Hey hey fellow simps.

Because I love Grell and because I'm also trans I'm making this post for a few reasons:
1) I can't believe people are still misgendering Grell in 2022
2) I, a trans person wanna talk about Grell as a trans character
3) character analysis is fun.
4) spite.

TW for mentions of gender dysphoria and suicide.

Ok so let's start.

For those who are new and don't know. Yes Grell is CANONICALLY a trans woman.

This part of the manga reveals that, all the highlighted parts are the ones addressing her as a trans character. Also like,,, this is how she sees herself in the future

Girl got the biggest tiddies and I'm proud of her.

So yeah, she's trans. Plain and simple.

Now I'll be the first to admit as a fellow trans person that her early characterisation (Jack the ripper arc) wasn't the best. It was released in like 2008 and yana clearly wasn't as educated as she is now. But since then she's grown and changed, learnt from her mistakes and understood where she went wrong in Grells characterisation. Post Campania arc, Grell as become a much, much better and more accurate portrayal of a trans person stuck living in the unforgiving 1800s. So props to yana for learning along the way.

Some people have a problem with her being trans and killing people, since they think it frames all trans people as killers. All I gotta say to that is MY BROTHER IN CHRIST, SHES A DEATH GOD. Of course she'd gonna reap souls, that's her literal job. Just because one character is a reaper and happens to be trans doesn't mean ALL trans people kill.

That's like saying because I'm bad at math and trans, then all trans people are bad at math. Like??? It's stupid.

I do understand why some people may be touchy about it, since we've been fighting for good representation in the media and our rights for literally decades. But context does matter, and the fact she's a reaper and trans are two separate parts of her identity.

Since yana has gotten better at writing Grell and trans characters, she's gone on to describe her as an 'actress', 'confident business lady' and 'woman who can hold her own'. Note that some of those may be slight off because of Japanese to English translations, but that's the general idea. It's clear that Yana wants Grell to be a very strong female, despite the fact she's stuck in the 1800s where medical transitioning isn't really a thing yet.

Although Grell being an immortal reaper means she will live to see the day transition services are available, and will definitely be one of the first on the waiting list for surgery and HRT.

Another thing to add is Grell is called a red point, which is slang for the only girl in a group of boys. Fitting title, RED point. But this also means she's the only female soul reaper in the London wing of shinigami dispatch. Even though her higher ups are hella transphobic, she still manages to hold her own.

All of this wrapped together means Grell is one hell of a fighter. Constantly surrounded by transphobia and misgendering, the 1800s not having the right medical attention for her and her being stuck like that for centuries is bound to make a person horribly depressed. But she's still fighting, even though the whole world is against her, she's still holding out.

Grim reapers are created when a human commits suicide. Meaning Grell was once a human, and ended her life. We can guess from the manga panels where this is revealed that she most likely bled out from cuts, as that panel shows a feminine hand with painted nails so we can guess it's her. Although some also pointed to her doing the dead man's float in Campania, which is how drowned people end up floating to the surface. So there's the potential she drowned. Either way, she committed suicide.

We can also guess this is because of the crushing dysphoria she has to deal with. If she was alive as a human BEFORE the 1800s then it'd be an even worse situation for her. This is just a sad reality for trans people, suicide rates are astronomical. Because of discrimination and dysphoria, some just can't handle it anymore and succumb to their declining mental state. So this is likely the story behind how Grell became a reaper.

In her training arc, the OVA. We see her as a pre-transition trainee reaper. With short hair and a suit. And the whole time, she's miserable. In that OVA she's angry, uncomfortable, depressed. It's sad to watch as a trans person because pre-transition so was I. In her imagination sequence we see her in a ballgown, she's clearly viewing herself as a woman.

But if we cut it her currently, she's so much happier. With her long hair, access to dresses and clothes that fit her, and the knowledge that if she just hangs on a little longer she'll get those surgeries and HRT she'd been dying to get, she's glowing.

Also, note that her voice (in most dubs) is slightly unstable, it cracks a lot. That happens when you're going through vocal training, so it's likely this was a choice made to show she's actively trying to train her voice to pitch higher.

Now she's actively transitioning she's so so much happier and more exited for the future, feeling like herself.

This arc of hers, being so crushed by dysphoria she ends her life, is miserable in the afterlife as a reaper UNTIL she transitions is something I really like for her story. It's accurate, it shows just how devastating being forced to stay in the closet can be. How denying someone their ability to transition can effect them. How transphobia affects a trans person. It's no coincidence she'd happier with her long hair and makeup now, it's shows her growing into herself as she transitions.

We likely won't see her fully transitioned in the story. Since it'll end still in the 1800s with Sebastian taking Ciels soul and all. Aside from one off art like the one from the character ranking oneshot I showed up there ^, we probably won't see it. Which is sad because I'd love to see her reaction to her chest growing on E, and getting bottom surgery etc. but it is accurate to the time period BB is set in.

It also kind annoys me how all the characters keep misgendering her, but I can't blame Yana for that since again, 1800s. It's period accurate.

TLDR:

I love the way yana has grown and changed writing Grell and her trans identity better and better over the years. It shows anyone can learn and change with the right attitude and education. I also love Grells character arc as a trans person. From being so crushed by dysphoria to beginning her transition and absolutely flourishing, that being a very accurate representation of the trans experience. I love it. I love her, I love her character and I love that she's trans.

In fact, she's the reason I know I'm trans.

I first watched the show in year 9, and was confused about Grell so I looked it up, saw she was trans and went 'oh cool, so she's a girl'. But the more I looked into it and found out about trans experiences and education I eventually realised all these moments in my childhood that didn't make sense, suddenly did. I'd been non binary all along and didn't know the word for it.

So Grell literally have me a Bi awakening AND a trans awakening. Power move, she's got a chokehold on us queers.

When I eventually get top surgery, I'm telling you I'll show up to that damn clinic wearing her on my shirt as a thank you to her. Or something along those lines.

So yeah, there's my little rant about why I love her. And my little character analysis on her has a trans person.

Transphobes can suck my cock. It's 2022 we aren't misgendering her anymore.