History Main / GenderBenderFriendship

** Matsuri and Suzu are a [[ZigZaggingTrope somewhat complicated example]] that inverts the usual dynamic: They had been friends [[ChildhoodFriends for years]] before Matsuri was turned female, but Matsuri's recent attempts to protect Suzu had driven a wedge between them. Suzu [[SecretKeeper knows full well of Matsuri's transformation]], and [[DiscussedTrope wonders if it could help repair their friendship]]. When Matsuri decides to join Suzu's group simply to be her bodyguard, Suzu puts her theory into action, taking the opportunity to advance their relationship as friends and romantically--and Suzu doesn't necessary need Matsuri to become male again for either.

** Though Yayo and Lu are part of the same social circle with Matsuri (unlike Suzu, ignorant he used to be male), he initially avoids becoming any more than acquaintances. After Suzu learns [[FriendlessBackground Matsuri has never had an friends besides her]], she pressures him into actually befriending the other two.

* An intensely awkward example happens in Creator/SergeyLukyanenko's ''Literature/NightWatch'' when Anton's had his mind swapped with Olga. He can't tell Svetlana what's happened until they reach her warded apartment... after she's had a very private conversation with "Olga" about Anton.

** Matsuri and Suzu are a [[ZigZaggingTrope somewhat complicated example]] that inverts the usual dynamic: They had been friends [[ChildhoodFriends for years]] before Matsuri was turned female, but Matsuri's recent attempts to protect Suzu had driven a wedge between them. Suzu [[SecretKeeper knows full well of Matsuri's transformation]], and [[DiscussedTrope wonders if it could help repair their friendship]]. When Matsuri decides to join Suzu's GirlPosse simply to be her bodyguard, Suzu puts her theory into action, taking the opportunity to advance their relationship as friends and romantically--and Suzu doesn't necessary need Matsuri to become male again for either.

* ''Boku No Shotaiken'', perhaps the Ur-example of Gender Bender Manga, uses this as the whole basis of the plot: the protagonist has his brain transplanted into the body of a young woman after a partially successful suicide attempt. He then goes back to school seeking vengeance on the girls who drove him to jump off a cliff only to strike up a Gender-Bender Friendship with his old crush instead.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In the episode, "The Boy Who Would Be Queen," Timmy attempts to try and find out what [[RichBitch Trixie]] likes and a joke is made on being turn into a girl. Wanda, not finding it funny, turns him into a girl, allowing him to have girl (and boy) thoughts. After getting some payback on his godparents, he goes to the mall and befriends Trixie (while discovering she likes boy stuff, includng dead frogs, which ironically Timmy finds gross). After becoming best friends with her under his assumed gender and learning what she wants, he turns back into a boy, goes to the party and attempts to act sensitive. [[ResetButton He's promptly thrown out by security]]. It should be noted that although Trixie had him thrown out, it looked as though she was genuinely touched by his attempt. She even remembered his name. Since he was only thrown out so she could maintain her reputation, one wonders how she would have responded if they had been alone... [[AxCrazy wait, nevermind.]]

Now you're the same sex (this trope only seems to happen to heterosexual people) as them. If you become their best friend, maybe you can learn enough about them to date them as your true self, and they'll never figure out that you are the same person! Of course like [[ASimplePlan all the best plans]] [[HilarityEnsues it can and will go awry]].

[[quoteright:300:[[WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddparents https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/timmy_trixie.png]]]]

[[folder:Web Comics]]

[[quoteright:327:[[Film/{{Tootsie}} https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tootsie_gbfriendship_327_1530.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:327:Just two gals engaging in girl talk.]]

* Inverted in ''NozomuNozomi'': Nozomu concludes the physical genderbender he's been hiding for nearly a year has also become a [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody mental genderbender]] because his feelings for his unrequited crush Yuka and best friend Yasu have swapped targets.

* One of the major plots of the Thor fanfic [[http://savu0211.deviantart.com/gallery/43010983?offset=24 (All) Father Loki]]. After Loki’s girlfriend, Sigyn, discovers that he had impregnated Angrboda, he transforms into a woman to eliminate the risk in future relationships. It’s Loki’s daughter, Hel, who suggests that he spend some time with Sigyn in his female form to patch up their broken relationship.

* On ''Series/{{Charmed}}'' Prue accidentally turns herself into a man while casting a spell to find the FemmeFatale MonsterOfTheWeek. She's far from happy, but also gets a chance to talk to her current LoveInterest and find out what he thinks of her.

* ''Manga/GachaGacha: The Secret arc centers around the hero turning into a girl whenever he sneezes and forming a close relationship with the girl he likes.

* In the 2004-2005 French series ''Vice Versa'', the main character Thomas sometimes uses his double Emmanuelle/Julia in order to get information on his crush.

* ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'' has a variant when Peggy unknowingly shops in a store for crossdressers and befriends someone who assumes she's also a man in drag. Unfortunately, he doesn't realize the truth until he'd already invited her to participate in his drag show...

* In ''Film/{{Whitw Chicks}}'', Marcus and Kevin start hanging out with the Wilson sisters' best friends while disguised as them. And when the truth came out, the girls found that they liked the Wilson twins a lot better when Marcus and Kevin were them.

* An intensely awkward example happens in SergeyLukyanenko's ''Literature/NightWatch'' when Anton's had his mind swapped with Olga. He can't tell Svetlana what's happened until they reach her warded apartment... after she's had a very private conversation with "Olga" about Anton.

->"I have always enjoyed the company of women, and being one myself removes a lot of social barriers."

* Inverted in ''[[Manga/KanojoNiNaruHi Kanojo Ni Naru Hi Another]]'': isolated loner Rinichi Sagara's hidden {{Metamorphosis}} into a female allows him to develop a friendship with male classmate Narumi who learned about Sagara's GenderBender by accident and decides to help him hide it from the rest of their schoolmates. Played straighter with Kurokawa, who had a mutual BecauseYouWereNiceToMe relationship with Sagara going back to elementary school: Sagara's genderbender allowed their mutual sympathy to blossom into real friendship while his relationship with Narumi [[JumpingTheGenderBarrier eventually blossoms into something deeper.]] Opening up to Kurokawa and Narumi eventually eventually convinces Sagara the risks of opening up to others are worth the rewards.

* Inverted in ''[[Manga/KanojoNiNaruHi Kanojo Ni Naru Hi Another]]'': isolated loner Rinichi Sagara's hidden {{Metamorphosis}} into a female causes him to develop a friendship with male classmate Narumi who learned about Sagara's GenderBender by accident and decides to help him hide it from the rest of their class.

* Inverted in ''[[Manga/KanojoNiNaruHi Kanojo Ni Naru Hi Another]]'': isolated loner Rinichi Sagara's hidden {{Metamorphosis}} into a female causes him to develop a friendship with a ''male'' classmate who learned about Sagara's GenderBender by accident and helps him hide it from the rest of their class.

* Inverted in NozomuNozomi: Nozomu concludes the physical genderbender he's been hiding for nearly a year has also become a [[TheMindIsAPlaythingOfTheBody mental genderbender]] because his feelings for his unrequited crush Yuka and best friend Yasu have swapped targets.
* Boku No Shotaiken, perhaps the Ur-example of Gender Bender Manga, uses this as the whole basis of the plot: the protagonist has his brain transplanted into the body of a young woman after a partially successful suicide attempt. He then goes back to school seeking vengeance on the girls who drove him to jump off a cliff only to strike up a Gender-Bender Friendship with his old crush instead.

* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' has a WhatCouldHaveBeen example: originally, [[BaldBlackLeaderGuy Roy]] was going to use the [[ChekhovsGun Belt of Masculinity/Femininity]] to have some "girl talk" with [[KnightTemplar Miko]]. Burlew [[AvertedTrope decided against this]] when he realized Miko wasn't quite fit for "lighthearted romantic comedy" situations, so instead, Roy realized his physical attraction to Miko had been preventing him from realizing how [[PerpetualFrowner utterly]] [[LawfulStupid unlikable]] she is.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': In the episode, "The Boy Who Would Be Queen," Timmy attempts to try and find out what [[RichBitch Trixie likes and a joke is made on being turn into a girl. Wanda, not finding it funny, turns him into a girl, allowing him to have girl (and boy) thoughts. After getting some payback on his godparents, he goes to the mall and befriends Trixie (while discovering she likes boy stuff, includng dead frogs, which ironically Timmy finds gross). After becoming best friends with her under his assumed gender and learning what she wants, he turns back into a boy, goes to the party and attempts to act sensitive. [[ResetButton He's promptly thrown out by security]]. It should be noted that although Trixie had him thrown out, it looked as though she was genuinely touched by his attempt. She even remembered his name. Since he was only thrown out so she could maintain her reputation, one wonders how she would have responded if they had been alone... [[AxCrazy wait, nevermind.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'': Timmy once accidentally wished himself into a girl, then using it to find out what present to get his crush, [[RichBitch Trixie]]. After becoming best friends with her under his assumed gender, he turns back into a boy, goes to the party and attempts to act sensitive. [[ResetButton He's promptly thrown out by security]]. It should be noted that although Trixie had him thrown out, it looked as though she was genuinely touched by his attempt. She even remembered his name. Since he was only thrown out so she could maintain her reputation, one wonders how she would have responded if they had been alone... [[AxCrazy wait, nevermind.]]

* ''Manga/KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl''

->"But you are female."\\
"So? I have always enjoyed the company of women, and being one myself removes a lot of social barriers."

* ''GachaGacha: The Secret arc centers around the hero turning into a girl whenever he sneezes and forming a close relationship with the girl he likes.

* ''KashimashiGirlMeetsGirl''

* In ''KanaeteAizen'' (Grant My Wish, Aizen) what appears to be a "shy boy wishes for a hot girl and wakes up as one instead" BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor plot actually turns out to be a GenderBenderFriendship {{plan}} on the part of a (seemingly) LiteralGenie to get Aizen to confess his love for his Unlucky but soon to be VictoriousChildhoodFriend Yuzu.

* ''PrettyFace''. Except here only the person's face is changed, not his entire gender, and his love interest mistakes him for her twin sister. But otherwise it fits.