Interview: Gender in worldbuilding with H Noss

In this blog post, I ask H Noss a few questions about gender in worldbuilding.

Here are some details about them, and you can find out more on their website:

H Noss is a freelance proofreader specialising in fantasy, romance, and queer fiction for UK authors. As a non-binary person, they also provide authenticity reading services for stories involving non-binary characters. They are passionate about LGBTQ+ representation and supporting writers in their author journey. Their dream is to read more authentic queer representation and write their own queer novels. Outside of proofreading, H loves to create writing prompts to inspire other people to write, as they have too many ideas for just one person.

First of all, how did you become a proofreader? And what do you enjoy working on the most?

I started out as a writer and reader, like many people in the publishing industry. I’ve been part of a writing critique group for a few years now, and it was their feedback that made me look into proofreading. With their encouragement, I started drawing together a plan of how to become a proofreader. I was supported by a charity in the UK called The Prince’s Trust, who helped me set up my business, and I took training courses with the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading.

I see proofreading as a way of not just reading for free but also being able to support authors, so the thing I enjoy working on the most has to be any kind of queer fiction! I mostly proofread fantasy and romance novels, but I’ve been surprised by how much I love proofreading anthologies too. So my absolute dream project would be proofreading a queer fiction anthology.

Have you noticed any common problems writers have with gender representation in their novels and worldbuilding?

The most common problem writers have with gender representation is not considering it at all. Authors usually portray very binary worlds where men and women are either equal or one dominates the other (patriarchies and matriarchies). This really excludes any kind of trans, non-binary, or intersex representation. An equal society is great, but if gender roles are still strict and defined, what about other genders?

Even books that incorporate trans, non-binary, and intersex characters suffer from a big representation problem: we’re background characters – we don’t really matter to the story unless the story is about us, in which case it’s almost always about how we need to overcome a binary society or learn to fit in.

I’d love to see more books where trans, non-binary, and intersex characters are important to the story without having to battle against the gender binary. Give me more books where gender roles don’t exist and are replaced by more interesting systems (like dystopian novels) or where trans, non-binary, and intersex characters are considered unique or even magical (look at the tida wena of the Warao people or the Anarya of the Scythians for inspiration).

Which novels would you recommend for awesome, interesting gender worldbuilding?

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin is at the top of my recommendations, and for good reason. Published in 1969, this book really stands out to me as a must-read for anyone who wants to incorporate gender into their worldbuilding, because this is one of the earliest books to utilise it.

For a book that delves into misogyny, Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao really surprised me. Zhao tackles several queer themes in the book, and the patriarchal world being torn down by Wu Zetian deals with a lot of gender worldbuilding.

One I haven’t read yet but I’m excited for is The Black Tides of Heaven by Neon Yang, where there is no assigned gender for children.

What should writers consider when planning gender in their worldbuilding? What kind of notes are helpful to make before drafting, and what do authors need to tackle in the revision phase?

There are so many places to start, but when worldbuilding any society, writers should consider how gender plays a role, if any. Are all genders equal? Does one gender have more power in society than others? Does gender not matter at all? There are many questions to follow up on this, so think about traditions, clothing, cultures, etiquette, and family structure.

Building around your main characters can help you answer many of these questions. Is their family structure normalised or does it set them apart from larger society? What roles do their parents, siblings, or children take on, and are they gendered roles? How are they perceived by their community?

For any character who identifies outside of the gender binary, especially when this plays into the story, make sure terminology and pronouns are clear and consistent. If you change your mind and use they/them pronouns for a character even before they come out, check your pronoun usage. You don’t want to find out you missed an old pronoun in your final draft so you’ve misgendered your character by accident.

If you’re sticking to using gender-neutral pronouns for any character before they’re introduced – such as referring to a stranger with singular gender-neutral pronouns – check your own biases aren’t present unless it’s relevant. If a society doesn’t see long hair as feminine, why would a character assume a stranger with long hair is a woman? If a voice is high-pitched, would the character consider that a feminine voice, or is it just that, a high-pitched voice.

Are there some universal aspects to non-binary gender representation? What role, if any, does culture play?

There are some universal consistencies to look out for and include, like ensuring the singular they/them pronoun or another gender-neutral pronoun is included and feels natural. Because that works best for the reader's perspective, and it's usually relegated to the narrative.

In my own writing, I have a number of non-binary characters in my current manuscript where I've made it part of the worldbuilding that, in this world, singular gender-neutral pronouns are both common and easily understood by the world, because that's what I want to write.

Assumptions around gender are something to also consider with non-binary representation. Different cultures vary on how gender is expressed: some cultures associate long hair with men or they associate makeup with wealthy people regardless of gender. Even in historical novels, research shows that gender expression has changed over time, like pink being associated with boys in the 1920s.

When worldbuilding, you don’t need to write a chart and decide what’s feminine, what’s masculine, and what’s androgynous – unless you want to. But having an idea of how gender expression functions in your world can help you flesh out society and give opportunities to explore your characters’ own expressions and identities.

What is authenticity reading, and how can it help authors represent gender in worldbuilding?

Authenticity reading is a type of beta reading, but instead of being focused on the whole novel the reader focuses on giving the author feedback about the novel’s representation of their experiences. It’s also known as sensitivity reading, but I feel authenticity reading is more accurate.

Authors can use authenticity readers for their portrayal of cultures, experiences, disabilities, and genders. When I work with authors on their representation of gender, I usually focus on how their non-binary characters are portrayed and how the language they use in narration might affect non-binary readers.

I ask authors what kind of feedback they’re looking for, so an author who wants a second opinion on their worldbuilding around gender can ask me for my general opinion or ask specific questions. I really encourage authors to think of questions so I have an idea of what they’re unsure of. For instance, I might be asked “How do you feel about [character] being seen as divine because of their gender?” or “Do you have any suggestions on how to strengthen the role of this non-binary group/culture?”

Because authenticity reading can be done before or after the bulk of editing is done, I recommend authors reach out early if there’s a lot of worldbuilding that needs to be considered. If conscious language is something the author is concerned about, contacting readers after most of the editing is done is usually best.

As a non-binary authenticity reader, I provide an authenticity reading report which gives feedback on characterisation, conscious language, and plot and character arcs. Conscious language is especially important if you want non-binary people to feel comfortable reading and finishing your novel.

How can non-binary authenticity reading work for speculative fiction in societies that could be very different from early twenty-first century society?

I think the most important thing when looking at societies other than twenty-first society would be to look at it from two angles: the first angle being what works for that society (whether through research or worldbuilding) and checking with the author on the accuracy of it (especially for speculative fiction), and the second angle being what works best for the reader's experience.

For instance, if in a historical context someone is referred to as a 'hermaphrodite', I'd query it and suggest alternatives, even if the only alternative I can give is to question whether it needs to be said at all.

If it's a Greek-inspired world (let's say it's a mythology retelling), the term 'androgyne' might not be strictly accurate but it's understood both in contemporary experiences as well as having a basis in Greece (ανδρόγυνος [andrógunos] as a noun).

And finally, what do you have planned for the future?

So much! I want to create more resources for creating and writing authentic non-binary characters, whether that’s recommended books to read, character name lists, or how to use gender-neutral pronouns (other than singular they/them pronouns) consistently.

For the next few years, I’m really prioritising educating myself more about representation and sharing that knowledge with others. I want more writers to feel confident in representing non-binary people, so promoting resources and insights from non-binary readers is a must for me.

I’ve also got some really interesting projects to proofread this year. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a queer anthology.

Thank you, H, so much for this awesome interview! If anyone has any comments on gender in worldbuilding, add them below!