”Men egentligen tycker jag att det är ganska coolt att vara trans!” - En ickebinärläsning av barnböckerna Månen, Varelsen och Jag och Euphoria Kids

Summary, in English

This thesis was written to bring attention to a group that is still largely invisible in our society - nonbinary people - and examine how nonbinary identities are characterized in children’s literature. It does so by comparing the books Månen, Varelsen och Jag and Euphoria Kids, and discusses them from the perspectives of the intended reader, trans theory, as well as “skev och monster” theory. This thesis applies these theories by using the method it dubs nonbinaryreading, a conceptualised close reading that takes inspiration from both queer and trans readings.

This thesis concludes that the intended reader of the book, and whether that reader is nonbinary themselves or not, played a vital part in regards to the content and the tone of the books.
Despite having similar themes Månen, Varelsen och Jag and Euphoria Kids were radically different from each other and the way they portray transness and nonbinary lives.
Månen, Varelsen och Jag clearly set out in attempts to educate cis children, and as a result of that, being trans and nonbinary was shown as something that brought a lot of pain to the protagonist. In Euphoria Kids the intent was instead to make trans kids feel hope and pride, which in turn lead to a characterization of nonbinary as something positive and joyful.

• Author: Cilix Almgren
• Department/s: Master's Programme: Literature - Culture - Media
• Publishing year: 2024
• Language: Swedish
• Full text: Available as PDF - 530 kB; Download statistics
• Document type: Student publication for Master's degree (two years)
• Topic: Languages and Literatures
• Keywords: Nonbinary; trans; Children’s literature; Intended reader; ickebinär
• Supervisor: Torbjörn Forslid (professor)