History Main / SuperGenderBender

* ''ComicBook/{{Cybersix}}'' doubly subverts this trope, with the titular ArtificialHuman being female, but crossdressing for her secret identity.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma", using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]], and given how Crystal Gem [[NoBiologicalSex biology]] and [[NonHumanNonbinary culture]] works, she didn't really have a gender or biological sex ''to'' flip in the way humans understand the term.
* Like the comic it's based on, ''WesternAnimation/{{Cybersix}}'' doubly subverts this; the title character's secret identity is the one she crossdresses for.

** The Sailor Starlights are actually an inversion in the 90's anime, as their male civilian forms are not their birth gender. Their whole transformation sequence involves shifting out of a male form into their original female one. Their princess is surprised to see they've chosen male civilian forms when they do find her. In the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] they were girls the whole time, merely posing as boys while in their civilian identities.

* ''Manga/MahouShoujoOre'' {{Gender Flip}}s the usual trend by making the heroine turn into a very toned man to activate her powers. It's eventually revealed that other girls have made that same gender-bending contract, and her crush [[LovesMyAlterEgo falls in love]] with ''him'' during a RescueRomance.

* {{Subverted}} with Itsuki Myoudouin from ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'': [[{{Bifauxnen}} She looks and dresses like a (pretty) boy]] and has a Cure form just as girly as the others. However, Itsuki not only fully identifies as female, she's actually much more feminine than she presents herself, but thinks [[RealWomenDontWearDresses a masculine front is needed to show strength]] as the HeirToTheDojo. Working as a Cure made her realize otherwise. Considering that her designated nemesis is an AmbiguouslyGay guy with a penchant for fashion, this might be a stealth [[GayAesop queer aesop]].

* This is a possibility in the NWOD fan game ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful''. However, this is not necessarily a source of embarrassment, since the transformed state is an idealized version of the person in question, so any Princess who gender bends when transforming is probably transgender in the first place. However, they can't just stay transformed permanently because most Nobles don't have that as an option (and the ones that do use the magic that drives them insane).

A character [[GenderBender needs to undergo a complete physical sex change]], usually through magic or AppliedPhlebotinum, in order for them to access their powers. It is used as a justification to give a gender change to a character who would not ordinarily want one. With many examples, the character [[SexShifter changes back to their original sex]] when their powers are dormant, especially if they're a HenshinHero. Others have powers that are always "on", which leaves them transformed persistently, [[{{Metamorphosis}} often permanently]].

* ''Ore to hero to Mahou Shoujo'' is about a man whose TransformationTrinket was supposed to turn him into a Franchise/KamenRider-esque superhero, but ended up turning him into a pint-sized MagicalGirlWarrior due to a mixup with a wand trinket. Later chapters show that the other trinket is in active use by a musclebound man in armor, causing the main cast to shudder at the thought of a little girl being his alter ego. [[spoiler:It was another man, but the girl who needed the original trinket was still an opposing force.]]
* ''Manga/MagicalTrans'' is about a ClubStub whose president invented [[SupernaturalPhone a phone app that transforms people into]] {{Magical Girl}}s, even boys like Minami. In a twist, the transformation gives Minami massively boosted physical abilities, but there is NoAntagonist to use them against (until Kaiserk shows up, and even then she goes easy due to how outclassed the club is against her). He uses the app [[SecondLawOfGenderBending because he likes turning into a cute girl]], and even gets an option to [[WillfullyWeak turn off the superpowers]] so he doesn't use them by accident.

* The Creator/ImageComics Babewatch crossover changed characters in ''New Men'', ''ComicBook/{{Youngblood}}'', ''ComicBook/{{Supreme}}'', ''Chapel'', ''ComicBook/{{Glory}}'' and ''ComicBook/{{Prophet}}'' to women by the magic of Diabolique.
* From Philippine comics, ''ComicBook/ZsazsaZaturnnah'' is an effeminate homosexual and the proprietor of a small town beauty salon. He has a huge spiky stone that physically transforms him into a superhuman woman whenever he ingests it and shouts the word "Zaturnnah!". His female form is similar in both powers and appearance to Franchise/WonderWoman (as well as to ComicBook/{{Darna}}, another notable Filipina superheroine, whose stone-swallowing transformation was parodied by Zsazsa's character).

* Back in the late 70s/early 80s, ComicBook/CaptainAmerica would occasionally fight a villainess named the Vamp, whose power was transforming into a telekinetic, distinctly male caveman with a giant head. This form was named Animus, in a nod to [[UsefulNotes/CarlJung Carl Jung's]] theory that women have an unconscious masculine named the animus.

* ''Manga/MagicalTrans'' is about a ClubStub whose president invented [[SupernaturalPhone a phone app that transforms people into]] {{Magical Girl}}s, even boys like Minami. In a twist, the transformation gives Minami massively boosted physical abilities, but there is NoAntagonist to use them again. He uses the app [[SecondLawOfGenderBending because he likes turning into a cute girl]], and even gets an option to [[WillfullyWeak turn off the superpowers]] so he doesn't use them by accident.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse'': [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma", using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]], and given how Crystal Gem biology and culture works, she didn't really have a gender or biological sex ''to'' flip in the way humans understand the term.

* An instance occurs in ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'', which features [[spoiler: Masquerade]], who is really a gender-bent form of [[spoiler:Alice]]. It's an odd case, however, because it's also a case of a JekyllAndHyde scenario - [[spoiler:Alice]] is completely unaware of any actions she commits as [[spoiler:Masquerade]], and the two interact in [[spoiler:Alice's]] psyche numerous times, proving they have separate consciousnesses. Eventually, the two commune with one another, and [[spoiler:Masquerade]] fades away into [[spoiler:Alice's]] psyche, while [[spoiler:she]] retains access to [[spoiler:his]] Bakugan partner [[spoiler:Alpha Hydranoid]] and abilities.

* This is a possibility in the NWOD fan game ''TabletopGame/PrincessTheHopeful''. However, this is not necessarily a source of embarrassment, since the transformed state is an idealized version of the person in question, so any Princess who gender bends when transforming is probably {{Transgender}} in the first place. However, they can't just stay transformed permanently because most Nobles don't have that as an option (and the ones that do use the magic that drives them insane).

* ''[[VisualNovel/MaxsBigBustACaptainNekoraiTale Max's Big Bust: A Captain Nekorai Tale]]'' has its [[VisualPun tit]]ular character Max changed from a man into a particularly buxom woman near the beginning of the story, and later on it's discovered s/he has electrical powers as well. Two other characters ([[spoiler:Amber and Holly]]) get given their own elemental powers later on when they also get turned into similarly buxom women, but they do not count for this trope as both were already female.

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'': It's a central premise -- in the TheVerse, mutants have about a 1 in 3 to 1 in 6 chance of being Exemplars, and thus having what's called a BIT -- Body Image Template. Long story short, in Generation 1, these mutants have an idealized shape they associate with themselves, which can be just about anything -- including the "wrong" gender. The majority of the stories revolve around a clique of students who had a GenderBender during their origin stories, and are part of Poe Cottage -- a dorm designed to hide this fact (as well as other LGBI students) from the study body at large.
[[/folder]]

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse:'' [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma", using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental, except that [[TagalongKid Steven]] at one point refers to her as "she" and quickly corrects himself.[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]] And given how Crystal Gem biology and culture works, she didn't really have a gender or biological sex in the way humans understand the term ''to'' flip.

* {{Subverted}} with Itsuki Myoudouin from ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'': [[{{Bifauxnen}} She looks and dresses like a (pretty) boy]] and has Cure form just as girly as the others. However, Itsuki not only fully identifies as female, she's actually much more feminine than she presents herself, but thinks [[RealWomenDontWearDresses a masculine front is needed to show strength]] as the HeirToTheDojo. Working as a Cure made her realize otherwise. Considering that her designated nemesis is an AmbiguouslyGay guy with a penchant for fashion, this might be a stealth [[GayAesop queer aesop]].

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse:'' [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma", using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental, except that [[TagalongKid Steven]] at one point refers to her as "she" and quickly corrects himself.[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]] And given how Crystal Gem biology and reproduction works, she didn't really have a biological gender in the way humans understand the term ''to'' flip.

* {{Subverted}} with Itsuki Myoudouin from ''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure''. Circumstances force her to live as a {{Bifauxnen}}, and it's after becoming Cure Sunshine that she slowly figures out what's best for herself. Namely, being both powerful and beautiful. Considering that her designated nemesis is an AmbiguouslyGay guy with a penchant for fashion, this might be a stealth [[GayAesop queer aesop]].

* ''Mahou Shounen Majorian'' is about two boys given MagicalGirl powers by aliens. Their sexualities become pretty confused in short order. Especially since one of them is a HeManWomanHater in response to being the only boy in a household of bossy older sisters.

** Sailor Uranus in some dubs, as an example of HideYourLesbians. Yes, MoralGuardians preferred Neptune to have a GenderBender boyfriend rather than a regular girlfriend.

A character [[GenderBender needs to undergo a complete physical sex change]], usually through magic or AppliedPhlebotinum, in order for them to access their powers. It is used as a justification to give a gender change to a character who would not ordinarily want one.

Might be used to [[{{Anvilicious}} (not-so-)]]subtly deliver AnAesop about how being yourself is greatly empowering.

** It does ''somewhat'' bother him, which ends up being pointed out when he notices every subsequent spell he gets seems to involve making him female for some reason. Tedd theorizes the original "become a superheroine" spell was influenced by external factors to specify "female", that he's not really fine with this, and that all of his subsequent spells are at some level attempts to correct the initial mistake... but get stuck on the "turn female" part and thus doomed to failure because changing gender still bothers him. However, much later on he starts changing his tune to the extent that [[spoiler: [[OppositeSexClone his sister/duplicate, Ellen]], questions whether he even has a gender identity in the first place]].
* ''Webcomic/SparklingGenerationValkyrieYuuki''. The protagonist is an average male OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent chosen to become a [[MagicalGirl Valkyrie]]. However due to the fact that all Valkyries are female, he got transformed into a female to access those powers. He gets two new identities: one as a female version of his other self, and the other as an idealized MagicalGirl version of that new self.
* Exposure to Virus-X gave the T-Girls of the RemixComic version of ''Webcomic/JetDream'' low-level super powers (enhanced agility, strength, and endurance.) Their exposure was accidental, but a voluntary procedure for recruiting new T-Girls is also described.

* Thanks to a SecretLegacy from his Japanese immigrant mother ''Webcomic/MagicalGirlNeil'' starts transforming from an OrdinaryHighSchoolStudent to an Oni-fighting MagicalGirlWarrior on his 16th birthday. He is, needless to say, not particularly thrilled by this. Underscoring his unconventional nature his primary ability consists of the ability to summon a variety of household appliances which he uses as bludgeons or projectiles as the situation requires.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse:'' [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma," using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental, except that [[TagalongKid Steven]] at one point refers to her as "she" and quickly corrects himself.[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more of gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]] And given how Crystal Gem biology and reproduction works, she didn't really have a biological gender in the way humans understand the term ''to'' flip.

* In a disturbing variation, [[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Morpheus]] from ''Dead-Aim'' seemingly changes gender when he mutates into an incredibly powerful Tyrant, with an obviously feminine voice, face and figure. The virus that mutated him is even called the TG-Virus. He gains super strength, speed, agility and electricity powers, but that electricity is produced by two organs on his chest that look like breasts. There is absolutely no reason for him to gain organic CombatStilettos though. [[BodyHorror Considering what previous TG-Virus test subjects turned out like]], Morpheus got off lucky with his new good looks and powers [[spoiler:until he sustains too much damage and his HealingFactor [[BlobMonster goes out of control...]]]]

* An instance occurs in ''Anime/{{Bakugan}}'', which features [[spoiler: Masquerade]], who is really a gender-bent form of [[spoiler:Alice]]. It's an odd case, however, because it's also a case of a JekyllAndHyde scenario - [[spoiler:Alice]] is completely unaware of any actions she commits as [[spoiler:Masquerade]], and the two interact in [[spoiler:Alice's]] psyche numerous times, proving they have separate consciousnesses.

** The Sailor Starlights are actually an inversion in the 90's anime, as their male civilian forms are not their birth gender. Their whole transformation sequence involves shifting out of a male form into their original female one. Their princess is surprised to see they've chosen male civilian forms when they do find her. In the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] they were girls the whole time, merely posing as boys while in their civilian identities. Indeed, the actual gender transition is only present in the Italian dub of the series.

** The Sailor Starlights are actually an inversion in the 90's anime, as their male civilian forms are not their birth gender. Their whole transformation sequence involves shifting out of a male form into their original female one. Their princess is surprised to see they've chosen male civilian forms when they do find her. In the [[Manga/SailorMoon manga]] they were girls the whole time, merely posing as boys while in their civilian identities.

* {{Downplayed|Trope}} on ''WesternAnimation/StevenUniverse:'' [[BigFun Amethyst]] fights in wrestling matches as "the Purple Puma," using her VoluntaryShapeshifting to become a larger, beefy man. The fact that she switches gender is pretty much incidental, except that [[TagalongKid Steven]] at one point refers to her as "she" and quickly corrects himself.[[note]]Incidentally, she has also transformed into a male police officer, Steven, Greg, and [[ShowWithinAShow Dogcopter]] at various times. However, these are more of gags than instances of transforming for power.[[/note]]

* ''ComicBook/GreatLakesAvengers'': Goodness Silva, AKA "Good Boy", is a teenage girl whose super-power is the ability to turn into her [[FurryFandom "fursona"]], a hulking blue ''male'' werewolf.

* ''Ore to hero to Mahou Shoujo'' is about a man whose TransformationTrinket was supposed to turn him into a Franchise/KamenRider-esque superhero, but ended up turning him into a pint-sized MagicalGirlWarrior due to a mixup with a wand trinket. Later chapters show that the other trinket is in active use by a musclebound man in armor, causing the main cast to shudder at the thought of a little girl being his alter ego. [[spoiler:It was another man, but the girl who needed the original trinket was still an opposing force.]]

** The Sailor Starlights from the anime version. Their whole transformation sequence involves shifting out of a male form into a female one. Their princess is surprised to see they've chosen male civilian forms when they do find her making this an inversion, as their male civilian forms are not their birth gender. In the manga they were girls the whole time, merely posing as boys while in their civilian identities.