No, I am not saying Weiss is LGBTQ+. This is something far more important than sexuality and romance, which people honestly argue about for a show with very little romance.

This is an abuse trigger warning. If you wish to keep reading, please read until the very end. I’ve provided the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline numbers at the end of this post for those seeking help if you or someone you know has experiened/seen signs of domestic abuse. If you are outside of the United States, search online for a hotline number in your country.

It has been estimated that more than 10.5 million people are victims of domestic absue every year, and Weiss Schnee is a textbook victim of domestic abuse.

She all but says this outright in Volume 1.

In telling her friends why she looks down on faunus and the White Fang, Weiss first lets it slip that she is a victim of domestic abuse. She claims to be a victim and says her father’s anger regarding his business “made for a very difficult childhood.”

Some people honestly disimissed this moment as “rich girl with daddy issues” or “rich girl upset that she didn’t get what she wanted”, but clear evidence of abuse is shown throughout Volumes 3 and 4.

The United States Department of Justice says there are five types of domestic violence, and gives the legal definition of domestic violence, saying “We define domestic violence as a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner.”

In RWBY, Weiss is shown to be a victim of four of the five types of domestic abuse up to “Volume 4, Chapter 6: Tipping Point”. Abuses in episodic order are as follows:

1) Economic Abuse, as seen in “Volume 3, Chapter 1: Round One”

“Economic Abuse: Is defined as making or attempting to make an individual financially dependent by maintaining total control over financial resources, withholding one’s access to money, or forbidding one’s attendance at school or employment.” -The United States Department of Justice (see above link)

After Team RWBY defeats Team ABRN in the first round of the Vytal Festival Tournament, Team RWBY is seen at the fairgrounds, and decide to eat a meal. As Yang leads her teammates to a place of her choice, Weiss holds back to check her ringing scroll.



We see that there is no personal image of the contact, who is listed as “FATHER”. This contact name choice, as opposed to “DAD”, for example, shows Weiss may have a more strict or professional relationship with her father. While that is important, her reaction is key.

She is instantly shown with a look of disgust on her face, and rolls her eyes as she puts her scroll away without answering.

Later, Weiss attempts to pay for Blake’s meal using a credit card.

We can see that the money on her card comes from the Schnee Dust Company, but the credit card is also in Weiss’ name, legally making the money tied to the credit card’s account her money. Things seem perfectly fine until–

–her card gets declined. Weiss doesn’t understand this, stating “I was barely into my monthly allowance.” While it is possible for the parent of a minor to freeze their account for security reasons, the audience has enough context to understand that this is not what happened. Weiss’ father completely stripped her of her finances because she refused to talk to him, a clear cut portrayal of economic abuse.

Winter, Weiss’ older sister, even mentions that she experienced this from their father when she tells Weiss in “Volume 3, Chapter 4: Lessons Learned”, “I may have been in a simillar situation when I joined the military.”

2) Psychological Abuse, as seen in “Volume 4, Chapter 2: Rememberance”

“Psychological Abuse: Elements of psychological abuse include - but are not limited to - causing fear by intimidation; threatening physical harm to self, partner, children, or partner’s family or friends; destruction of pets and property; and forcing isolation from family, friends, or school and/or work.”



In the second episode of Volume 4, Jacques Schnee, Weiss’ father, discusses that he would like for her to perform during a chairty concert for the Kingdom of Vale.

While his words on their own seem innocent, his tone and body language show that he is being psychologically abusive.

3) Emotional Abuse, as seen in “Volume 4, Chapter 6: Tipping Point”

“Emotional Abuse: Undermining an individual’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem is abusive. This may include, but is not limited to constant criticism, diminishing one’s abilities, name-calling, or damaging one’s relationship with his or her children.”



While Jacques Schnee’s emotional abusiveness is only hinted at once prior to this episode, with the showing of a family portrait in “Volume 4, Chapter 2: Rememberance”–

–that shows Weiss, Winter, and their mother visibly depressed, accounts of Jacques emotionally abusing his family are not made verbally until “Volume 4, Chapter 6: Tipping Point” when Weiss is seen performing the end of her song during the charity concert.

We hear her sing the first song lyrics cononically sung by a character in the series:

“I’m not your pawn, not another thing you own. I was not born guilty of your crimes. The riches and your influence can’t hold me anymore. I won’t be possessed, burdened by your royal test. I will not surrender. This life is mine.”

Weiss sings these lyrics with great emotion in her voice and body language, and, after performing, looks directly at her father–

–who does not looked pleased with the performance.

Like many other songwriters, Weiss Schnee uses real life experiences and emotion to write impactful songs. In what we hear of this song, she lyrically expresses her victimization of abuse, and her tone expresses powerful, heartfelt emotion, showing that over time, her father’s abuse left her emotionally scarred.

Other songs within the series regard Weiss’ victimization, but this is the first time in the series that a character is seen singing a song, confirming the lyrics as his/her own original words.

4) Physical Abuse, as seen in “Volume 4, Chapter 6: Tipping Point”

“Physical Abuse: Hitting, slapping, shoving, grabbing, pinching, biting, hair pulling, etc are types of physical abuse. This type of abuse also includes denying a partner medical care or forcing alcohol and/or drug use upon him or her. “



During the charity after party, Weiss shouts at a woman, and addresses the party guests in general, saying that none of them understand what is like to live through hardships like the people of Vale. Jacques becomes angry at her outburst–

–and stroms over to her. He makes a move at Weiss, and fear is in her eyes.

He grabs her by the wrist, and escalates the physical abuse further by refusing to let go of her when she tells him to do so.

The only abuse stated by the United States Department of Justice not seen in the show up to this point is sexual abuse, which may be viewed as too graphic for the show, so it may not be depicted in the future of the show.

“Sexual Abuse: Coercing or attempting to coerce any sexual contact or behavior without consent. Sexual abuse includes, but is certainly not limited to, marital rape, attacks on sexual parts of the body, forcing sex after physical violence has occurred, or treating one in a sexually demeaning manner.”



Regardless, it should be very clear that Weiss represents many abuse victims in the show, and her strength to fight for control of her own life is the greatest form of representation that Rooster Teeth could portray in this show.

Please respect that.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, there is a way to help. For the United States, the National Domestic Violence Hotine numbers are:

1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

If you feel safer communicating non-verbally, or are unable to verbally communicate, you can activate a cell phone’s TTY Mode and dial this number to communicate with the National Domestic Violence Hotline via text messaging:

1-800-787-3224

If you live outside of the United States, do not hesitate to research for a national domestic violence hotline if you feel that you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence.