Note: I’ll be referring to Ruka as “they/them” for this article.

Also Note: This post was edited on July 20, 2023 to fix some issues and give some updates.

Welcome to another anime rant! Today we’ll learn some things about gender identity terms, using the character Ruka as an example. Ruka or Luka is a character from the anime masterpiece Steins;Gate. I like all the characters in this show and I have trouble deciding on which I like best. But Ruka has always been highly interesting to me. This post is only focused on discussions of Ruka’s sex and gender identity, since embarking on detailed character study overall is a little much for me at present.

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Introduction

First, let me explain my stance on gender identity and related topics. At the time of writing this article, I was identifying as a pansexual woman. Since then, however, I have accepted that my gender identity is nonbinary. As someone who has always had pansexual attraction, and recently discovered an enby identity, I am definitely on board with my fellow LGBT+ people. Gay marriage should be legal, trans women are women, and so on. So, if you were worried about a gender-critical discussion of Ruka, then worry no more.

Sex is a biological concept that, according to most definitions, is very difficult to change. Athough sex is not a perfect binary, it is more so than flexible ideas of gender identity. There are excpetions, but broadly speaking, sex is either male or female. Importantly, whether delineated by reproductive organs, chromosomes, or gametes, sex does not dictate identity.

This means you can have a dick and be a woman, if that’s who you are. You can have a vagina and be a man, if that’s who you are. You can be distinctly physically typical of your sex but have a non-binary identity (rather like me). Or you can be intersex and choose to transition toward masc or fem. Whatever the case, you are not your sex.

Why was that relevant? Well, besides being a good opportunity to learn some terms, examining this topic can lead to deeper appreciation of Ruka, as well as the need for better queer representation in anime. So, what is Ruka’s sex? What is Ruka’s gender? Do they view themselves as a woman? How do they want others to view them? Do they desire or would they prefer the body of a “biological female”? We’ll cover all these things starting now.

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Is Ruka Male?

Steins;Gate makes it painfully clear that Ruka is an “otoko,” meaning male/man. There is evidence of this besides just Okabe and company repeatedly saying “he’s a dude.” When Ruka’s D-mail changes the world line to one where she was born female, Okabe is incredulous. He doesn’t believe Ruka is a girl until he, well, confirms it by feeling her crotch. (By the way – that’s not ok.) But this implies that biologically, the Ruka we know is male, or at least has male reproductive organs.

The question here, though, is whether Ruka personally identifies as a male. It’s hard to tell since the anime doesn’t get into it as much as it should. But it’s clear that Ruka has some dysphoria about their body. We’ll get into that more in the next entry.

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Is Ruka Transgender?

It’s possible that Ruka is a transgender woman. I’m not sure what the fan-base’s consensus would be, but this seems like the best description to me. For one thing, Ruka dresses in woman’s clothes all the time. For another thing, Ruka has a crush on Okabe. Most important, however, is the next example. When it’s their turn for a D-mail, Ruka’s wish is to be born as biologically female. This is very clear evidence that Ruka identifies as a woman.

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Is Ruka Intersex?

Even though Ruka was assigned a male sex at birth, it’s possible that they’re actually intersex. I recommend reading up on intersex people if you aren’t familiar with how it works. Simply put, intersex people are those who don’t fit neatly into either male or female categories. They may have some aspects of both sexes, and this is due to differences in the chromosomes. Unfortunately, intersex people are often assigned a binary sex at birth. If Ruka was intersex, it could explain their very feminine build.

Note: Just to clarify, intersex people can transition to a binary sex if they wish. They may also discover they are nonbinary. Either way, an intersex person can also be a trans person.

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What Other Options Are There?

Not everyone identifies with any one gender more than another, and some people (Non-binary) don’t subscribe to the view that gender is only two-fold. Or they may change between genders frequently (Gender-fluid). They may see themselves as multiple genders at once (polygender), or as not having a gender at all (Agender/Gender-queer).

We can consider Ruka in any of these ways. This character dresses femininely, but doesn’t argue when addressed as a male. This could be evidence of Ruka having one of these enby identities. Still, the show seems to suggest that Ruka is closer to being transgender, mostly due to their wish to be a girl.

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Closing Thoughts: Ruka’s Orientation

When discussing gender identity, sexuality often comes up as well. Ruka is obviously attracted to Okabe. If the identify as a male, they could then be considered homosexual, attracted to those of the same sex or gender. It’s also possible that they are Androsexual, or specifically attracted to males. The second option is more fitting with what we see in the show. If Ruka is indeed a transgender woman, this makes her straight, or heterosexual.

Hopefully, you’ve learned (or reminded yourself) of some LGBT+ terminology, as well as appreciating Ruka more. I personally see Ruka as a transgender character, though one might be able to argue differently.

Thank you for reading!

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PATREON