[Swift Riffle] Non-binary Characters in Speculative Fiction Part II

In work by authors Yoon Ha Lee, Neon Yang and more

Welcome Back

This is a direct sequel to my previous post, so consider giving that a read if you haven't already. And without further ado, let's jump into the second broad category of non-binary characters in speculative fiction.

The Machineries of Empire Trilogy by Yoon Ha Lee, covers by Chris Moore

Thoughtful & Mysterious

I could be wrong, but I think the first non-binary character I read about was Shuos Zehun, from Yoon Ha Lee's The Machineries of Empire trilogy – previously featured here for my look at gay characters! Lee is a brilliant author and a trans man himself, so it's no wonder his depictions of queer characters and their (even sci-fi) experiences are so memorable.

Zehun would easily be the most cunning and ruthless character in your average series, but in this case serves as personal assistant to Shuos Mikodez, one of the true contenders for that title in the Hexarchate. Nevertheless, Zehun shines through by knowing damn near everything and using that information as effectively as possible, never being without their pet cats and displaying a daunting loyalty to their faction and ever-growing family.

The Hexarchate is fairly progressive in its understanding of gender, despite its many, many failings in other areas. Zehun is fully accepted as an 'alt' in this society, even though another character, trans male Kel Brezan, still experiences some conflict about his gender. Body modification is readily available to handle dysphoria, and as a spy Zehun frequently changes their appearance the same way.

I think of Zehun as a great example of preliminary inclusion, especially given that they were among the first I read about. They are an important character whose presence and influence is perhaps amplified by standing out as one of the few alt characters in the series, but also demonstrates that non-binary people can and do have families. They're also certainly more of a villain than a hero, which is often more interesting than a purely positive character.

Phoenix Extravagant by Yoon Ha Lee, cover by Ronan Le Fur

It's been a while since I read this one, but Lee also makes non-binary Jebi the protagonist of his 2020 novel Phoenix Extravagant. This is a great book, featuring both a magical robot dragon and a serious look at how colonialism consumes and destroys the cultures of places it attempts to 'civilize'.

Jebi is a devoted artist with little attention for much beyond their current project. It's eerie (especially given recent weeks) to see them so blind to the way their nation seems to be folding under the influence of its more conservative neighbour, and how they simply begin to assimilate once necessary; they're focused on their art, and are simply following the path of least resistance regarding the changing world around them.

That eventually changes when they internalize that the colonists' magic and power requires the destruction of their culture's important art: literally grinding up priceless pieces to make the paint Jebi is using to help cement the colonists' hold over their nation. This was a deeply affective image for me, a great example of speculative fiction's ability to highlight real world issues.

Online comments have made it very clear to me how some people feel about having a non-binary character front and center here, so extra kudos to Lee for (presumably) fighting to have this inclusion go through to print. It's five years later and there are still very few books with a human, non-binary protagonist like Jebi.

Neon Yang's The Tensorate Series, cover art by Yuko Shimizu

Author Neon Yang of The Tensorate Series is non-binary, and clearly brought thoughtfulness and their own experiences to the books. Children in this world are considered genderless until they formally choose to be either male or female in adulthood – somewhat reminiscent of Terra Ignota's "Adult Competency Exam" where people embrace their adulthood and choose their direction in life.

The series mostly follows Akeha and Mokoya, twin children of the autocratic Protector, from their early life and into adulthood. Where the twins were inseparable in childhood, their choices of gender (male for Akeha, female for Mokoya) serve as a deeply emotional divide between them – especially because the Protector is female and expects her direct descendants to follow in her footsteps.

Gender and sexuality, and how they are seen by society, are deeply important parts of our world and it's fascinating to see how Yang develops a similar level of complexity despite beginning from a very different set of assumptions. This is made even more pronounced when a foreign adult using they/them pronouns joins the cast, seeming utterly alien to these characters despite their acceptance of children using the same pronouns. It's a great series of four novellas, collected in one medium-sized volume; I highly recommend it!

Art by ILLUSTORYART

And Others

For the most part though, non-binary characters fill fairly small roles in larger tales. One that I'd nearly forgotten (having read it almost four years ago) is Gimlet from L.X. Beckett's Gamechanger, who serves as the protagonist's rival in online competitions. Beckett is non-binary as well and their world is a fascinating look at a future where humanity actually tries to get its shit together; I've mentioned it briefly in a few places.

Nghi Vo's The Empress of Salt and Fortune technically follows the non-binary Cleric Chih, but those frame narrative scenes don't take up many pages of the already short novella. A quick look tells me that Chih continues into at least the second book, so hopefully they get a little more focus going forward! (Support SFF authors, but $21-27 for each of these novellas has put the sequels on my backburner so far.)

There's also Niwai, priest of the Many-Legged who appears very briefly in C.L. Clark's The Unbroken. They (presumably) exist and are fairly mysterious; again I'm unsure as yet what role they play in the sequel, or whether their unique gender in this world is explored much further.

And I'll close things out for now with Ilmus, friend and fellow scientist/prisoner to the protagonist in Adrian Tchaikovsky's Alien Clay. They are a lovely inclusion in a book themed around the evergreen conflict of conformity vs. resistance; an empathetic fellow victim of the authoritarian regime and a perfect litmus test of the protagonist's growth from informant to architect of resistance. Another excellent read, whether you've read any other Tchaikovsky (such as Children of Time) or not.

Crossing my Fingers

Perhaps breaking this post into two parts is a blessing in disguise, since I can only hope I'll soon be able to return with many more great non-binary characters in speculative fiction to share.

I'll put out the call again for any other non-binary characters I missed, would love to hear about them!!

Thanks for reading, until next time <3