History Main / JumpingTheGenderBarrier

** Several universes where Tedd and Elliot are opposite genders result in this happening. For example, Beta Tedd and Beta Elliot (Ellen) are in a relationship. In a non-canon story where Tedd is female due to some reality-warping mishap (which retcons that she always ''was'' female), she and Elliot are in a relationship. Universes where they're opposite gender but ''not'' a couple include the Second Life universe, [[spoiler: Magus]]'s universe, and [[GenderBender frequently]] the main universe.

** Any Universe where Tedd and Elliot are opposite genders seems to result in this happening. For example, Beta Tedd and Beta Elliot (Ellen) are in a relationship. In a non-canon story where Tedd is female due to some reality-warping mishap (which retcons that s/he always ''was'' female), s/he and Elliot are in a relationship.

* ''Webcomic/SparklingGenerationValkyrieYuuki'' has the main character guy-turned-girl Yuuki's female childhood friend wait until after he turns into a girl to show romantic interest in him. Though given the general degree of GenreSavvy in a comic which explicitly runs on MagicalGirl Manga and Anime tropes a Main/RomanticTwoGirlFriendship may just be mandatory.

* In one series of ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' strips, Jason has a nightmare (triggered by Kafka's ''Literature/TheMetamorphosis'') where he turns into a miniature version of his sister Paige. He frets that his guy friends will harass him when he shows up to school as a girl. Older brother Peter remarks "There are worse things than being made fun of"; enter Jason's BlackBestFriend Marcus, holding a bouquet and [[HeartSymbol love hearts]] floating around his head.

* Kanata of ''LightNovel/KumoDesuGaNaniKa'' was originally a male before being reincarnated as a girl. She still identified as a man in her mind which resulted in her suppressing a growing affection for her male friend Shun. After a near-death experience where Shun saved her, she started identifying as female and shortly after started giving Shun hints about her feelings.

* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbsu-Q1KwwQ this]] crossover {{fanvid}}, Marina doesn't return Odette's feelings, so Odette agrees with Captain Hook to transform into a man. Odette, or John Smith as she's now called, ends up catching the eye of Marina. Odette reveals the truth to Marina, but, before Marina can react, Captain Hook tries to kill Marina. Odette commits a HeroicSacrifice and dies. However, according to the video's creator, Marina would have [[IfItsYouItsOkay come around to Odette]] eventually, even if she had transformed back into a woman.

* In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbsu-Q1KwwQ this]] crossover {{fanvid}}, Marina doesn't return Odette's feelings, so Odette agrees with Captain Hook to transform into a man. Odette, or John Smith as she's now called, ends up catching the eye of Marina. Odette reveals the truth to Marina,however, before Marina can react, Captain Hook tries to kill Marina. Odette commits a HeroicSacrifice and dies. However, according to the video's creator, Marina would have [[IfItsYouItsOkay come around to Odette]] eventually, even if she transformed back into a woman.

Compare to TransEqualsGay with non-GenderBender examples. Contrast SettledForGay, in which partnership happens without a change in orientation, and IncompatibleOrientation

Contrast SettledForGay, in which partnership happens without a change in orientation, and IncompatibleOrientation.

** Another one plays it for horror, in that the protagonist, a guy who wants the attraction of a particular girl, makes a pact with an ObviouslyEvil skeletal demon who consumes the innards of people, thus turning the remaining skin into a literal bodysuit one can put on and turn into, [[{{Sizeshifter}} size-shifting included]]. [[spoiler:It is done with the diminutive female friend of the guy's obsession, an unrelated little girl, another guy and lastly the girl he originally wanted to be together with. Then he is HoistByHisOwnPetard when, on the demon's suggestion, he puts on the girl's skin and turns into her - only for the demon to take on the other guy's suit and rending the protagonist's mind inside-out, forcing her (?) to fully embrace being a girl and be reduced to nothing more than a mindless pawn.]]

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* ''Film/SomeLikeItHot''. "Well, nobody's perfect!"

For obvious reasons, depends on the presence of the FirstLawOfGenderBending and the absence of EveryoneIsBi. May involve a IfItsYouItsOkay rationalization. The opposite of UnsettlingGenderReveal.

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* ''Manga/YourAndMySecret'': After Uehara and Momoi switch bodies, Momoi almost immediately starts dating her best friend Shiina, who doesn't know about the switch, and Sengbongi[[spoiler:, who figures it out but doesn't mind,]] makes several romantic/sexual overtures towards Uehara. It's an interesting case, since while the body switching ''did'' facilitate both relationships, it's implied that there was existing attraction pre-body switch.
* Inverted in ''LightNovel/{{Kampfer}}'': Kaede doesn't seem to be interested in male [[DoggedNiceGuy Natsuru]]. Suddenly Natsuru [[GenderBender turns into a girl]], and at first sight Kaede [[SchoolgirlLesbians falls in love with]] "her." [[spoiler: It gets creepy when we find out Kaede's a PsychoLesbian who DoesNotLikeMen, and that she turned Natsuru into a girl for this very reason; this of course arguably makes the trope played straight.]]

** Another one plays it for horror, in that the protagonist, a guy who wants the attraction of a particular girl, makes a pact with an ObviouslyEvil skeletal demon who consumes the innards of people, thus turning the remaining skin into a literal body suit one can put on and turn into, [[{{Sizeshifter}} sizeshifting included]]. [[spoiler:It is done with the diminutive female friend of the guy's obsession, an unrelated little girl, another guy and lastly the girl he originally wanted to be together with. Then he is HoistByHisOwnPetard when, on the demon's suggestion, he puts on the girl's skin and turns into her - only for the demon to take on the other guy's suit and rending the protagonist's mind inside-out, forcing her (?) to fully embrace being a girl and be reduced to nothing more than a mindless pawn.]]

* ''Manga/{{Sekirei}}'' has it's own way with this trope. [[spoiler: Homura]] has an unstable gender, but mentally identifies himself as male. At the start of the story he was physically male, and had been trying to find an Ashikabi who was female. However, as time went on his body began reacting to main character Minato, who is a heterosexual male. As a result, [[spoiler:Homura]] began turning into a woman. It's not clear if the transformation was complete by the time he was finally "winged", but the character now has breasts as well as more feminine features, and is pretty annoyed and uncomfortable with the whole situation. Poor, guy/girl.

* Kanata of ''LightNovel/KumoDesuGaNaniKa'' was originally a male before being reincarnated as a girl. She still identified as a man in her mind which resulted in her suppressing a growing affection for her male friend Shun. After a near-death experience where Shun saved her she started identifying as female and shortly after started giving Shun hints about her feelings.

[[folder: Comic Books]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Runaways}}'', with Xavin and Karolina. Karolina is gay and [[ArrangedMarriage engaged to Xavin]], who appears in a youthful male image that he believed would please her. Being a Skrull, for whom changing shape and sex is as difficult and important as changing the color of ones hair, Xavin is not bothered by this, and happily assumes a female form to make Karolina more comfortable. Some drama [[CanonDisContinuity that might or might not have happened later]] revolved around confusion over Xavin's "true" sex, and Karolina's assertion that Xavin is ''really'' a woman, despite the fact that even Xavin points out that he/she (Even the characters become confused over the proper pronouns) is not only one or the other.

* ''Comicbook/TheAvengers'': In Earth-3490, the Civil War created by the Superhuman Registration Act is averted. Why? Because Captain America and Iron Woman [[ThePowerOfLove get]] ''[[ThePowerOfLove married]]''. Interestingly, they both get married in costume, which causes a [[DoubleTake double take]] upon turning the page because Iron Woman's gender is [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar surprisingly ambiguous]] [[GetBackInTheCloset if you ignore the veil]]. And instead of the stock 'standing together at the altar' image, they're making out in front of the church.

[[folder: Film]]
* ''Film/SomeLikeItHot''. "Nobody's perfect."
* In the end of ''Film/LaPielQueHabito'', [[spoiler:Vincente has become Vera, and may or may not have a shot with Cristina now]].

[[folder: Literature]]
* Creator/{{Ovid}}'s ''Literature/{{Metamorphoses}}'' has the rather touching story of [[{{Bifauxnen}} Iphis]] and [[IfItsYouItsOkay Ianthe]], which involves crossdressing, [[PerfectlyArrangedMarriage arranged marriages of the enjoyable variety]], and a [[DeusExMachina magical last minute genderswitch]] that saves the day, making this trope OlderThanFeudalism.

[[folder: Live Action TV]]
* ''Victor/Victoria'' and the BBC ''Casanova'' series. In both cases, a guy is prepared to have a relationship with a man, but then luckily finds out they are a woman.

* In the ''Series/MurderMostHorrid'' episode "A Severe Case of Death", Dawn French's character dresses as a man [[SweetPollyOliver in order to impersonate a doctor]]. During the course of the episode she meets a man with whom she shares a slightly more-than-friendly chemistry. After it is revealled that Dawn's character is really a woman they pursue a romantic relationship.
* ''Dårfinkar och Dönickar''. Isak finds out his new buddy Simon is actually Simone, and decides he like-likes her (they're twelve).

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** Also has a straight example with [[spoiler:Nanase and Ellen. Nanase was a closeted lesbian, and didn't even realize it herself until she met [[ClosetKey Ellen]], her ex-boyfriend's OppositeSexClone]]. It's complicated. And [[{{Spoiler}} spoilery]].

* Mentioned by Jake in ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'', as apparently he used to remark to Dirk that they were such good friends that he would totally go out with him if he were a girl. Dirk, for his part, is gay and in love with Jake. At least Jake admits in retrospect that he might have been leading him on a little. [[spoiler:And the relationship might actually happen even without the trope being enforced, as later Jake begins to wonder whether it really even matters that Dirk is a guy.]]

* Played with and ultimately defied in ''WebComic/{{Exiern}}'': Denver thought Tiffany's genderbent nature and general loathing of his female body meant his (Denver's) feeling would remain one-sided. Then he learns Tiffany's origin story and learns [[spoiler: Typhan-Knee was gay]] and thinks things have worked out for the best. Tiffany chews him out for assuming that now that that's in the open, he'd be "free" to be in a relationship with Denver, ignoring Tiffany's still prominent issues with his involuntary gender bending. Ultimately averted (at least for now) when Denver chooses to stay behind and [[spoiler: learn to control his newly-discovered [[ChangelingFantasy draconic nature]].]]

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* In one series of ''ComicStrip/FoxTrot'' strips, Jason has a nightmare (triggered by Kafka's ''Literature/TheMetamorphosis'') where he turns into a miniature version of his sister Paige. He frets that his guy friends will harass him when he shows up to school as a girl. Older brother Peter remarks "There are worse things than being made fun of"; enter Jason's BlackBestFriend Marcus, holding a bouquet and [[HeartSymbol love hearts]] floating around his head.

[[folder: Tabletop [=RPG=]s ]]

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[[folder: Western Animation ]]

When--as is sometimes the case--this involves the gender-switched person [[TheMindIsThePlaythingOfTheBody changing their sexual preferences]], many people find this plot extremely {{squick}}y.

A GenderBender trope, where someone who would have made a good match if not for gender suddenly ''is'' a good match, and some version of a RomanceArc (and in the more {{egregious}} cases, the relationship) begins immediately. Often, there hadn't previously been one iota of serious thought about a romantic relationship between the two people prior to the gender shift.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' comedy skit "The Curse of Fatal Death" has the Doctor regenerating four times in ten minutes -- his companion (and fiancée) copes with seeing her beloved turn into Creator/RichardEGrant, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant, but when the final regeneration is female she sorrowfully announces that the Doctor is, quite literally, not the man she fell in love with. The Master, rather keen on the Doctor's new Joanna Lumley-shaped body, is only too happy to step in.

* ''{{Exalted}}'' has magically bonded pairs of people whose magic soul shards constantly reincarnate. Each pair is a Solar Exalt (Sun powers) paired with a Lunar Exalt (Moon powers, duh). However, the pairs don't always reincarnate in a gender that the other prefers (though bisexuality is common in Exalted, it is not [[EveryoneIsBi universal]]). Some just end up forming platonic bonds that last the millennia of their lifespans. Or, the Lunar Exalt can pick up the Twin-Faced Hero knack... and change gender at will.

* In ''Series/YoungAmericans'', boarding school student Hamilton is troubled by his attraction to fellow resident Jake, freaking out after they end up kissing in the stalls. Jake, who is actually [[SweetPollyOliver a girl in disguise]], interrupts him by flashing her boobs and declaring "These are not fake!" Cue [[HappilyEverAfter happily ever after!]]

* Played with and ultimately defied in ''WebComic/{{Exiern}}'': Denver thought Tiffany's GenderBent nature and general loathing of his female body meant his (Denver's) feeling would remain one-sided. Then he learns Tiffany's origin story and learns [[spoiler: Typhan-Knee was gay]] and thinks things have worked out for the best. Tiffany chews him out for assuming that now that that's in the open, he'd be "free" to be in a relationship with Denver, ignoring Tiffany's still prominent issues with his involuntary gender bending. Ultimately averted (at least for now) when Denver chooses to stay behind and [[spoiler: learn to control his newly-discovered [[ChangelingFantasy draconic nature]].]]

* Oddly enough, Quark gets caught up in two distinct instances of this trope on ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'':
** Quark's brilliant new assistant has fallen in love with him, greatly distressing Quark who is not interested in males but values the subordinate's insights and abilities. Unfortunately, the reveal that this Ferengi is [[SweetPollyOliver actually a female posing as a male]] in order to have a chance to earn profit does not come as any real relief to Quark because females are forbidden from earning profit (or even wearing clothes) and if anyone ever found he got business advice from one, he would be ruined.
** Another episode [[FanonDiscontinuity that never happened]] has it go exactly the opposite way as Quark's mother tries to champion the cause of equal rights for females. Quark ends up masquerading as his mother's female protege (too well) resulting in the man she was supposed to be negotiating with trying to seduce him. When another character intrudes in order to expose his ruse, Quark exposes [[EasySexChange just how far he went to champion his mother's cause]].

* Subverted in ''Manga/SekainohateDeAimashou'' when a HumanAlien prince slips an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent a GenderBender potion only to get IncompatibleOrientation instead.

* ''SomeLikeItHot''. "Nobody's perfect."

* Similarly done in the ''Series/{{Blackadder}} II'' episode "Bells" (where young girl Kate dresses as a boy and becomes Blackadder's servant "Bob").

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' comedy skit "The Curse of Fatal Death" has the Doctor regenerating four times in ten minutes -- his companion (and fiancée copes) with seeing her beloved turn into Creator/RichardEGrant, Jim Broadbent and Hugh Grant, but when the final regeneration is female she sorrowfully announces that the Doctor is, quite literally, not the man she fell in love with. The Master, rather keen on the Doctor's new Joanna Lumley-shaped body, is only too happy to step in.

* In one series of ''FoxTrot'' strips, Jason has a nightmare (triggered by Kafka's ''Literature/TheMetamorphosis'') where he turns into a miniature version of his sister Paige. He frets that his guy friends will harass him when he shows up to school as a girl. Older brother Peter remarks "There are worse things than being made fun of"; enter Jason's BlackBestFriend Marcus, holding a bouquet and [[HeartSymbol love hearts]] floating around his head.

* Similarly done in the ''{{Blackadder}} II'' episode "Bells" (where young girl Kate dresses as a boy and becomes Blackadder's servant "Bob").