Why Are People Thinking Gwen Stacy Is Trans? Viral Fan Theory Explained

Is Gwen Stacy transgender in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse? The fan theory that she might be, or that in the very least her story is an allegory for struggles trans people face, is fascinating the LGBTQ+ community on Twitter and beyond. Learn more about why people think Gwen Stacy may be trans in our our brief explainer.

What Is Gwen Stacy Is Trans Theory?

"Gwen Stacy is trans" is a fan theory that character Gwen Stacy (also known as Ghost-Spider) from the 2018 film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its 2023 sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is transgender, or at least that her story is an allegory for struggles trans people face. The theory went viral on social media, primarily on Twitter, immediately following the film's release on June 2nd, and is supported by several details in the movie.

Where Does The Gwen Stacy Is Trans Theory Come From?

The theory taps into several details in the movie that may hint that Gwen Stacy is transgender or a trans ally. This is never explicitly confirmed in the film, with the implication conveyed through visual storytelling. First, Gwen has a trans rights flag with the writing "protect trans kids" on it in her room. Second, Gwen's dad, a police officer, wears a trans flag badge on his jacket, which some viewers surmised may be him supporting his daughter.

Finally, the pivotal scene of Gwen's story in which she "comes out" about being Spider-Man to her father metaphorically parallels the struggle of transgender teenagers. During the scene, the palette changes to pink, blue and white, which are the colors of the trans pride flag.

It was Twitter user @Treblebaps who first argued that the 2023 film implies that Gwen Stacy is a transgender woman in their viral post, mentioning the scene and the trans pride symbols in the movie.

In the following days, the theory spread like wildfire, with members of the LGBTQ+ community and beyond posting about it.

Gwen Stacy Is Trans Fan Art

The trend quickly achieved recognition among artists who posted fan art depicting Gwen Stacy as a trans icon and a supporter of transgender rights.

Is Gwen Stacy Really Trans?

Nothing in the film explicitly confirms that Gwen Stacy is transgender. Think about it as a question open to interpretation: if the film made you think that Gwen is transgender, it doesn't really matter if that was intended or not: your belief is valid.

For the full history of Gwen Stacy is trans theory, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.