Magical Transformation

Magical transformation takes many forms, brought about by mysterious artefacts including mirrors, jewellery, potions, djinn in magic lamps, prayers, curses and scrolls.

Magic is a useful device to the author of T* fiction because it doesn’t require much in the way of explanation (“it’s magic”, or “she’s a witch” and you’re done). It’s a popular fantasy because changing gender by such means can be fast, thorough and painless – if the author desires. Where 21st century medicine can only offer hormones, surgery and so on, magical transformations offer the possibility of accidental change, use of magic to achieve revenge, and multiple transformations.

If your story requires the protagonist to make a very distinct, sudden change that includes unlikely factors such as dead cells being altered – stories where fingernails and hair suddenly change length or colour – then that’s probably a magical transformation. If your story is set in the far future, you might achieve something similar with a sci-fi element such as “medical nanites”. For now, rather like the fabled Fountain of Youth, there’s no way of bringing about a magical change of gender... except in fiction.

A profusion of stories featuring magical transformations can be found at both Fictionmania and BigCloset.