History Main / GIRL

Will ultimately lead to TheReveal where they [[UnsettlingGenderReveal show their true colors as blokes]] and laugh at the incensed regulars. Or a regular will wise up to his shenanigans and unmask him, causing everyone to point and laugh at him as [[SmugSnake he slinks away with his tail between his legs]]. Could also be a practical joke played by a regular to which everyone will simply have a good laugh. Most cases tend to end in the second case, which [[FridgeLogic brings up the question]] of why such trolls even bother doing it since the risk of being exposed far outweighs the potential gain. Note that not everyone who's biologically male and presents as female online is trolling; see CrossPlayer, {{Transgender}}.

* Also shows up in ''Comicbook/{{Runaways}}'', where a guy [[CrossPlayer cross-plays]] as [[ComicBook/FantasticFour Invisible Woman]] and [[ComicBook/XMen The White Queen]]. Made rather obvious, since he was playing up the {{Stripperiffic}} costumes. Also inverted with the only ''real'' girl among them playing ComicBook/{{Daredevil}}.

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* [[http://www.jagodibuja.com/webcomic-living-with-hipstergirl-and-gamergirl-english/english8/ This strip]] from the webcomic ''WebComic/LivingWithHipstergirlAndGamergirl'' [[InvertedTrope inverts]] this. [[spoiler: Erika tries to hit on a dude in an MMO using her masculine character model, and hilarity ensues.]]

* In ''ComicBook/UltimateXMen'' Beast gets into a relationship with a girl on a chatroom... who is actually [[FatBastard the Blob]], one of Magneto's henchmen, pretending to be a girl for kicks (a mutant genius supermodel, no less). Then Henry accidentally blabs about how Xavier brainwashed Magneto. [[TooDumbToLive Oops]].

* Francis from ''Webcomic/PvP'' plays a female character named Catfight in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes''. When asked why, he says, [[http://www.pvponline.com/2004/06/01/tue-jun-01/ "If I'm going to be staring at an ass in tights all day, it might as well be a nice ass."]]

[[FunWithAcronyms Acronym]] [[MemeticMutation for]] "Guy/Girl In Real Life."

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[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/FoxTrot https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/girl_trope_pic.png]]]]
[[caption-width-right:350:'''''[[SamusIsAGirl ...GIRL]] [[GirlsHaveCooties WOULD]] [[SuddenlyShouting SAY!!!]]''''']]

** A common variation on the quote goes: "Where the women are men, [[InternetToughGuy the men are boys]], and the boys are FBI agents."

[[quoteright:350:[[ComicStrip/Foxtrot https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/girl_trope_pic.png]]]]

[[FunWithAcronyms Acronym]] [[MemeticMutation for]] "Guy In Real Life."

* ''[[Anime/DotHackSIGN .hack//SIGN]]'' completely inverts this as being the major "twist" of the series. As well as it being a case of amnesia (sort of).
** Well, it's not really played as a twist--it's brought up early on, then rejected but only by the character in question saying "Of course I'm not a girl!" So when it's revealed that the initial theory was right all along it's not very surprising.
** A better example is Saburou from ''.hack//Roots''. She actively claims to be female and states that she simply acts like a boy because many boys act like girls in the game when called out on it due to her male name and male way of speech. The fact that she's on this page means of course, she is male in the real world. It's even pointed out on her character design for Link where her head band is adorned with the male symbol.
* ''LightNovel/{{Durarara}}'': Like any prepared {{troll}}, [[spoiler:Izaya]] poses as a girl on the internet.

* The protagonist of ''Manga/MyFatherBecameACuteVTuberGirl'' is a big fan of the #1 VirtualCelebrity of the setting... and then finds out that behind the scenes, his waifu is actually an old man. ''His own father'', no less. CringeComedy [[HilarityEnsues ensues]].

Largely on the way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, as the internet becoming more accessible in the ''2000s'' and the rise of social media in the ''2010s'' has made it ''much'' more likely that the person online is the actual gender they claim to be. Not to mention the rise of awareness of transgendered people from the ''2010s'' as well, which has made accusing people of this trope much more likely that ''you'll'' be the one being ridiculed/called out for being transphobic.

* In ''Film/{{Fanboys}}'', everyone guesses that Rogue Leader, Windows' online girlfriend, is a guy. When Windows heads to a coffee shop in Austin, Texas to meet Rogue Leader in person, he realizes, to his horror, that Rogue Leader is [[spoiler:a 10-year-old girl]].

* In ''Film/{{Fanboys}}'', everyone guesses that Rogue Leader, Windows' online girlfriend, is a guy. When Windows heads to Austin, Texas to meet Rogue Leader in person, he realizes, to his horror, that Rogue Leader is [[spoiler:a 10-year-old girl]].

* Peter guesses this will be the case when he starts chatting with an unseen woman in Me and You and Everyone We Know, but his brother takes over the chat and goes to meet her anyway. Turns out she's a real adult human woman... the brother she meets is six.

* In ''Film/{{Surrogates}}'', the operator of the seductive female surrogate at the nightclub that got fried happens to be a man. The characters don't treat this "revelation" as unusual or noteworthy in any way.

Female forum goers have a tendency to get a [[MenAreGenericWomenAreSpecial lot more attention, just by being girls]], so many male {{attention whore}}s use this to their advantage so that they get the attention they crave. They will play and flirt with the male members who may become tickled pink that a girl is talking to them this way. Sad, but true. In the case of online video games, particularly [[Main/MassivelyMultiplayerOnlineRolePlayingGame MMOs]], this may be done with the intention of wringing free in-game money and/or rare items out of desperate, lonely male players who are only too happy to fork over such gifts as FavorsForTheSexy.

* ''WebVideo/AFK'': Steven is male, but online plays a female character. Blows back on him when the Game becomes real and finds himself in the body of his avatar. Also inverted with Maybel.

Largely on the way to becoming a DiscreditedTrope, as the internet becoming more accessible in the ''2000s'' and the rise of social media in the ''2010s'' has made it ''much'' more likely that the person online is the actual gender they claim to be. Not to mention the rise of awareness of transgendered people on the ''2010s'' as well, which has made accusing people of being much more likely that ''you'll'' be the one being ridiculed/called out for being transphobic.

This is often inverted on many female dominated forums, such as Website/LiveJournal, where the default identity of new posters is assumed to be female and a guy who acts normally but doesn't explicitly mention he is a guy can go for a long time without anyone asking or realising, leading to "You're a guy?!" moments 6 months down the line.