Finally got deep enough into Deadly Premonition 2 to experience some of the gross trans content firsthand. Starting to get a handle on the contexts in which misgendering and deadnaming pop up.

The first big example of the protagonist deadnaming the trans woman, Lena, is while interrogating her for murder. He throws it out almost like it’s a GOTCHA, like it proves her a liar. Also, big vibes of “you killed someone, your name privelages are revoked”.

After that, he and other characters switch in and out of deadnaming and misgendering. Most of it feels like it’s rooted in “well, I’m talking about them before they transitioned, or a story their penis is important for, so deadname and misgender it is”.

Also, and I feel like this is notable, she’s largely named and gendered correctly while she’s alive. Misgendering and deadnaming become a lot more common after she’s dead.

And this is all so odd in the context that, before we meet her, the protagonist goes on this huge pro trans rights schpiel. He makes a point about how he’s respectful of her, which makes these basic mistakes all the more noticeable. Says everything right up front, then oops lol

Like, he’s walking around calling everyone in town bigots for not respecting her pronouns, then a few hours later throwing around her deadname left and right.

The fact Swery got trans consultants to work on The Missing, but not on DP2 really shows. Seriously, great master class in why getting consultants on a project is important.

Oh, and to be clear, there are for sure instances of misgendering that can’t be written off as “I didn’t know not to use birth pronouns for pre transition timeline events”. Multiple instances of her being called brother etc RE events definitely post transition.