Many have wondered if the science fiction action movieThe Matrixis an allegory for the transgender experience, and the creators, stars, and the film itself have all weighed in on the subject.The Matrixis often considered one of thebest sci-fi movies of all time, and for good reason. It’s a timeless story about identity, freedom, and realizing the truth about the world, and it has inspired countless people to watch and rewatch it for over 25 years. While rewatching it, however, many viewers have noticed a new interpretation ofThe Matrix, as an allegory for the transgender experience.
The idea thatThe Matrixcould be a transgender allegory began gaining popularity after the film’s directors, Lana and Lilly Wachowski, publicly came out as trans women themselves. Since then, many have analyzedThe Matrixand its sequels through a new lens, and have interpreted the franchise’s themes of identity, awakening, and agency as key parts of a transgender person’s journey. There’s evidence both for and againstThe Matrixbeing interpreted as an intentional trans allegory, though, and that evidence comes from the directors, the actors, and the story itself.
Lilly Wachowski Has Confirmed The Matrix Wasn’t Consciously Written As A Trans Allegory
Lilly Wachowski, who co-directedThe Matrixwith her sister, Lana, has commented on the transgender themes and undertones in the film. Despite the rumors,Wachowski confirmed thatThe Matrixwas not intentionally written as a trans allegory(viaThem), saying “No, I didn’t [confirm The Matrix is a trans allegory].“Lilly Wachowski mentioned that she and her sister were both closeted when they wroteThe Matrix, and they simply wanted to write an action film. While makingThe Matrixinto a trans allegory wasn’t a conscious decision, Wachowski also said that the claim isn’t completely baseless.
While the Wachowskis didn’t intentionally makeThe Matrixa trans allegory, Lilly explained that the movie still functions as one. Both Lilly and Lana Wachowski are transgender women themselves - both publicly transitioned years after the release ofThe Matrix. Lilly mentioned that the fact they were both closeted trans women while writing the film did affect its story and themes.
…[E]veryone now references that it’s a trans allegory. And so it was slightly out of context, but I don’t sit here and put a stink up about it, because it is a trans allegory in that it was written by two closeted trans women. And so all of the things that are in it are super-duper trans. The idea of transformation, even the whole “My name is Neo, Mr. Anderson —” that idea of claiming identity, it’s undeniable.
Yeah, with all the decisions we made with that film, there’s just this burbling transness simmering below everything. So when I look back at the way that we cast those two parts, I can see how obvious it is that they’re one part in a lot of ways; that they’re two sides of the same coin. It’s not like these were conscious decisions, but more like we’re finding our way instinctively as these two closeted trans women. So all those things that your receptors are buzzing about are completely valid. When people say, “Oh, it’s a trans allegory,” it’s like, “Yeah… it is, but we weren’t like, Hey, let’s write a trans allegory .” That’s not how it started. We were like, “Hey, let’s write this action film,” and then we got our trans all over it. [laughs]
Therefore, even thoughThe Matrixwas primarily conceived as an action movie, it did include themes that echoed the experiences of the directors. Lana and Lilly Wachowski’s gender identities were reflected inThe Matrix, from broader themes to specific details and characters. Lilly Wachowski mentioned a few ways that she and her sister’s identities had influenced the movie, and she also spoke about one way that influence could have been even clearer if it hadn’t been cut.
Switch Was Originally Intended As A Trans Character (But Warner Bros. Wasn’t Ready)
Though the Wachowskis put many unintentional trans themes intoThe Matrix, there was almost a very overt reference to it. The character Switch (Belinda McClory) was originally intended to be a transgender female.Lilly Wachowski mentioned that Switch was “originally written as a trans character who was male in the real world and female in the matrix,” and that she would have been played by two separate actors. That original plan for Switch didn’t make it into the final cut ofThe Matrix, though some aspects of her identity remained, like her androgynous hairstyle and all-white outfit.
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Keanu Reeves, who played Neo, commented on why he believed Switch wasn’t made explicitly transgender inThe Matrix.Reeves said he believed Warner Bros. cut Switch’s transgender identity(viaEW) because “the studiowasn’t ready for that.” Reeves is likely right about the studio and its motivations for the change:The Matrixwas released in 1999 when transgender awareness was much lower than it is today, and before the LGBTQ+ rights movement had gained as much momentum.
How The Matrix’s Story Functions As A Trans Allegory
Aside from Switch’s scrapped transgender identity, and as Lilly Wachowski indicated,The Matrixcan still function as a trans allegory. Several major themes ofThe Matrixseem to have been inspired by the transgender experience.Broadly speaking,The Matrixis about Neo, a man who is dissatisfied with life until he finds a new identity, a new name, and the courage to live as his true self. Once he does that, Neo realizes he’s been living a lie, and that he can never go back. Many trans people describe the moment they realized their true gender in the same way.
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There are also quite a few parallels betweenThe Matrixand the transgender experience.Many trans people have been able to find support and community in online spaces, quite like how Neo found Trinity and the crew of theNebuchadnezzerthrough his computer. Neo’s first time waking up in the real world could be interpreted as a kind of second birth, as he emerged weakened and covered in bodily fluids. Similarly, some transgender people consider the day they begin their transition as a kind of second birthday. Perhaps the most obvious example, however, isThe Matrix’s red and blue pills.
While there are other valid interpretations of The Matrix, the influence of the transgender experience on the film is undeniable, and the movie can easily serve as a great and needed piece of representation for the trans community.
While it’s unconfirmed, some have compared the red pill Morpheus offers Neo to help him leave the Matrix to the estrogen supplement Premarin, and the blue pill, which would let him “believe whatever you want to believe,” to the antidepressant Prozac.Regardless of whether the Wachowskis intentionally made the pills similar to real-life medication, they still function as a potent symbol. For many trans people, life is never the same after realizing their true gender identity. Like Neo after taking the red pill, many can’t go back to their old life after learning the truth.
Ultimately, the decision to interpretThe Matrixas a trans allegory or not comes down to the individual viewer. The Wachowskis' input does matter, as a piece of art’s creators are an intrinsic part of it, but consumers can also come up with their own interpretations. That being said, there is certainly evidence to supportThe Matrixbeing a transgender allegory for viewers who want to interpret it that way. While there are other valid interpretations ofThe Matrix, the influence of the transgender experience on the film is undeniable, and the movie can easily serve as a great and needed piece of representation for the trans community.
The Matrix
Cast
The Matrix, released in 1999, is set in the 22nd century and follows a computer hacker, Neo, portrayed by Keanu Reeves. He joins a group of underground insurgents led by Morpheus to combat the domineering computers that control the earth, in a battle that blurs the lines between reality and illusion.
