Shirogane Naoto ♦ 白鐘 直斗 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
judgeofhell) wrote2015-02-04 12:00 am
judgeofhell) wrote2015-02-04 12:00 am
Entry tags:
What do we call you?
Just a short primer for those who aren't familiar with Persona 4 or Naoto, regarding gender and the presentation thereof!
When Naoto is first introduced, male pronouns and honorifics are used, and Naoto does indeed look, act, and speak like a boy. A very professional, erudite boy, but a boy nonetheless. Upon reaching the boss of the Secret Base dungeon, however, it is revealed that he is actually a girl.
The reason for the deception is simple: as a consulting detective, and a very young one at that, Naoto did not want to give the police that she worked with any reason whatsoever to look down on her. This does not mean she physically desires a male body or identifies as male: she just wants to be accepted in her profession, and to emulate the strong, cool detectives that she grew up idolizing. At the canon point she's being played from, she's accepted her actual gender a bit more, but does still dress and act like a young man.
To be sure, Naoto does present as male. To this end, she binds her (fairly large) chest, wears platform boots to look taller, and drops her voice when speaking with strangers or professional acquaintances. She also uses the male pronoun "boku", a personal pronoun usually reserved for boys and (very) boyish women. Even after accepting herself a bit more throughout the course of the canon, Naoto is still easily mistaken for a young man. When it happens, she doesn't bother correcting the assumption; she simply rolls with it. Around close friends, however, she doesn't use the affectation when she speaks and can actually get a bit high-pitched.
So while some characters will definitely be able to recognize that Naoto is a girl at first glance, it should take most others a little longer. Even in the latest point in canon in Ultimax, some people still take her for a man on sight. She'll accept either set of pronouns and won't correct either. Basically, if your character calls her either, they wouldn't be incorrect either way.
If you have any questions, please drop them here! I'm fine discussing whatever on the topic.
When Naoto is first introduced, male pronouns and honorifics are used, and Naoto does indeed look, act, and speak like a boy. A very professional, erudite boy, but a boy nonetheless. Upon reaching the boss of the Secret Base dungeon, however, it is revealed that he is actually a girl.
The reason for the deception is simple: as a consulting detective, and a very young one at that, Naoto did not want to give the police that she worked with any reason whatsoever to look down on her. This does not mean she physically desires a male body or identifies as male: she just wants to be accepted in her profession, and to emulate the strong, cool detectives that she grew up idolizing. At the canon point she's being played from, she's accepted her actual gender a bit more, but does still dress and act like a young man.
To be sure, Naoto does present as male. To this end, she binds her (fairly large) chest, wears platform boots to look taller, and drops her voice when speaking with strangers or professional acquaintances. She also uses the male pronoun "boku", a personal pronoun usually reserved for boys and (very) boyish women. Even after accepting herself a bit more throughout the course of the canon, Naoto is still easily mistaken for a young man. When it happens, she doesn't bother correcting the assumption; she simply rolls with it. Around close friends, however, she doesn't use the affectation when she speaks and can actually get a bit high-pitched.
So while some characters will definitely be able to recognize that Naoto is a girl at first glance, it should take most others a little longer. Even in the latest point in canon in Ultimax, some people still take her for a man on sight. She'll accept either set of pronouns and won't correct either. Basically, if your character calls her either, they wouldn't be incorrect either way.
If you have any questions, please drop them here! I'm fine discussing whatever on the topic.