Media portrayals of transgender people
The media portrayals of transgender people refers to the varying and evolving ways in which the mass media depicts or portrays the transgender community.
Literature
Fiction
Non-fiction
Comics/Manga
introduced Alysia Yeoh as the first major transgender character written in a contemporary context in a mainstream comic book. She is a fictional character created by writer Gail Simone for the Batgirl ongoing series, and is Barbara Gordon’s best friend, and a transgender woman. They went on to premiere the first ever transgender wedding in Batgirl #45. Marvel Comics has followed suit, with writer Al Ewing adapting popular character Loki to have a fluid gender identity.Transgender themes are also found in manga. One notable example is Wandering Son, which deals with issues such as being transgender, gender identity, and the beginning of puberty. Gary Groth of Fantagraphics Books said in an interview he licensed Wandering Son because "it's not a typical choice for a manga title published in the U.S. and it's not typical subject matter for comics in general," saying that the subject is "perfectly legitimate... for literature—or comics."
Web comics have also made efforts to include trans characters, with award-winning series Questionable Content adding trans woman Claire Augustus in comic 2203.
Film
| Title | Release year | Trans characters | Gender | Notes |
| ' | 1994 | Lt. Lois Einhorn | Woman | Trans woman played by cis woman, referred to in film as a "man"; villain. |
| ' | 1994 | Bernadette Bassenger | Woman | Trans woman played by cis man. |
| Anger Management | 2003 | Galaxia the prostitute | Man | |
| Boy Meets Girl | 2014 | Ricky | Woman | Trans woman played by trans actress. |
| Boys Don't Cry | 1999 | Brandon Teena | Man | Dramatization of real-life events surrounding Brandon Teena's murder. Trans male character played by a cis woman. |
| Breakfast on Pluto | 2005 | Kitten | Woman | Based on the book of the same name. |
| The Carmilla Movie | 2017 | LaFontaine | Genderqueer character | Nonbinary character, using they/them pronouns |
| ' | 1992 | Dil | Woman | Trans woman played by Jaye Davidson, a cis man. |
| Dallas Buyers Club | 2013 | Rayon | Woman | Trans woman played by Jared Leto, a cis man. |
| ' | 2015 | Einar Wegener/Lili Elbe | Woman | Trans woman played by Eddie Redmayne, a cis man. Based on the novel of the same name. |
| Dog Day Afternoon | 1975 | Leon | Woman | Trans woman played by a cis man. Based loosely on a true story. |
| Every Day | 2018 | A | Non-binary | Based on YA novel of the same name. A is a genderless being who wakes up every day in a different person's body. Played by multiple actors of different genders. |
| Every Day | 2018 | Vic | Man | Based on YA novel of the same name. Trans man played by a trans man. |
| ' | 2017 | Marina Vidal | Woman | Trans woman played by Daniela Vega, a trans actress. |
| Girl | 2018 | Lara | Woman | Trans woman played by Victor Polster, a cis man. |
| Orlando | 1992 | Orlando | Woman and Man | Orlando changes genders. |
| ' | 1975 | Dr. Frank N. Furter | Man, transvestite | |
| Romeos | 2011 | Lukas | Man | |
| Soldier's Girl | 2003 | Calpernia | Woman | Trans woman played by cis man. Fictionalized account of murder of Barry Winchell. |
| Tangerine | 2015 | Sin-Dee Rella and Alexandra | Woman | Trans women played by trans actresses. |
| Tomboy | 2011 | Mickael | Boy | |
| Transamerica | 2005 | Bree | Woman | Trans woman played by cis woman. |
| 1982 | Roberta Muldoon | Woman | Trans woman played by cis man. |
Television
| Title | Trans characters or personalities | Gender | Notes |
| ' | Paul Strickland | Man | Portrayed by trans man, Brian Michael Smith. |
| Becoming Us | Carly Lehwald | Woman | Reality show focusing on a family whose father has come out as a trans woman. |
| ' | Maya Avant | Woman | The first US daytime soap opera to feature a trans woman character as a series regular. |
| The Bold and the Beautiful | Nick | Man | Maya's mentor. The actor, Scott Turner Schofield, who is trans in real life, became the first openly transgender actor in Daytime television with this recurring role. |
| Brave New Girls | Jenna Talackova | Woman | Reality show focusing on aspiring model Jenna Talackova. |
| Chicago Med | Denise Lockwood | Woman | A transwoman, who is played by Alexandra Grey, who is a trans woman herself. |
| Coronation Street | Hayley Cropper | Woman | Played by Julie Hesmondhalgh, a cis woman. |
| ' | Adam Torres | Man | Teen trans man, played by a cis woman. |
| Doctor Who | Cassandra | Woman | Tells Rose that she was "a little boy" in the episode "The End of the World". |
| Faking It | Noah | Man | Played by Elliot Fletcher, a trans man. |
| ' | Cole | Man | Played by Tom Phelan, a non-binary trans person. |
| ' | Aaron | Man | Played by Elliot Fletcher, a trans man. |
| Glee | Unique Adams | Woman | Teen trans woman, played by cis man |
| Glee | Sheldon Beiste | Man | Adult trans man, played by cis woman |
| Gray's Anatomy | Casey Parker | Man | Adult trans man, played by a trans man: Alex Blue Davis |
| Gwaith/Cartref | Macsen Issacs | Male | Teenager transitioning from female to male. |
| Hit & Miss | Mia | Woman | |
| Hunter x Hunter | Alluka Zoldyck | Woman | Constantly they referred to her as "it" and "he". Her brother, Killua, constantly reminds people that she is a girl. Strong, not afraid to stick up for herself, but still a cute and lovable character portrayed right by most of the fandom. |
| Hunter x Hunter | Kite | Genderfluid | A man in their past life, Kite was reincarnated as a little girl later in the series and is struggling with their gender identity. It is still unknown whether they consider themselves to be a male or female, or genderfluid. |
| Hunter x Hunter | Neferpitou | Genderless | |
| I Am Cait | Caitlyn Jenner | Woman | Reality show focusing on the gender transition of Caitlyn Jenner. |
| I Am Jazz | Jazz Jennings | Woman | Reality show on transgender teen Jazz Jennings and her family. |
| ' | Max Sweeney | Man | A trans man played by a cis woman. |
| My Transsexual Summer | Maxwell Zachs, Sarah Savage, Drew Ashlyn Cunningham, Lewis Hancox, Rapheal Fox, Donna Whitbread, Karen Gale | Woman | A 2011 British documentary series. |
| The OA | Buck Vu | Man | Teen trans man, played by a trans man. |
| Orange Is the New Black | Sophia Burset | Woman | A trans woman played by Laverne Cox, a trans woman. |
| Orphan Black | Tony Sawicki | Man | A clone of a cis woman. |
| Pretty Little Liars | Charlotte Drake | Woman | A trans woman played by a cis woman. |
| Pose | Various | Women | A story about the underground ballroom culture in New York City in the 1980s and 1990s. |
| Rise | Michael Hallowell | Man | Teen trans man played by a non-binary actor. |
| RuPaul's Drag Race | Various | Drag Queens | A reality show about drag queens; features two trans women as contestants. |
| Science Ninja Team Gatchaman | Berg Katse | Genderfluid | Katse is an intersex mutant created from the synthesis of male and female twins in utero, they were created by the alien leader of evil organisation Galactor. |
| Sense8 | Nomi Marks | Woman | A trans woman played by Jaime Clayton, a trans woman. |
| Shameless | Trevor | Man | A trans man played by Elliot Fletcher, a trans man. |
| Soul Eater | Crona | Unconfirmed | |
| South Park | Mr. Garrison | Man | Went a sex change at the start of Season 9, later reverted to a male in Season 12. |
| ' | Jadzia Dax, Ezri Dax | Woman | Dax has changed genders throughout their lives. |
| Supergirl | Nia Nal | Woman | Season 4 regular played by Nicole Maines, a trans woman. |
| ' | Sü Phan and others | Women and men | All transgender characters are played by transgender actors. |
| TransGeneration | Various | Women and men | A documentary series. |
| Transparent | Maura Pfefferman | Woman | A trans woman played by a Jeffrey Tambor, cis man. |
| Twin Peaks | Denise Bryson | Woman | A trans woman DEA agent played by a cis man. |
| Zombie Land Saga | Lily Hoshikawa | Woman |