Maia
The narrator/author/protagonist of the story is Maia Kobabe. Maia is born biologically female. The narrative becomes a memoir of the challenging path that Maia had to traveled in order to become educated and empowered as a non-binary, non-gender-conventional cartoon artist. The story focuses primarily on fender issues but is also an examination of the growth of an artist pursuing a career in an equally unconventional field often viewed through a negative perspective by those holding to conventional traditions of artistic value and status.
Maia’s Parents
Maia’s parents.are both representatives of what would most easily be termed “hippies” of the distinctly non-political type. They are both vegetarians, non-authoritarian regarding parenting, and definitely not strict adherents to traditional gender roles. Their laissez-faire attitude toward parental guardianship is certainly questionable in some respects—Maia remains illiterate until she almost a teenager—but also appositive influence in not forcing gender expectations upon their children.
David Bowie
Okay, so Bowie isn’t actually a character in the story in the traditional sense. This is a story about moving beyond traditions, however, so it makes sense to include him here. When Maia hears Bowie singing “Changes” for the first time, it is a transcendent moment. Interest in Bowie starts out with total ignorance; Maia only know a girl she has a crush on is a big fan. It will turn out that influence of the gender fluid musician will last long after the crush is forgotten.
Johnny Weir
Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir is another character who is not really a character. Maia develops a fascination with Weir that goes well beyond the boundaries of mere celebrity crush and into the deeper and more complex realm of identity. His public image—notoriously non-conventional gender-wise—is adopted into what from the outside might seem like mere cosplay, but behind which is strong, assertive statement of Maia’s own issues of gender confusion. Or, more aptly, gender deconstruction.
