiced Gwen) even revealed in a TikTok video on May 26 on what the creative team told her about Gwen’s scenes, “Gwen’s world is like a mood ring. It visually will shift with her emotions.”
Those said emotions are often in the similar colors of the trans flag, which drew fans closer to the conclusion that Gwen Stacy might be transgender.
But this still leaves the question, is Gwen Stacy canonically trans in the Spider-Verse?
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Is Gwen Stacy Canonically Trans in the Spider-Verse?
There had been several easter eggs that the fans spotted in both Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse that depicts Gwen as transgender.
However, aside from the color palette and the trans allegory of ‘coming out’ as Spider-Woman to her dad, the creators behind the Spider-Verse movies have yet to confirm or deny if this is canon.
The Spider-Verse movies may not exactly be ‘openly political’, but the subtle details are what makes it one, especially to fans who support proper representation.
Not to mention, Miles Morales belongs to a minority group of being Afro-Latino, which then would make Gwen Stacy identifying as trans as no surprise to represent the LGBTQ+ community.
Well, even though the Spider-Verse movies and comics have not confirmed whether Gwen is trans, the flags surrounding her room and even her dad’s badge all point to their support to the LGBTQ+ community, either way.
It would honestly be way too much of a coincidence to include so much about trans imagery and metaphor for Gwen to not identify as one.
One thing's for certain, at least: Gwen does exude being a metaphor on how the LGBTQ+ people, specifically trans, struggle in coming to terms with their identity and coming out to other people about it.
Perhaps Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse could elaborate on this, or even the Spider-Verse spinoff focusing on mainly all female Spider-Women.
READ MORE: Is Miles Morales The Strongest Spider-Man in The Spider-Verse?
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