TIL Lambert from Alien (1979) is canonically trans (up: maybe)? (2025)

Was unfortunately obstructed by Ripley during the debrief in Aliens but is visible in the DVD extras. But a cool example of an attempt at representation, especially for a character whose narrative doesn't revolve around it.

EDIT: Hmm some members here have pointed out this may be more complex than just positive representation. See SoH's post. Requested a thread title update to reframe too.

Wow that's really cool

Alien continues to deliver.

Edit:
Or maybe not after some thinking about it considering her fate

CloudWolf said:

A bit odd to claim this as an example of representation in a 70's movie, because as far as I can see this is an addition made in Aliens, but it's a cool detail anyway.

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I suppose, though I guess we don't know either way whether the Alien script writers intended it that way. Not terribly relevant to be honest. It's canon in the Alien films either way... and in the good ones to boot.

Osu 16 Bit said:

Is it actually supposed to be a positive thing? What is a "Deapin Convert" and why is it saying there has been no trauma? Reads to me like the idea may have been it was against their will shortly after birth or something.

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huh not sure - I had sort of read it as a neutral background detail. The wiki does indicate it was at birth, you're right

Osu 16 Bit said:

Is it actually supposed to be a positive thing? What is a "Deapin Convert" and why is it saying there has been no trauma? Reads to me like the idea may have been it was against their will shortly after birth or something.

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*Despin Convert

SoH said:

*Despin Convert

[Trapped By Gender] Intersexuality in the ‘Alien’ Franchise

Ridley Scott’s Alien is the best sci-fi-horror flick out there. It has all the trappings of a slasher except it’s set in space. As you’ll come to find, I’m a total sucker for slashers, and this movie just hits me in all the right ways. There’s a single Xenomorph hiding in the shadows with its […]

bloody-disgusting.com

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... so not necessarily a purely positive example of representation. I'll update the OP, thanks for pointing this out.

Osu 16 Bit said:

Is it actually supposed to be a positive thing? What is a "Deapin Convert" and why is it saying there has been no trauma? Reads to me like the idea may have been it was against their will shortly after birth or something.

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Hard to say, but yes I would read it more as a bit of representation with an asterisk next to it, but at least as far as the Alien series goes, there seems to be some sort of other humanoid life forms that are encountered, whether they are human created in origin or alien origin isn't really specified. For example, in aliens there's reference to a non-gendered sexual encounter with a species during shore leave that one of the Marines has.

SoH said:

*Despin Convert

[Trapped By Gender] Intersexuality in the ‘Alien’ Franchise

Ridley Scott’s Alien is the best sci-fi-horror flick out there. It has all the trappings of a slasher except it’s set in space. As you’ll come to find, I’m a total sucker for slashers, and this movie just hits me in all the right ways. There’s a single Xenomorph hiding in the shadows with its […]

bloody-disgusting.com

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Unless I'm missing something that author is just assuming Lambert is intersex.

I don't know how we can take much of anything from that biography. Could be a rogue scientist that was doing unethical experiments on children. Could be some kind of weird future dystopia concept where a group of scientists felt a civilization needed more females for whatever reason and was doing it to meet a quota. Who knows?

Osu 16 Bit said:

Unless I'm missing something that author is just assuming Lambert is intersex.

I don't know how we can take much of anything from that biography. Could be a rogue scientist that was doing unethical experiments on children. Could be some kind of weird future dystopia concept where a group of scientists felt a civilization needed more females for whatever reason and was doing it to meet a quota. Who knows?

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Yeah. It is two sentences flashed on the screen for a moment in the sequel so is left as an exercise for the reader.

Personally I think the original leaves for more interesting ambiguity, but I'm not going to try to argue what should be canon.

TGR Sean said:

So we just watched this a couple days ago and... Lambert was raped? Not sure I buy that.

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Not sure if a warning is needed but might be some triggering things in here.

TGR Sean said:

So we just watched this a couple days ago and... Lambert was raped? Not sure I buy that.

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I think that's pretty accepted that's what happened. Really dark aspect of the original film.

Vonocourt said:

I really don't know how to feel about that trauma line.
Or when I think about how her death is framed, which is already loaded... but now with this information.

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Agreed, both from the context of the films narrative and the writing of the film/character.