A first of its kind exploration of transness in cyberpunk. Putting Trans+ voices front and centre, this academic yet accessible book will feature interviews from dozens of creatives and media experts. Operating as a not-for-profit.
For too long, cishet white men have been allowed the last word in cyberpunk. Popular contemporary titles are either outright transphobic or sideline sex and gender diversity altogether. Videos proclaiming the genre’s death wilfully ignore the Trans+* creatives pushing cyberpunk into bold new futures.
This new cyberpunk canon deserves to be explored, celebrated, and positioned alongside the key texts that first birthed the genre.
From depictions of trans bodies in foundational texts, to a groundswell of creators producing proudly Trans+ stories, cyberpunk and transness have always been intrinsically linked.
For the first time, this full-length book aims to insightfully explore that connection and contribution from a queer cultural studies perspective.
Across multiple chapters, the book will explore:
Transness in classic cyberpunk stories
Cinema before and after The Matrix
Representation and allegories in video games and anime
The power of music and film scores
Transhumanism and disability
Being non-binary in a binary world
Making space for transmasculinity
Explorations of Trans+ fiction both traditional and self-published
And much more!
* any individual who identifies as transgender, transexual, non-binary, bi-gender, agender, intersex, altersex, gender non-conforming, genderqueer and/or genderfluid, detransitioning, retransitioning, gender-questioning, having a gender identity specific to their culture, or one who may have dissociative personality disorder or otherwise describe themself as being “more than one person” with different alters having different gender identities.
Community is the beating heart of this project. That’s why the book will reflect the insights and lived experiences of dozens of Trans+ people - including game devs, indie authors, trad-pubbed novelists, musicians, media experts, and more.
Confirmed interviews include:
Director, writer & YouTuber Jessie Gender
Media critic & video game writer Stephanie Sterling
Tilly Bridges, author of Begin Transmission: The Trans Allegories of The Matrix
Blue Delliquanti, writer & illustrator of O Human Star
Aubrey Wood, author of Bang Bang Boddhisatva
Corey Jae White, author of Repo Virtual
Dr. Nyri A. Bakkalian, author of Confluence: A Person-Shaped Story
Synthwave artist Esselfortium
And many more!
Trans in the Machine will feature a foreword from editor and cyberpunk author Ann LeBlanc. Cover art is produced by artist Lyss Menold, with writer, editor, musician, and cyberpunk authority Lillian Boyd acting as editor.
This crowdfund campaign is operating on a not-for-profit basis. The budget has been carefully calculated and represents a total amount based on exact costings.
Any additional funds raised beyond the three stretch goals will become a mutual aid funding pot open to Trans+ individuals. Full details will be announced when the campaign closes and total funds have been confirmed.
No funds raised during this campaign will be taken by or benefit me personally. Final breakdown costs of how the funds are / will be used will be made available on request.
Any cost savings against the original budget of £3,500 will be donated to Rainbow Railroad, Gendered Intelligence, and American Civil Liberties Union on top of the guaranteed 5% donation.
Although work has already begun on the book with the completed preface and some research and interviews underway, funding is required to purchase and access the vast majority of research materials required.
A first draft is expected to be completed by September 2026. After editing and redrafting, the book will ship in early 2027.
However, these dates may be subject to change. All backers will be kept updated.
Printing and shipping will be fulfilled by Lulu, a certified B Corp.
Shipping fees are not included with pledges on Backerkit. This means that, when the book is ready to ship, backers will need to pay for shipping separately. Shipping for the art merch bundle, however, is included in the Tier 4 & 5 pledge costs.
Shipping rates are subject to change. These will be determined and finalised when the project is ready to be fulfilled.
Breakdown of expected shipping costs:
UK Shipping & handling - £3.94
US Shipping & handling - $4.75
Please note: this is based on the paperback option and not representative of the hardback stretch goal
No stranger to cyberpunk, I released the trans cyberpunk short story collection, Trans_lucent, as Wayward Sparx in 2025. I also write and release queer genre fiction as Fox N. Locke.
Over the last few years, I’ve had pieces published in GamesRadar, Metro, and others, as well as reviewing horror for Exquisite Terror and writing about queer country music over at Rainbow Rodeo.
Under my deadname, I served for two years as a lead writer at Starburst Magazine, covering film, TV, books, and comics, as well as running a monthly anime column. I wrote anime reviews for NEO Magazine, penned pieces for the likes of Den of Geek, and published poetry and articles in literary journals as a creative writing student in the early 2010s.
I currently pay the bills working for a non-profit focussed on creating better working lives for people, and have a Matrix headjack tattooed on the back of my neck.
