Polly Sergieva answers “Is Nick Carraway transgender? I couldn't...”

Lobstergirl asked this question about The Great Gatsby:

Is Nick Carraway transgender? I couldn't tell.

Polly Sergieva No, he is a man
…moreNo, he is a man
(less)

Chloe Hansberger Wow. He's a man? really? Obviously he is a man. That doesn't man he can't be in love with a man. Bullying and discrimination against homosexuals is ju ...more
Apr 02, 2015 11:10AM · flag

Ronnie Chloe. What does Nick being a man have to do with homosexuality or heterosexuality or sexuality in general, basically? The question was about Nick's g Chloe. What does Nick being a man have to do with homosexuality or heterosexuality or sexuality in general, basically? The question was about Nick's gender, not his sexuality. Not sure why so many people are talking about Nick's sexuality in regards to this question. As someone could be transgender but that doesn't 100% make them gay. nor does it 100% make them straight. Like cis people, they could be gay, straight, bi, ace, etc... and it's completely separate from their gender identity. Trans people are included within the LGBTQ+ term and all that, but gender identity is still completely separate from sexuality... however, while I find it puzzling why people are bringing up nick's sexuality in regards to this question. it's a common thing I guess that sexuality comes up... there are some blurry lines with drag queens/kings (who aren't transgender but have a persona that uses the opposite sex's pronouns and stuff...) and they tend to be gay or bi (though not always!) ... so yeah...

point is polly is not being a bully or discriminatory.

i mean, there is some parts of the book that indicate Nick might not have been straight and he was possibly gay or bi... but absolutely nothing indicates that he was transgender. I mean, i guess if people want to headcanoon in some fanfiction (if fanfiction of classics even exist? i mean, it probably does?), sure, why not. But I don't think there is even a iota of proof to be able to say Nick is transgender and have a whole slew of lit professors back you up (as many would with a declaration of Nick being gay/bi)...

I can see how Polly's bluntness with all the irrelevant talk about sexuality going on might have been off-putting. But in hindsight, it still has nothing do to do with him being gay or not. he could have been gay man. a straight man. a bi man. maybe even just a bi-curious man. i think the only person who knows for a fact is dead right now so i'm personally okay with people interpreting his sexuality in different ways... as long as the people who think he was straight don't use homophobic terminology and stuff... but yeah... I think going as far as trying to reach for more gender identities within the characters is a bit tooooo far. I mean, transgender people existed back then... but... it wasn't the same as current times. no surgery. no hormone treatment. so a that macho alpha male character whathisface (the husband of, uh, whatsherface - it's been over a decade since i read this sooo... yep) would have never used the proper pronouns or the masculine name "Nick" for a trasnman. he would used she/her and/or dead-named him if he was trans, as unfortunate was that would have been. ...more
Jul 10, 2020 08:04PM · flag

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The Great Gatsby

by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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