Will you take the red pill or will you take the blue pill? This week, Leigh (@lshfoster) and Ellie (@elliebrigida) hang out with trans author and screenwriter Tilly Bridges (@heckyeahtillybridges) to talk about the trans allegories and queer characters of The Matrix. Tilly is a Matrix expert having written an entire book on the topic - Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix which releases this June! While we do touch a little bit on each movie of the series, we focus primarily on the iconic first movie that sets everything into motion. Don’t worry though, Tilly goes much deeper into the rest of the movies in her book!
We talk about how the entire series is one overarching allegory for the trans experience. From the very beginning we watch Neo start his transition journey by choosing to take the red pill, which stands for truth and is what breaks him free of the matrix, ie. the heteronormative binary world. While nowadays this ‘red pill’ concept has been hijacked by the exact opposite of the people it was intended for, back in the day, the estrogen pill was quite literally red. (Funnily enough, it’s blue now).
While outside the matrix, Neo leaves behind his dead name, takes on a new identity, and meets others who represent parts of himself. Each character is actually a manifestation of a different side of Neo that guides him along his transition. As Neo begins to live as an out-trans person, he starts to be attacked by those still within the matrix. This can be difficult to watch when you consider that it is an allegory reflecting the attacks made against trans individuals and the LGBTQ+ community at large by those dedicated to protecting their heteronormative world from what they perceive as a threat but is literally just trans and queer people existing.
Further into the series, we even see Neo choose to detransition, going back into the matrix and resuming the Mr. Anderson identity, which he had left behind to become Neo. In the final movie, he re-transitions, finally accepting himself as a trans person and reaching one final layer of transition to become Trinity, the person he was always meant to be. Each time we see Trinity and Neo kiss throughout the series, it never really feels romantic- and for good reason. They are the exact same person, and the kisses are an allegory for self-love and self-acceptance.
We know one thing for sure, The Matrix Should’ve Been Gay. Follow along on Twitter: Lez Hang Out (@lezhangoutpod) and answer our Q & Gay at the end of every episode. Leigh Holmes Foster (@lshfoster) and Ellie Brigida (@elliebrigida). You can also join us on Facebook.com/lezhangoutpod and follow along on Instagram (@lezhangoutpod).
If you’re interested in diving deeper into the trans allegories of The Matrix series, pre-order Tilly’s book, Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix wherever books are sold!
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