Transphobia in Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual Destinies

Trigger warnings: transphobia, sexism, cissexism, and gender essentialism. Spoilers below.



In Case 3 of the latest Ace Attorney game, cross-examining a male witness will result in a public outing. After pressing the witness on certain aspects of their testimony (an affinity for frilly clothing and a desire to be “pretty”), they are “revealed as a she”. Until this point, the character is clearly identified as male; once exposed, they adopt a cartoonishly feminine demeanour, swooning and sashaying.



In effect, Capcom is suggesting that the character was only pretending to be a man, that their established identity was irrelevant, and that they are much happier “being a girl again.” Regardless of whether you view the character as being trans*, this narrative is rooted in actively harmful, cissexist ideas of gender. Using a character’s identity as fodder for a comedic twist is deeply offensive, and shouldn’t be shrugged off.