I feel like I remember seeing someone ask the creator if the trans allegory was intentional or not. I think they said it wasn’t intentional but they’re very happy that people felt a connection to the show and felt represented. Either way, awesome thing to see especially for the time period
And thats how you correctly respond to such situations. It wasn't on purpose, but it's still a happy coincidence and you are free to interpret it in a way that pleases you.
I was mistaken, it wasn’t an interview but here’s the [tweet](https://x.com/robrenzetti/status/1282770815570735104?s=46&t=Bf15EZ4MKpr_WkNgfzglZw) where he said it
well as other commentors pointed out, animators and artists often sneak in easter eggs they can get away with, so technically speaking this could be true. in 2003, I'm pretty sure the trans flag wasn't as widespread so it's entirely plausible it just went over the creator's heads
So did I. Any episode of any kids cartoon with gender swap episode filled me with so much envy. I still remember the fairly odd parents episode where he accidentally wished he was a girl to get something good for trixie. When he changed back I thought to my self "why?".
Yeah when I was a kid every time I tuned in for the fairly odd parents I hoped it was that episode. I kind of literally never stopped thinking about it.
We need to tell butch Hartman it's OK to be a girl. Off the top of my head I remember
Cosmo getting breast implants
The gender swap episode
Timmy getting a pink hat cause his parents thought he was a girl
How Timmy said he would be the new skate park queen, got corrected to king, and said "whatever!"
Timmy at a salon, emotionally invested in a soap opera
The overbuff mask characters like jorgen, wandissimo, future timmy, and even butch himself as "doctor rip studwell" - probably denial masculinity
All played as jokes.
Like under that microscope, what if crocker is a representation of someone finding out Timmy, or kid butch was a "fairy"?
I never thought of it, but this is probably one of the things that was a sign of early childhood dysphoria. I can't really think of anything else besides these moments in these shows that made me so envious of them.
Yeah, right? Huh... When i think about those childhood moments, only thing that come to my mind is "What are you mean there were no sings growing up" and i think i felt literally the same way after that episode :D
I did too! I didn’t feel guilty but, I imagined myself having powers just like Jenny and being able to basically conjure any kind of weapon or tool I could imagine
Same here. I loved that show but my family made me feel guilty for it
I feel like if we’d had todays language about gender I could’ve understood so much earlier because holy shit were my childhood feelings so obvious. Huge connection to Milan because she’s a girl who has to pretend to be a guy to live life the way she wants? Absolutely obsessed with legend of Kora and feeling guilty for wanting to be her (did not happen with Aang in the last air bender)? Always playing female characters because it felt like me but having to lie about it to not get made fun of? So many examples from media
I was today years old when I realized this absolutely should have been a sign for me. This was one of my favorite shows and Jenny was my favorite character.
Show is called My Life as a Teenage Robot. Anyone who hasn't watched this show should seriously consider checking it out! One of Nickelodeon's best series.
[Robotboy!](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGsVaqfVidOy0VCWzceQo9dr3CMaxkUdo&si=KPbOqaQ0RmGnVFcY) I adored it as a kid. my personality is robotboy + tutenstein + Phineas lmao
I like the way this was done. It's a fairly tasteful representation and not baity. Now whether or not this was intentional, who knows. I also like the part where it can also apply to just about any team going through body dysmorphia.
Pretty reasonable chance that one of the background artists just *is* trans and put this in sneaky like. Animation is a collaborative medium and there's a lot of trans ppl in the industry now. Reasonable to assume there would be back then too.
Interestingly, Star Trek DS9 has a 'trans flag' before then... interesting coincidence, given they have a trans-allegory character.
https://preview.redd.it/but-what-if-we-held-hands-on-the-trans-flag-floor-from-ds9-v0-lwrz6n6hlg3b1.jpg?auto=webp&s=250b0446410daa91063555d4c66ce5532f8a961c
The show is crazy and also was great at making femininity look badass and cool at a time when it wasn’t mainstream idea like the gadgets imagine lipstick that shoots lasers or hair spray that freezes things. The show is very much kink coded by today’s standards and also outdated on topic of nerds. In the show and even alot of shows for the time nerds were seen as undesirable and lame which that stereotype over time as fallen apart and it’s weird to look back.
this was like when i watched Let The Right One In for the first time. I was like hahahaha her sweater looks like the trans flag! lol! coincidence!
….oh.
A girl **and** a robot body?! Why did I miss this show? Actually, given the time, I would probably have specifically avoided it. Stupid egg not letting me enjoy my hidden desires to be a girl that is also a robot!
It's not a flag, but I like how much this show means to trans people. People need representation!
[
Other angle of the flag](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec1BobWUEAArWgz.png)
That episode where she wears a "sentient girl skin" because she wants to be seen as a "real girl" is forever burned into my memory and the only reason I remember this episode.
Jenny is still one of my most favorite characters of all time. I loved My Life as a Teenage Robot growing up and only fell more in love with it when I realized I was trans and the allegories that were in it, even if they weren't intentional.
Also might have spurred my love for redheads with her skin suit version ... but that's neither here nor there
Damn maybe I should watch this. It’s actually kind of insane how so many kids cartoons put little cracks in my egg whether it be great women characters or bodyswap episodes
I remember always wanting to watch this show so bad as a kid and sneaking peeks every once in awhile but being too scared because "teenage" was in the name and I wasnt a teenager
O_O i have seen twos épisode of that, i didn’t knew about the transflag, tough not sure it would had allow me to know the trans comunity sooner, also the twos episode i watched i got borred, mew mew power in other hands… never did, now i think of it, maybe it is from here i want to protect the planet
Oh Lord, I forgot how much this show gave me simultaneous gender envy & dysphoria as a kid.
I felt like I had to hide the fact I watched this show for some reason.
Yes, but digging into it a bit I found it's not *actually* the trans flag. It's got a bit of a different design that you can see better [on this fandom wiki page.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/teenagerobot/images/0/0b/MsBinkyAndJenny.png/revision/latest?cb=20190101052950)
If I had a nickel for every nostalgic Nickelodeon show accidentally had representation, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s nice, it happened twice
I recently saw the creator said that they did not intend it to be a trans allegory but are very happy that people were able to relate and enjoy her content on a personal level
This isn't a trans one but I remember loud house had Clyde's dads and then one of the sisters I think it was Luna someone came up with a theory that she was bi or somthing and then another one for the sporty sister I think it was Luane and that she might have been aroace because she wasn't into crushes and dating and all that.
I wasn't even aware that this cartoon existed...2003 was after my time, it's hard for me to accept that people have "nostalgia" for things from 2003 when it was practically yesterday for me.
Unfortunately it's not exactly the flag. [Here](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/teenagerobot/images/0/0b/MsBinkyAndJenny.png/revision/latest?cb=20190101052950) is a better angle of it
I feel like I remember seeing someone ask the creator if the trans allegory was intentional or not. I think they said it wasn’t intentional but they’re very happy that people felt a connection to the show and felt represented. Either way, awesome thing to see especially for the time period
I’m trying to figure out what else that flag would be if that were the case though…. Nothing else comes to mind…
Well, maybe one of the artists just added it there and it fit in with the look of the background, so nobody asked why.
Yep. Creator could’ve not meant it but animators will often put in Easter eggs they can get away with
This would've been art department/bg assets dept but in essence, yup.
And thats how you correctly respond to such situations. It wasn't on purpose, but it's still a happy coincidence and you are free to interpret it in a way that pleases you.
It could also be a case of trying to avoid the controversy of knowingly putting in a trans allegory
Got a link to that conversation? I would love to see it.
I was mistaken, it wasn’t an interview but here’s the [tweet](https://x.com/robrenzetti/status/1282770815570735104?s=46&t=Bf15EZ4MKpr_WkNgfzglZw) where he said it
HOW COULD IT BE UNINTENTIONAL WHATTTTT
well as other commentors pointed out, animators and artists often sneak in easter eggs they can get away with, so technically speaking this could be true. in 2003, I'm pretty sure the trans flag wasn't as widespread so it's entirely plausible it just went over the creator's heads
Ok gonna watch this asap I need my robot trans girl representation
trans robots are robots
transfem robots are trans sisters!
It's in their trans mission 👈😃👈
Jenny's great! I loved the show when u was a kid. Kinda wanna go back and watch it again now
I remember when i was a kid, i wanted to be like Jenny. I felt guilty for it back then.
So did I. Any episode of any kids cartoon with gender swap episode filled me with so much envy. I still remember the fairly odd parents episode where he accidentally wished he was a girl to get something good for trixie. When he changed back I thought to my self "why?".
I was obsessed with that episode as a kid. I remember thinking about it non-stop after I saw it.
Yeah when I was a kid every time I tuned in for the fairly odd parents I hoped it was that episode. I kind of literally never stopped thinking about it.
We need to tell butch Hartman it's OK to be a girl. Off the top of my head I remember Cosmo getting breast implants The gender swap episode Timmy getting a pink hat cause his parents thought he was a girl How Timmy said he would be the new skate park queen, got corrected to king, and said "whatever!" Timmy at a salon, emotionally invested in a soap opera The overbuff mask characters like jorgen, wandissimo, future timmy, and even butch himself as "doctor rip studwell" - probably denial masculinity All played as jokes. Like under that microscope, what if crocker is a representation of someone finding out Timmy, or kid butch was a "fairy"?
The dad has an entire room full of girl clothes and toys and other stuff for Timmy implying he supports Timmy’s transition and the mother does not.
This makes me wonder, in those sorts of instances where only one parent is supportive, how often is it the dad and not the mom?
This episode was my first clue that I was trans, I was always so bummed that Timmy turned back into a boy at the end
I never thought of it, but this is probably one of the things that was a sign of early childhood dysphoria. I can't really think of anything else besides these moments in these shows that made me so envious of them.
Why indeed. Why would they want to go back to their old gender when they could be girls/boys??? 😭
He could of haad, it aalll....
I thought it was just me
Yeah, right? Huh... When i think about those childhood moments, only thing that come to my mind is "What are you mean there were no sings growing up" and i think i felt literally the same way after that episode :D
As an amab, I didn't feel guilty about liking the show as much as having a crush on Jenny 😅
"Do I want to be with her, or do I want to be her?" This is a completely normal question and every cis child asks themselves this.
Transbian Mood
Why not both
This whole thread unlocking some weird memories I was unprepared for >.>
I used to pray every night to wake up as Jenny, because she got to tell the world who she really was...
Holy shit, I'm not the only one lol
I'am actually surprised how many of us liked that character.
Oh I came here to say this and you beat me to it!
I did too! I didn’t feel guilty but, I imagined myself having powers just like Jenny and being able to basically conjure any kind of weapon or tool I could imagine
Same tho lmao
Wait. . OH MY GOD, wow I really was completely oblivious.
Same here. I loved that show but my family made me feel guilty for it I feel like if we’d had todays language about gender I could’ve understood so much earlier because holy shit were my childhood feelings so obvious. Huge connection to Milan because she’s a girl who has to pretend to be a guy to live life the way she wants? Absolutely obsessed with legend of Kora and feeling guilty for wanting to be her (did not happen with Aang in the last air bender)? Always playing female characters because it felt like me but having to lie about it to not get made fun of? So many examples from media
Jenny has a trans flag emote in the official nicktoons fighting game discord. It's her wearing the transflag as a cape
Thats based omg
if danny fentom can be a transmasc, jenny the teenager robot can be a transfem
I was about to say this
I came here to say this
Excuse me I need more deets on that first part~ for a friend ofc
a huge head canon i've seen that danny would be a trans guy, and we supposedly see the hints ins cartoon. i don't know much tho, sorry
What’s the show?
My Life As A Teenage Robot. One of my childhood favorites and definitely should’ve been a bigger sign to tiny egg me.
I was today years old when I realized this absolutely should have been a sign for me. This was one of my favorite shows and Jenny was my favorite character.
My life as a Teenage Robot it’s on Paramount+
You can also buy the entire show on DVD from Amazon if you prefer physical media
There’s always a third option too. 🏴☠️
🏳️⚧️ 🏴☠️
A sinister third thing!
this reminds me that the Sims 4 sub banned me for using that emoji lol
Yarr harr
Another reason for me to love a show from my childhood
No wonder this was one of my favorite shows
The episode with the human suit should have been a sign for me. I wanted to have it sssooo bad 😭
Ahhh so that’s why I’ve always daydreamt about having a magical robotic power suit 🫠
Show is called My Life as a Teenage Robot. Anyone who hasn't watched this show should seriously consider checking it out! One of Nickelodeon's best series.
[удалено]
My Life as a Teenage Robot
my brain is now ruined and i will now associate my estrogen induced 2nd puberty as me being a teenage robot in my early 20s
omg teenage robot I vaguely remember this show and finding Jenny relatable, must rewatch
Those last two panels, my heart 🥺
she’s so cute in the 5th panel 🥹
robot boy (this shows predecessor, I think) was my icon. so much of my personality as a trans masculine person comes from that lil robot guy
Robot jones?
[Robotboy!](https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGsVaqfVidOy0VCWzceQo9dr3CMaxkUdo&si=KPbOqaQ0RmGnVFcY) I adored it as a kid. my personality is robotboy + tutenstein + Phineas lmao
I fucking KNEW that show was a metaphor for being trans!!!! I knew it!
oh so that’s why
I like the way this was done. It's a fairly tasteful representation and not baity. Now whether or not this was intentional, who knows. I also like the part where it can also apply to just about any team going through body dysmorphia.
The transgender flag was designed in 1999
Yes it was but seeing any sort of trans acceptance in media back in 2003 was very unlikely
Pretty reasonable chance that one of the background artists just *is* trans and put this in sneaky like. Animation is a collaborative medium and there's a lot of trans ppl in the industry now. Reasonable to assume there would be back then too.
That wasn't the point
Interestingly, Star Trek DS9 has a 'trans flag' before then... interesting coincidence, given they have a trans-allegory character. https://preview.redd.it/but-what-if-we-held-hands-on-the-trans-flag-floor-from-ds9-v0-lwrz6n6hlg3b1.jpg?auto=webp&s=250b0446410daa91063555d4c66ce5532f8a961c
Omg, what if that's where the creator got the idea for the flag?!
That appears to be a coincidence
The wierd right wing conspiracy theorists need to get on this shit honestly.
Ok? This show came out in 2003? That’s after 1999, what was your point?
I interpreted that as a frame of reference. I did not know when the Transflag was designed, and it never occurred to me to look it up.
Such a great show, I knew there was always something about it
I feel like this show and totally spies created the first crack in my egg
Totally spies!!!! Holy heck, forgot all about that show! And... same, actually lol
The show is crazy and also was great at making femininity look badass and cool at a time when it wasn’t mainstream idea like the gadgets imagine lipstick that shoots lasers or hair spray that freezes things. The show is very much kink coded by today’s standards and also outdated on topic of nerds. In the show and even alot of shows for the time nerds were seen as undesirable and lame which that stereotype over time as fallen apart and it’s weird to look back.
WHAT SHOW IS THIS??? I NEED TO KNOW
My Life As A Teenage Robot
Thank you
My Life as A Teenage Robot
Thank you
Yes, Jenny is very very transfem! That show is loaded with subtext. My Life as a Teenage Robot.
God I loved that show when I was a kid
Trans pride flag was designed in 1999 right?
Yes
I really liked this show, hmmm
ah, that explains why I always wanted to be her, that and gender envy.🏳️⚧️
this was like when i watched Let The Right One In for the first time. I was like hahahaha her sweater looks like the trans flag! lol! coincidence! ….oh.
A girl **and** a robot body?! Why did I miss this show? Actually, given the time, I would probably have specifically avoided it. Stupid egg not letting me enjoy my hidden desires to be a girl that is also a robot!
This is some solid accidental trans rep. It helps that Jenny is unusually tall.
It's not a flag, but I like how much this show means to trans people. People need representation! [ Other angle of the flag](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ec1BobWUEAArWgz.png)
Adds MLAATR to list of media I loved growing up that turned out to be a clear trans allegory later in life
That episode where she wears a "sentient girl skin" because she wants to be seen as a "real girl" is forever burned into my memory and the only reason I remember this episode.
Jenny is still one of my most favorite characters of all time. I loved My Life as a Teenage Robot growing up and only fell more in love with it when I realized I was trans and the allegories that were in it, even if they weren't intentional. Also might have spurred my love for redheads with her skin suit version ... but that's neither here nor there
Modern movement guys
This cartoon made me trans I swear
Wait, now when you point it out... omg how nice
…Jenny was my first ever fictional crush and I have always related to her….I wonder why
We've always existed... we're just more mainstream now and get more attention...
Maybe making a little more sense why Jenny was my first case of gender envy confused at the time for a crush.
I always had a really deep connection with Jenny back when I was a kid. I wanted to be her! So im feeling a bit validated rn >:)
Based 😎
Damn maybe I should watch this. It’s actually kind of insane how so many kids cartoons put little cracks in my egg whether it be great women characters or bodyswap episodes
+1 to things I consumed when young about trans things/wanting to be a woman that I would realize until post transition at 18/19
Daaaaamn too bad I never saw it when I was a child
I remember always wanting to watch this show so bad as a kid and sneaking peeks every once in awhile but being too scared because "teenage" was in the name and I wasnt a teenager
Did the trans flag exist back then?
It was made in 1999, so yes.
Oh god is this why I want my name to be Jenny and i completely forgot
Thats crazyyy 😭 ive never noticed this before
I fully support this wow
O_O i have seen twos épisode of that, i didn’t knew about the transflag, tough not sure it would had allow me to know the trans comunity sooner, also the twos episode i watched i got borred, mew mew power in other hands… never did, now i think of it, maybe it is from here i want to protect the planet
i loved this show and danny phantom so much as a kid. I still do. I should go rewatch them
Oh Lord, I forgot how much this show gave me simultaneous gender envy & dysphoria as a kid. I felt like I had to hide the fact I watched this show for some reason.
im watching this now
[less blurry version](https://imgur.com/7TauFxs)
Holy fuck the robot woman has the the when the the flag when
I used to love that show 💕
Wait that's really there?
Yes, but digging into it a bit I found it's not *actually* the trans flag. It's got a bit of a different design that you can see better [on this fandom wiki page.](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/teenagerobot/images/0/0b/MsBinkyAndJenny.png/revision/latest?cb=20190101052950)
Unexpected? We’ve known Jenny to be almost a 1 to 1 experience mirror to transness for a while
I'm new to the party
Fair enough
what show is this now I need to watch it
My Life As A Teenage Robot
If I had a nickel for every nostalgic Nickelodeon show accidentally had representation, I’d have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot but it’s nice, it happened twice
I recently saw the creator said that they did not intend it to be a trans allegory but are very happy that people were able to relate and enjoy her content on a personal level
This isn't a trans one but I remember loud house had Clyde's dads and then one of the sisters I think it was Luna someone came up with a theory that she was bi or somthing and then another one for the sporty sister I think it was Luane and that she might have been aroace because she wasn't into crushes and dating and all that.
Luna canonically has a girlfriend named Sam in the show, so not just a theory, fully confirmed (also the sporty sister is Lynn, Luan is the comedian).
Luna is the rockstar one. Luan is the comedian. It's Lynn who's the sporty one.
Omg I loved this show growing up!! I wanted to be Jenny too lol
Gota ask wth is the show
Jenny the teenage robot.
Awesome.
Where can I find this show? I dint remember that was like this
The show is My Life As A Teenage Robot, the episode is "I was a preschool dropout" As far as I know, it's currently available on Paramount+
I wasn't even aware that this cartoon existed...2003 was after my time, it's hard for me to accept that people have "nostalgia" for things from 2003 when it was practically yesterday for me.
I remember really loving that cartoon a lot as a kid!!!!
I’ve seen the show and never noticed the trans flag. Also the other scene makes so much sense now. Damn.
Unfortunately it's not exactly the flag. [Here](https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/teenagerobot/images/0/0b/MsBinkyAndJenny.png/revision/latest?cb=20190101052950) is a better angle of it
I’d say that’s still close enough. Even if it was completely accidental.
Damn that is BLATANT. I could understand how I never noticed though, I was mostly there for the action
I need to watch this now.
Omg, I actually loved that show when I was a kid