Gender

Description

A wide range

The sentient species populating the galaxy displayed a variety of genders. Many species differentiated between "female" and "male," or had culturally similar terms, typically based on sexual characteristics. The galaxy was home to at least eleven distinct genders, as well as beings who identified as genderless. As an example, some members of the Sabetue species were born without a gender, identifiable by their entirely white skin.

An individual's gender could differ from the assumptions made at birth, based on their biological sex. Among the clones derived from the human male Jango Fett, one clone trooper was given the name Sister by her comrades, acknowledging her belonging among them; Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker noted that she had "transcended gender." Other humans, like the Naboo aide Tepoh, experienced and expressed gender in a fluid manner. Tepoh's desire to be perceived as more or less female varied at different times.

Within the Galactic Basic Standard language, singular pronouns used by individuals not identifying within the binary included "zhe," used by both the pirate Eleodie Maracavanya and Tepoh, the aide, and "they," used by individuals such as Kantam Sy, the human Jedi Master from the High Republic Era, the Kotabi bond-twins and Jedi Knights Terec and Ceret of the High Republic—who were trans—, the Alderaanian pilot Taka Jamoreesa, and Keo Venzee, the Mirialan pilot serving the New Republic. Other languages also had gender-neutral pronouns, including Shyriiwook, the Wookiee language. The term "Neutrois" was used to describe individuals whose gender was neither male nor female during the time of the Galactic Empire.

Additional considerations regarding gender

The use of feminine pronouns for starships was common, although many considered this practice outdated by the time of the First Order-Resistance War. While droids were artificial creations with artificial intelligence, they were often assigned pronouns such as "he," "she," or "it." The bounty droid known as MA-55H was referred to using both "they/them" and "he/him" pronouns.

The pronoun "he" frequently served as the default when the gender of an individual was unknown. For example, when an unseen assailant tried to assassinate Padmé Amidala, both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker used "he" to refer to the assassin until they discovered the attacker was a female changeling. Similarly, Darth Vader automatically referred to the rebel pilot who destroyed the Death Star as "he," despite not knowing their identity. After finding a buried starship, Fern defaulted to "he" when speaking about the previous captain, lacking information about their gender.

Gender was sometimes associated with personality traits. In an argument with Han Solo, who believed Princess Leia Organa had feelings for him, Leia retorted that he didn't "know everything about women yet." Decades later, Solo suspected that Finn was being dishonest with Rey about his real identity, and warned him that women "always figure out the truth. Always."

Clothing could also carry cultural connotations, including gender, even unintentionally.

Gender across different species

Genders that change

Certain species were known to undergo gender changes or select new genders at different times in their lives. The Xidelphiad species, for example, experienced protogynic phases, entering a chrysalis state during the transition from female to male, a process spanning years before emergence. Dianogas possessed the physical capacity for various reproductive roles and chose their preferred gender. The most prevalent gender was diangous; a female named Omi encountered several other females and many who identified as diangous, but did not meet a dianoga who identified as male for many years. The Chalhuddan species progressed through five distinct genders throughout their lives. Their native language incorporated pronoun cases reflecting their current gender, two or three previous genders, and sometimes their anticipated next gender. Due to the absence of equivalent pronouns in Galactic Basic, "you" and "they" were used as substitutes.

Gender-based roles

Species' native cultures sometimes assigned specific roles and expectations based on gender. The Tusken Raiders of the desert planet Tatooine lived in clans or tribes, where males often served as warriors, defending the tribe and attacking intruders, while females cared for children and protected the home. Tuskens covered their entire bodies, but jeweled masks distinguished Tusken females. However, not all tribes adhered to these strict gender roles; in the tribe that former bounty hunter Boba Fett joined, males and females wore similar attire and fought together.

Warrior initiation involved giving each individual a bantha of their gender to care for, forging a lifelong bond. Gamorrean society consisted of clans ruled by a Clan Matron who chose a male Warlord to co-rule based on his combat prowess and strength. Sows primarily focused on farming, while boars engaged in warfare against other clans. Boars may have been responsible for hunting, but sows may have hunted in addition to farming.

Among the avian and matriarchal Lanai species on the planet Ahch-To, female Caretakers passed down their roles and titles from mother to daughter, maintaining the sacred structures of the [First Jedi Temple](/article/first_jedi_temple]. Male Visitors spent much of their time fishing in the sea, but joined the Caretakers for several days of celebration upon returning with the month's catch. Accounts regarding the species native to the planet Crul are inconsistent, although they agree that Crolutes were native to the planet. Some sources stated that Crolutes were divided into "cows" and "bulls," while others claimed they were an entirely male species with a counterpart female species, the Gilliands.

Certain species exhibited differences in appearance along with differing roles based on gender. The Dathomirian species exemplified this. On the planet Dathomir, female Nightsisters and male Nightbrothers lived separately. Nightsisters became witches, wielding magick enhanced by the planet's power. When they desired to reproduce, they visited the Nightbrother village to select a mate; Nightbrothers were subservient to Nightsisters. Nightsisters had pale or white skin, often adorned with subtle or monochrome tattoos, while Nightbrothers used bold tattoos to accentuate their colorful skin and natural striping. The government of Devaron was matriarchal. Devaronian males were barred from holding office, considered less serious and more inclined to wander the stars than females, who remained on the planet. Males were bald and horned, whereas females had small bumps and hair on their heads.

During the [Imperial Era](/article/imperial_era], Force-sensitive Chiss were rare. Almost all those with the ability of Third Sight were girls, and it would diminish as they aged into adulthood. While it remained strong, they were employed as navigators called ozyly-esehembo in Cheunh, which translated to "sky-walker" in Basic.

Some species, like the Paccosh of the Unknown Regions, held one gender in particularly high regard. Senior Captain Mitth'raw'nuruodo insisted on bringing a Chiss woman to an asteroid mining station in the Rapacc system, deducing from the clothing and body positions of Paccosh corpses that the species revered women.

Behind the scenes

Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Leia Organa, discussed femininity in relation to her character in interviews both before and after the release of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, the 1983 original trilogy film. Fisher stated at the 42nd World Science Fiction Convention that the third film was particularly challenging because she had to find a way to be both feminine and powerful without constantly being angry.

In the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the actor portraying Meena Tills was male, which led to action figure packaging and Legends stories incorrectly identifying Tills as male. When Tills was slated to appear in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars television series, it was decided that Tills would be female to align with her namesake.

Author Claudia Gray has mentioned on her Tumblr blog that the Star Wars galaxy includes entirely new genders. While her novels haven't explicitly named these genders, she first hinted at their existence in 2016 when Leia Organa observed the presence of four or more genders in her novel Bloodline. Gray later introduced the multi-gendered Chalhuddans in her 2017 novel, Leia, Princess of Alderaan.

In 2016 as well, Chuck Wendig's novel Aftermath: Life Debt became the first Star Wars work to feature a character who explicitly identified as genderqueer, the non-binary pirate Eleodie Maracavanya, who identified as neither male nor female. Following Maracavanya's introduction, additional non-binary characters were introduced, including a Black Sun agent in E. K. Johnston's 2016 novel Ahsoka, Taka Jamoreesa in Daniel José Older's 2018 novel Last Shot, and Keo Venzee in the 2020 video game Star Wars: Squadrons. In March 2021, in recognition of the International Transgender Day of Visibility, the Star Wars Instagram account announced that Terec and Ceret, two Kotabi Jedi Knights from the Star Wars: The High Republic comic book series, are trans non-binary.

The genders of some characters in the multimedia project Star Wars: The High Republic have been depicted inconsistently, rather than intentionally portraying gender transitions. In Charles Soule's short story "Starlight: Go Together," published in Star Wars Insider 199, Shai Tennem was initially portrayed with masculine pronouns; however, Soule's 2021 novel The High Republic: Light of the Jedi used feminine pronouns for Tennem. Estala Maru is mistakenly referred to as "her" in Light of the Jedi; Cavan Scott's Insider short story "Starlight: First Duty" uses masculine pronouns, and Maru is depicted as male in The High Republic comic book series. Upon the initial release of Light of the Jedi, Teri Rosason, whose first name was not mentioned in the book, was first mentioned with masculine pronouns, and Adampo first appeared with feminine pronouns. In The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray, Rosason's first appearance identified the character as "a human woman of advanced years," and Adampo was given masculine pronouns. Later e-book editions of Light of the Jedi were corrected to reflect Rosason as female and Adampo as male.

In the 2022 non-canon video game LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, a gonk droid is referred to with both "he/him" and "they/them" pronouns.