Line #26 Main/Elfeminate


1	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread (used with permission): https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1332512817072885800
2	%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
3	[[quoteright:290:[[VideoGame/DwarfFortress https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/DFE_520.png]]]]
4	[[caption-width-right:290:[[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1604.msg1016057#msg1016057 "Hey Urist! Ya can PULL that LEVER now!"]] 2/3 of comic used with permission.]]
5
6	->'''Gabe:''' It's not gay if it's an elf.\
7	'''Tycho:''' I'd love to know why you have a rule for that.
8	-->-- ''Webcomic/PennyArcade''
9
10	Male [[OurElvesAreDifferent elves]] are often portrayed as feminine or [[DudeLooksLikeALady androgynous]], in range from PrettyBoy or {{Bishonen}} to AmbiguouslyGay. This is often used to [[UnsettlingGenderReveal cause dumbfounded confusion]] on reveal.
11
12	Occasionally, elves of both genders will be portrayed as androgynous, but usually the male androgyny is part of a broader tendency to portray all elves as particularly feminine, making the female elves anything but androgynous.
13
14	The "[[PermaShave no facial hair]]" clause helps, but it's only a little part of the image -- other beardless peoples are immune to this even while wearing [[BraidsBeadsAndBuckskins braids and beads]] ''and'' being among the [[FantasyCounterpartCulture prototypes]] for elves. One of the probable reasons why feminine qualities of elves are played up is the [[{{Foil}} intentional contrast]] between Elves and [[ElvesVsDwarves their traditional opposites]], [[OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame dwarves]], who are basically [[ManlyMan hypermasculine]]: stout, muscular, hairy, axe-swinging drunks (which depending on the portrayal may apply to female dwarves as well, [[OneGenderRace if they even have them]]).
15
16	Remember that elves and dwarves contrast along several lines: SlobsVersusSnobs, HarmonyVersusDiscipline, RomanticismVersusEnlightenment, and especially nature versus technology. Thus it makes sense that races that fit so well into the MotherNatureFatherScience trope would even match the trope's gender implications: elves are feminine because ''nature'' is feminine, and all dwarves masculine because ''technology'' is masculine. This dichotomy also helps the both of them contrast against the mundane humans, who fit quite neatly between the two on all of these spectrums, including gender expression.
17
18	This is a SubTrope of AlienGenderConfusion.
19	----
20	!!Examples:
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
25	* ''Manga/ADestructiveGodSitsNextToMe'': Basically all the boys, but especially Koyuki, and the self-proclaimed demon in the next seat.
26	* You wouldn't know that Oberon from ''Manga/TheAncientMagusBride'' was a man until you hear him referred to as the fairy king.
27	* Taken to parodic extremes in the ecchi manga ''Futanari no Elf'', which doesn't even have a concept of male or female and the race is populated by hermphrodites. All of which present as [[WorldOfBuxom buxom women]] with (mostly) huge penises.
28	* Elves in ''Manga/DeliciousInDungeon'' are almost perfectly androgynous, but this doesn’t cause any problems for anyone except the [[ViewerGenderConfusion reader.]] A number of important characters, including the BigBad, had to be regarded in English with AmbiguousGender (leading to mistakes such as the official translation calling that BigBad female) until someone finally used an unambiguously gendered pronoun to refer to them, often many chapters later. This is highlighted in a one-page GenderBentAlternateUniverse {{omake}} the author drew, in which everyone saw significant changes to their face shape and hairstyles except the elf Marcille, who looked exactly the same, and in a sketch of the Canaries (an all-elf squad) with swapped genders, with the only differences being a previously shirtless male now wears a short crop-top, and the female members now have flat chests.
29	[[/folder]]
30
31	[[folder:Asian Animation]]
32	* Feng Xi from ''Animation/TheLegendOfHei'', while Elfin is a general term for supernatural species in this universe, Feng Xi still qualifies for sporting PointedEars and waist length hair.
33	[[/folder]]
34
35	[[folder:Arts]]
36	* Hungarian-British illustrator [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_Ambrus Victor Ambrus]] averted this when he drew his version of the Middle-earth Elves of Creator/JRRTolkien. His male Elves are notably masculine, often with lined faces and distinct features, as opposed to the better-known Elf drawings of Allan Lee, who was chosen as the codifier for the movie Elves. Ambrus' version of [[https://no.pinterest.com/pin/417708934161208333/ Legolas]] should be noted. As a sidenote, his Elves even lack the traditional pointed ears. The "elvishness" is indicated by drawing a kind of sparkles around them, and very bright eyes. His female Elves are distinctly delicate as opposed to the males' more masculine roughness.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Card Games]]
40	* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'':
41	** Averted with burly [[http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=45442 Eighth Edition Elvish Champion.]]
42	** Played straight with the elves of Lorwyn / Shadowmoor. Their society revolves around the virtue of beauty, and they punish transgressions with disfigurements. [[ScrewYouElves The other folks don't like them]].
43	* Treated as a special ability in ''[[TabletopGame/GraveRobbersFromOuterSpace Berserker Halflings from the Dungeon of Dragons]]''--the "Way Too Pretty Elf" is male, but is affected by cards that normally work on females.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Comedy]]
47	* A source of many jokes in Martin Pearson's musical ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' parody, ''AudioPlay/TheUnfinishedSpellingErrorsOfBolkien''.
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	[[folder:Film -- Live-Action]]
51	* ''Film/TheHobbit'': Thranduil is arguably the most androgynous-looking male Elf in the franchise, even more so than his son Legolas. While they both share long, platinum blond hair, bright blue eyes, dainty facial features and a slender build, Thranduil has [[https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ShockingGentleBluetickcoonhound-size_restricted.gif long, thick eyelashes]] (which almost looks like he's wearing mascara) and a long neck, plus his ostentatious manner of dress (in contrast to his son's plainer style) give the Elvenking a more [[http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/38000000/king-thranduil-thranduil-38049848-1008-1536.jpg feminine appearance.]]
52	[[/folder]]
53
54	[[folder:Literature]]
55	* The elven men of Herezar in ''Literature/TheFirstDwarfKing'' look only ''slightly'' more masculine than their female counterparts.
56	* In ''Literature/WyrdSisters'' an actor who plays a girl too well was asked whether he by chance has some elf up in the bloodline.
57	* Parodied in John Brosnan's ''Have Demon, Will Travel'' where elves are an entire race of {{Camp Gay}}s.
58	* The two principal characters of the ''Literature/{{Nightrunner}}'' books are [[OurElvesAreDifferent Aurenfaie]]. Both are repeatedly described as pretty, and Seregil disguises himself as a woman without much difficulty.
59	* Elves in ''Literature/QuantumGravity'' tend to be thin and delicate-looking. Do not mistake this for weak. Elves still fulfill the archer [[{{Pun}} archetype]] fairly often, and the author does recognize how much strength it takes to draw a decent-to-large-sized bow.
60	* In A.R.R.R. Roberts' parody of ''Literature/TheHobbit'', ''The Soddit'', Wood Elves and High Elves become Wild Elves and Coward Elves. The accompanying illustration makes it clear that the Wild Elves are based on Creator/OscarWilde, and the Coward Elves on Creator/NoelCoward.
61	* Played with by Creator/JRRTolkien. While his elven women are [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman quite feminine]], his elven men are stated to be manly. They are handsome but they are also mighty warriors and kings. The fact that he frequently describes male elves as "beautiful" may impart a more feminine image in the modern reader's mind than intended. The FilmOfTheBook makes the male elves (particularly Legolas) look somewhat androgynous. This gets {{Lampshaded}} in the extended cut of ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney'', where Kíli mistakes a male elf for a maiden. ''Literature/TheHistoryOfMiddleEarth'' does state, however, that Elves aren't strongly sexually dimorphic beyond what differences are needed for reproduction, suggesting that the men and women do look broadly the same.
62	* In the short story ''The Fairy Coney-Catcher'', the male protagonist is given a boon by [[TheFairFolk the Fey Queen]] and requests an elven "lass" who caught his eye for his wife. Upon attempting to consummate the marriage, he discovers that his wife is in fact a man. UnsettlingGenderReveal is promptly averted when he says that he'll love and honor his wife regardless.
63	* PlayedWith in ''Literature/{{Touch 2017}},'' where it's [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblins]] who look like weirdly androgynous humans, to the point where the main characters can never figure their genders out. It's eventually revealed that they're an offshoot race of elves who have NoBiologicalSex, while the actual elves do. (In fact, the elvish {{Arc Villain}}s are [[NoNameGiven known simply as]] "the male" and "the female.")
64	* ''Literature/HowNotToSummonADemonLord'': Upon being ambushed by elves, Takuma assumes that they're all flat-chested women until he notices that one of them has an adam's apple.
65	* As a joke from his programmers, Mare Bello Fiore from ''[[Literature/OverLord2012 Overlord]]'' dresses and looks like a girl, while his twin sister, Aura dresses like a boy.
66	* Elves in ''Literature/TheObsidianTrilogy'' look, to humans not used to them, like a race of identical twins. Even when humans are more accustomed and can identify ones they know and make a reasonably accurate stab at their genders, ''elderly'' elves are even more androgynous. They also seem to have the least care for strict gender roles of any of the Races of the Light, being the only one that trains women for warfare, who of course wear the same kinds of clothing and armor in the field as men do.
67	* ''Literature/HeraldsOfValdemar'' doesn't have elves per se, but the [[MagicalNativeAmerican Hawkbrothers]] are quite similar - LongLived and maintaining a youthful appearance into late middle age, heavily associated with nature, very magical, having ties back to the setting's ancient and otherwise forgotten history, living largely isolated from the rest of the world in ludicrously beautiful {{Hidden Elf Village}}s and generally ''being'' isolationist, and tending towards androgyny. Some of this is because they don't see long hair, elaborate clothing, or really anything else as gendered, but they virtually all have pretty, feminine faces. In ''Winds of Change'' an outsider, Princess Elspeth of Valdemar, notes this and that the women all seem to be tall and broad-shouldered. When Darkwind shares fancy clothing from his own wardrobe with Elspeth it fits her quite well with little need for alteration. She's the swordfighting kind of princess rather than PrincessClassic, suggesting that the highly physically active Darkwind isn't a waif.
68	[[/folder]]
69
70	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
71	* ''Series/StarTrekPicard'': Romulans (and Vulcans) are SpaceElves, and Elnor is the most elf-like and androgynous of any male Romulan or Vulcan character in the franchise. In addition to being a tall, slim, LongHairedPrettyBoy with a graceful bearing, he grew up in all-female sect [[note]]its monastery is located in a [[ForestOfPerpetualAutumn forest]] which looks like [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Rivendell]][[/note]], and the locals belittle him as a "[[GenderedInsult sisterboy]]." Various media outlets ([[https://decider.com/2020/02/13/star-trek-picard-episode-4-elnor-evan-evagora-qalankhkai/ this is just one example among many]]) have compared Elnor to [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Legolas]].
72	[[/folder]]
73
74	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
75	* Elven deities in ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' are often noted to be "androgynous" in looks; the artist responsible for the picture of chief elf god Corellon Larethian from the ''Deities and Demigods'' sourcebook took this to its logical conclusion with [[http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/dd_gallery/dd1/Corellon_p63.jpg a totally FABULOUS rendition]] (two words: ''rainbow eyeliner''). Which is justifiable, as original lore for Corellon is that they are [[GenderBender literally gender-fluid]], able to appear as masculine, feminine, androgynous, hermaphroditic, or anything else they envision -- a trait that other members of the Seldarine (the elfin gods) may share, depending on edition and setting.
76	** Like most things D&D-related, this depends heavily on subrace, setting, and edition. In 4th edition, a "design preview" book on races and classes from the developers stated that they wanted to deliberately avoid this trope, going for slender and graceful but still masculine male elves. In 5th edition, a minority of elves have "Corellon's Blessing"; the ability to [[SexShifter voluntarily shift genders at will]].
77	** The somewhat ambiguously-canon [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent Verdan]], a migrant from ''WebVideo/AcquisitionsIncorporated'' who appeared as a PC race in a 5e {{sourcebook}}, also tend to be very hard to place on the gender scale. This is because one of the more consistent side-effects of their chaos-touched heritage is a tendency to spontaneously shift genders at least once in their lifetime, which has basically caused them to give up on gender as a social construct, and also results in their genders tending to look pretty similar.
78	* The Elves in ''TabletopGame/SmallWorld'' are depicted as overly thin, androgynous types carrying baskets of flowers.
79	* The Eldar in TabletopGame/Warhammer40000 are androgynous enough that it's common for humans to have difficulty determining their gender. This is particularly evident with the Aspect Warriors, who discard their identities to embody a particular character representing an aspect of war. Several of these Aspects are distinctly masculine or feminine in costume, but all will accept both male and female Eldar - a Howling Banshee, for instance, is a feminine Aspect wearing armour with HartmanHips and an impressive BreastPlate, and that remains the case regardless of the gender of the person portraying the role.
80	* The fantasy spinoff for ''TabletopGame/GraveRobbersFromOuterSpace'' has a character known as "The Way Too Pretty Elf." Technically the character is male, but is so effeminate that cards that can normally only be used on ladies can also be used on him.
81	[[/folder]]
82
83	[[folder:Video Games]]
84	* ''VideoGame/BaldursGateIII'':
85	** Astarion, the high elf rogue origins character, plays this trope very straight, being a white-haired PrettyBoy who's very concerned about his appearance. He even admits that he uses his good looks for seduction.
86	** Gloriously averted by Halsin the wood elf druid, who is a large muscular {{hunk}} of a man who looks like he just walked out of a cologne commercial or a romance novel's cover. He is quite possibly the ''least'' effeminate elf to ever appear in a video game.
87	** Another big aversion of Ketheric Thorm, the ArcVillain of Act II, and a half-elf general played by ''Creator/JKSimmons''. Not only is he an armor-clade dread knight, but he has a very noticeable beard and a haggard, aged complexion. The fact he's even remotely elven is only apparent with his pointed ears and his unusually long life span.
88	** The player themselves is free to play this straight, avert it, or even invert it by playing hyper-masculine elven women, thanks to the robust character creator. There are four body types available, two masc-presenting and two femme-presenting (each one getting a slim-athletic physique and a larger muscular physique), but these aren't locked to gender identity, with the option to choose your pronouns, your genitalia, and your voice, allowing you to create an elf that identifies as he/him and having male genitalia, but give them a feminine body, including breasts, to take this further than normal, or you can completely invert it by playing an elf who identifies as she/her, has female genitalia, but has a large muscular body with no visible breasts, as well as anything in between. This also applies to other races besides elves, as the options exist for all the human-sized races (humans, elves, drow, half-elves, tieflings, githyanki, etc).
89	* Blood elves and high elves (but not night elves) in ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft''. Joked about at length, including the blood elf male flirt, "don't you wish your girlfriend was hot like me?", and Johnny Awesome being mistaken for a girl and called "Jenny" by a character in Hillsbrad. To be fair, though, this is a DownplayedTrope, as male blood elves only look effeminate in comparison to the other mostly hypermasculine males in the game, especially their allies in the Horde. They were more so in the beta for ''Burning Crusade''.
90	** One of the quests from the ''Cataclysm'' expansion involves playing through a tale from an orc who describes how he supposedly chased [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Deathwing]] on his motorcycle while driving around with a "hot babe." You get to choose which one of those hot babes gets to hop into his sidecar for the chase and one of them happens to be a male blood elf.
91	** The ''Legion'' expansion adds the Nightborne, a faction of elves who hid from the [[WorldSundering Sundering]] by [[HiddenElfVillage isolating themselves from the rest of the world with a protective magical shield]]. Dark-skinned and white-haired like the [[TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons drow elves]], the males can often be hard to tell apart from the females. Many players have argued whether the Nighthold raid boss Star Augur Etraeus is a male or female.
92	* While not all Elezen in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' are feminine in appearance, Alphinaud deserves a special mention for the fact that he looks almost identical to his twin sister Alisae, not helped by the fact that they (Initially) wear virtually identical outfits, as well. This is lampshaded in the FlavorText for the Wind-up Alisae minion, which states that they're simply Wind-up Alphinaud that were rebranded after changing the color of their hairbands and nothing else.
93	* ''Franchise/DragonAge'':
94	** Bisexual elf Zevran from ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' mentions this as the reason he and other elves were chosen as assassins. Most humans found them pleasing to look at, which increased the chances they'd be successful in their jobs. Zevran himself is a prime example of this trope at work - drunken dwarf Oghren even comments that Zevran's got "small breasts for a gal".
95	** Similarly, Fenris of ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII''. He's more masculine than some examples, but between the lean elven body model and pretty face, he hits the PrettyBoy mark. It's even lampshaded by Hawke's uncle Gamlen if a male Hawke romances Fenris.
96	---> ''"So, you're into elves, huh? I guess I don't have to ask which one of you's the girl."''
97	** The character creator in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition''. It is entirely possible to make a male elf with an ''extremely'' feminine face. Though due to the limited choice of two voice actors, the main difference of which is accents, your Elfeminate Male Inquisitor will still have a male-sounding voice.
98	** Averted for male Ancient Elves like Abelas or [[spoiler:Solas]]. They have much more definitive masculine facial, skeletal, and muscular characteristics. [[spoiler:This is because it turns out they are ancient elves from before the Fall of Elvhanan and the entire race becoming a SlaveRace.]]
99	* ''VideoGame/PillarsOfEternity'': Aloth the [[PermaShave elven]] [[SquishyWizard wizard]] fits this trope, having a slim build, smooth face, [[LongHairIsFeminine long hair]], and [[WineIsClassy refined tastes]]. This gets him teased by some more manly companions, especially [[HeManWomanHater Durance]]. [[spoiler:Ironically, Aloth has a LiteralSplitPersonality who is a woman. Double-ironically, [[TheLadette she's even more manly than him]].]]
100	-->'''Durance:''' So, do you spend all your time hiding behind skirts? Or do you just like to wear one?
101	* Elves in ''VideoGame/{{Majesty}}'' are androgynous-looking, tend to have {{Gender Blender Name}}s, and have voices somewhere between tenor and contralto.
102	* Lieutenant Yaha of ''VideoGame/Drakengard2'' is a CampGay DepravedHomosexual who is obsessed with party member Urick to the point that he gave up his ability to feel pleasure for the ability of charm. He spends his boss battle making creepy remarks towards both Urick and Nowe.
103	* More-or-less averted in ''VideoGame/{{Rift}}'': Although smooth-faced and clearly intended to be attractive (even if Kelari are a bit eerie-looking), elven men are too sinewy and rawboned to be called {{Pretty Boy}}s.
104	* Zig-zagged in ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress''. Elves are nothing but a lowercase 'e' on the screen due to the game's AsciiArt graphics, so they don't really look very effeminate. However, their leadership positions are titled "queen" and "princess"... even when the elves in those positions are male.
105	** This trope is played completely straight by community fan work, though. As shown in the page image, fan artists have a habit of portraying all elves as [[ScrewYouElves girly, tree-hugging, pansy hippies]]... albeit with one ''[[https://dwarffortresswiki.org/index.php/Cacame_Awemedinade MAJOR]]'' exception.
106	* ''VideoGame/{{Tera}}'': High Elf males are {{Bishounen}} to the point of looking girly, just without breasts.
107	* The two commentators Jim the Vampire and Bob the Ogre in the Cyanide adaption of ''TabletopGame/BloodBowl'': Jim mocks Pro-Elf teams by pointing out that if he didn't know better he could have confused them for an Amazon team. [[InsultToRocks Bob replies that this is silly since he's never heard of anyone fearing an elf.]]
108	* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', [[HornyVikings Nords]] hate the races of Mer and see their reliance on fancy weapons and magic in battle as effete and unmanly.
109	* Leaf from ''VideoGame/MySims'' is a male rockstar elf with a single pierced ear and refuses to ''ever'' have facial hair of any kind.
110	[[/folder]]
111
112	[[folder:Webcomics]]
113	* ''Webcomic/Alfie2010'': Ailduin, to the point Vera is ''certain'' he's gay once she figures out he's male. She's rather surprised to learn that he's not (or at least, not at the moment; elf lifespans are so long that they eventually end up everywhere on the Kinsey scale at some point or another).
114	* ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick.'' The creator eventually realized that fans [[ViewerGenderConfusion couldn't tell]] the gender of the team's elf character, [[TheSmartGuy Vaarsuvius]], and thus made their AmbiguousGender a RunningGag. We later learn that Vaarsuvius has a "mate" and children who are similarly androgynous -- and, since the kids are adopted, we can't even say for sure if the two are opposite sexes. The Elvish subtitles even translate the dialogue to say "Parent" and "Other Parent" instead of "Mother" and "Father."
115	** Most minor elf characters follow suit, though we know of one male [[HalfHumanHybrid half-elf]], Pompey, and two female elves, Lirian and Veldrina. Around book four we started seeing a lot more elves in minor roles and the majority are just as clearly gendered as every other race.
116	* ''Webcomic/ElGoonishShive'' poked fun at this too. Subverted later when Justin admits he likes his men manly.
117	-->'''[[StraightGay Justin]]:''' ...[[http://www.egscomics.com/?date=2003-01-02 and meet many, many handsome elves.]]
118	* In ''Webcomic/DMOfTheRings'', Aragorn in particular seems to look at any Elf and think it's a woman, even when they're male. For the most part however he just plays it up to annoy Legolas' (a.k.a. Leggo Lass) player. Even invoked when he's trying to [[http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=951 get laid with Éowyn]], but the DM doesn't want to because he's having to play her:
119	--> '''Éowyn:''' This ''[Aragorn hitting on the DM as her]'' is just too weird.\
120	'''Aragorn:''' Oh, come on, you said she was hot! "Tall, slim, and graceful, with golden hair", you said.\
121	'''Éowyn:''' That's the same description I gave you for Legolas.\
122	'''Aragorn:''' Like I said: '''hot!'''
123	* ''Webcomic/{{Drowtales}}'': Played with, where it's {{averted}} and seemingly {{exaggerated}} at once. The male [[OurElvesAreDifferent Drow]] are masculine, larger than humans, and typically [[PrettyBoy fairly attractive]]. They seem somewhat effeminate when compared to the Drow ladies, however, who are typically larger and stronger than the males, although still [[CuteMonsterGirl blatantly feminine]].
124	* In ''Mindflayed'' a barman [[https://web.archive.org/web/20120813004803/http://mindflayed.0nyx.com/comic011.html called]] an elf "missy". That's when we [[BerserkButton get to know the elf wasn't]]. Later an idiot paladin made the same mistake three times -- the first time another member of the party held Lomylith back, but on the third, this guy [[DestinationDefenestration had to leave a high tower via the window]].
125	* Used to point up the gender stereotypes in ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'': male high elves (who come from a gender-equal race) are swishy, while male drow (who come from a matriachal society) are masculine. However, male high elves are still manly enough to be jealous as all hell of a drow who "slept [his] way to this position".
126	* ''d20monkey'' has [[http://www.d20monkey.com/2011/03/14/over-the-rainbow/ "the description of that elf NPC."]] Discovering that the elf is male rather... [[UnsettlingGenderReveal surprised]] Brett.
127	* Averted in ''Webcomic/DubiousCompany'', the sex of the elves in the series are easily distinguishable, except for Elly. He is mistaken as a girl at least once by everyone, and [[SelectiveObliviousness consistently]] by [[AbhorrentAdmirer Marty]]. Tiren [[GirlishPigtails cursing]] him didn't help matters either.
128	* ''Webcomic/LookingForGroup'': Done very specifically with Cale, but, in an aversion, ''not with elves as a whole''. Note, that this is barely apparent to the readers, if at all.
129	* Elon and Rolan of ''Webcomic/EarsForElves'' are both somewhat feminine, in particular in hairstyle. One has girlish bangs and ponytail, while the other has narrow braids in his long hair and multiple earrings. Tanna also asks whether someone calling "princess" is referring to Elon, [[http://www.earsforelves.com/archives/429 much to his annoyance.]]
130	* ''Webcomic/TalesFromSomewhere'': Nandiel, the elf in the party, is mistaken for a woman during their [[https://www.talesfromsomewhere.com/comic/chapter-1-the-legend/ch1p19-peace/ introduction]].
131	* ''Webcomic/TheHandbookOfHeroes'' lists this trope as one of [[MayflyDecemberRomance two]] reasons to avoid romance with elves. Also, after Wizard's GenderBender, Fighter is unable to tell the difference.
132	[[/folder]]
133
134	[[folder:Web Original]]
135	* Fredrik K.T. Andersson (the author of ''Webcomic/{{Pawn}}'') has a mostly-NSFW series of drawings about adventures of "the bard [[ReallyGetsAround who knocks up every critter in creation]]" (though evidently was too drunk at the time to remember half of those... encounters). Elves are the only beings with whom he has some problems: he needs to be told that [[http://www.naorhy.com/art/freddy/elfwood/cross_couples/the_bard_shes_a_he.jpg the beautiful elf he was flirting with is a he.]] Also, he didn't realize for a long time that the (rather {{Stripperific}} but also flat-chested) [[http://www.naorhy.com/art/freddy/elfwood/cross_couples/the_bard_shes_a_girl_color.jpg female elf in their party is a girl.]]
136	* ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'' FanArt: [[http://www.bay12forums.com/smf/index.php?topic=1604.msg1016057#msg1016057 "A common mistake when dealing with elves."]]
137	* ''Literature/TalesOfMU'' subverts this in the case of half-elf Steff, who is genderqueer and presents female. To humans and most other non-elves, she comes off as beautiful and feminine. To elves, she looks awkwardly masculine, like a bad drag queen.
138	* ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' implies this is a case with HalfIdenticalTwins Half-Elf siblings Vax and Vex through official art and a bit where when asked what his sister looks like, Vax just pointed at himself.
139	* In ''WebVideo/AcquisitionsIncorporated'', the group makes the occasional joke revolving around this trope mentioning how Aeofel is fey, how they have a "don't ask don't tell" policy, or how Aeofel is a pretty boy. Creator/WilWheaton (Aeofel's player) for his part embraces and defends the trope.
140	-->'''Chris:''' Hey Wil, do you want the Elf [figurine] that looks like a girl, or the Eladrin that looks like a girl?\
141	'''Wheaton:''' I want the-- Listen, here's the thing about elves: Elves are the Eladrin's [[FantasticRacism hillbilly cousins]]. So I'll take the ''Eladrin'' that looks like a girl, thank you very much, because we ''deserve'' to look and feel pretty.
142	* ''Blog/ThingsMrWelchIsNoLongerAllowedToDoInAnRPG'' has quite a few examples:
143	--> 1207. There is no such thing as "ambiguously elven".
144	--> 1218. Elves do not have to go to the bathroom in groups.
145	--> 1418. The Elvish language is not just English with a hell of a lot of lisping.
146	--> 1474. The concept of puberty is not alien to the elves.
147	--> 1689. 1/3 of the elf homeland's GDP does not go to hair care products.
148	--> 1720. Contrary to popular opinion, the girdle of masculinity/femininity does have a noticeable effect on elves.
149	--> 1850. [[LanguageEqualsThought There is also an elven word for "heterosexual".]]
150	--> 1932. I will stop telling people the elf is [[{{Pun}} openly]] [[TheFairFolk fey]].
151	--> 1953. A lifetime subscription to [[Magazine/{{Cosmopolitan}} Cosmo]] is not an elven racial bonus.
152	--> 2030. Elves do not get a racial bonus to the skill Trade: Interior Design.
153	--> 2373: The name for a group of elves is not the fagot.
154	[[/folder]]
155
156	[[folder:Western Animation]]
157	* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' features a parody of evil anime {{bishonen}} (and [[Franchise/{{Gundam}} Char]]), in the form of a literal space elf who looks, dresses, and poses like a woman... and [[VocalDissonance sounds like]] Creator/BelaLugosi.
158	* The Breezies from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'', which are basically [[OurFairiesAreDifferent pony fairies]], all look ''incredibly'' feminine. Just try and guess [[https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/3/2/564894.PNG which one of these is male.]][[note]]Seabreeze, the one on the right.[[/note]] The rest are anybody's guess.[[note]]The main indicator seems to be eye shape, males have round eyes and females more angular ones. This can get hard to keep track of when they're moving or in the background.[[/note]]
159	* ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'''s Xandir ''looks'' like an elf[[note]]Though he's actually based on [[Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda Link]], who's not[[/note]], and is also CampGay. Given the nature of the show, where [[CrossesTheLineTwice EVERYONE]] is an fair game to mock.
160	* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaAndThePrincessesOfPower'': [[VoluntaryShapeshifting Double Trouble]], in their ShapeshifterDefaultForm, is a very pretty, androgynous [[LizardFolk reptile person]] who looks somewhere between a chameleon and a [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft blood elf]]. Admittedly, they're nonbinary rather than male; it remains that they're also not ''female''.
161	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheDragonPrince,'' [[TheArchmage Aaravos]] invoked ViewerGenderConfusion for some fans--that is, until he spoke. All the male elves seem to be {{Long Haired Pretty Boy}}s.
162	[[/folder]]

Context Main / Elfeminate