The Matrix: Gender Fluidity & Female Empowerment

Introduction:

The Matrix Film Poster

The Matrix is an iconic film released in 1999, directed by Lana and Lily Wachowski. It makes viewers question their view of reality while following the protagonist Thomas A. Anderson, referred to as “Neo” in the film. Neo is a computer programmer who wants to know what The Matrix really is, and he eventually finds out through the invitation of Morpheus, who knows the truth about their universe.
Reality is not as it seems; they live in a simulation of life controlled by Robots known as Agents. Neo goes on an intense road of discovery after taking the red pill to fully “enlighten” himself to The Matrix, and along the way, he encounters other red pill individuals who fight alongside Morpheus. At this point, he already knows a couple of these people, most notably Trinity, a strong female character who is not a damsel in distress by any means. This film captures women in a light unknown, especially for the 90s, which is an independent, non-overly objectified female hero.

The Opening Fight Scene:

Trinity fighting against Cop. 

The film's opening scene begins with none other than Trinity, and viewers immediately witness her engage in a fierce fight against police officers and the film's main antagonists, the Agents. The way this scene was captured was not typically how a female in this position is filmed. The camera keeps a respectable distance, capturing her body and face to see her incredible jumps, kicks, and punches. This is a drastic difference from how women are captured in film, as many women in Trinity’s position would merely have had their bodies filmed in a way to appeal to the male gaze. Trinity also manages to take out these men all on her own, and flawlessly at that, which is not a common portrayal of women in media. Many women like Trinity would need the help of someone else, usually a man, but she carried herself with no fear and did not act like a damsel in distress. The topic of damsels in distress comes back into the picture in reference to the end of his journey to The Matrix, and Morpheus, who at a point in the film, needs to be physically rescued.

Neo’s Rebirth in The Matrix:

Neo in his pod

Both Neo and Morpheus in the film are put in a position of helplessness, although not fully alone for these endeavors. Trinity was one of the driving reasons that both made it to their positions in the film. To begin, Neo at the beginning of the film is unaware of what it takes to see the real world, as opposed to the simulation he knows. He was faced with the decision to take either the blue pill, which was to forget all about The Matrix, or the red pill, to begin his journey of discovery. After taking the red pill, he is essentially reborn in a capsule of slime, with wires implanted in his skin. This pod of sorts is a representation of a Yonic or Womb-like symbol, but a seemingly less safe version of the womb we know. As he is released from his sack, he is immediately removed, shot down a tube, and brought to a light. Neo is helpless in these moments, as he has no idea what he got himself into, and is suddenly being awoken in a bed by none other than Morpheus, Trinity, and the rest of the red pill group. “Welcome to the real world” is the line Morpheus greets him with as he regains consciousness. This, however, is not the only time Neo is rendered helpless and needs help from Trinity, nor is it the last time Trinity rescues a man.

Trinity Rescuing Neo & Morpheus:

Trinity and Neo rescuing Morpheus

Trinity once again is in a position of power because she is the one rescuing both Neo and Morpheus from their possible death. Unfortunately for Morpheus, he is betrayed by one of his own, Cypher, who cooperated with the Agents to capture and torture him. They want to learn what he knows about Zion, the only human city in the real world. Agents want to find it and destroy it. Humans are used as their power source in the real world, hence why they have an overwhelming amount of human incubators. Morpheus is tortured by the Agents, and Neo wants to save him, so he goes into the simulation where they are keeping him. Both he and Trinity end up rescuing Morpheus in the simulation, bringing him back to the ship they live on in The Matrix. After his rescue, Neo unfortunately gets caught by an Agent in the process and is close to death. When any of the protagonists are put in the simulation, they are hooked to a machine and are unconscious, so Neo cannot save himself. Trinity begins to speak to Neo’s body in the real world, telling him that he can’t die because she was supposed to fall in love with “the one.” Trinity kisses him and within seconds, he is alive again, prepared to take on the agents. Trinity, being the one to bring back or “rescue” Neo, is almost like a knight rescuing a princess from a tower. This puts Trinity in a dominant position, which isn’t always heard of for a female character, as usually, a man would be the one saving a woman from danger.

This connects to the rescue of Morpheus as well because Trinity teams up with Neo to come to his rescue. Initially, Neo tried to go alone without Trinity, but she made sure that she would be by his side as she is the “Co-Captain” of the ship and Morpheus’s right-hand man. Once again, this shows Trinity’s dominance and masculine energy, while also balancing it with her femininity as a woman. Androgyny is a noticeable point in this film, and it is not only seen in Trinity but also in other members of the ship, along with the character known as the Oracle.

Androgyny And Gender Fluidity in The Matrix:

Switch (on the right) in a white suit.

Several other characters besides Trinity also exude a sense of femininity and masculinity, most notably the character Switch and The Oracle. Switch is one of the members of the red pill group and is a minor character. Despite being a minor character, we see her in the background of the film, not dressed in a traditionally feminine way, wearing more of a suit style, and having short hair. Like Trinity, the focus of these characters is not on how they look but rather on what they are doing in the film that is changing the world around them. The Oracle also changes the world around her and acts as an almost Godlike figure in the film. The Oracle, when introduced in the film, essentially predicts the fate of the red pill group but has an especially interesting reaction with Neo. While talking to him, Neo is oblivious to his fate, while The Oracle knows exactly

The Oracle

What is going to happen with Neo? The Oracle, knowing this, gives her a God-like perspective on each of the characters, giving her also a dominant stance over the male characters. The duality of femininity and masculinity is apparent in The Oracle and Switch, because while both seemingly are female, they have qualities that introduce gender fluidity and androgyny.

Conclusion:

The Matrix is not only a film that questions one's reality but also gender stereotypes and constructs. The female characters have dominance over the male characters at some points and are not objectified or underestimated like many female heroes in films. Both Neo and Morpheus have a sense of femininity, needing to be rescued by Trinity at some point as they take on that non-traditional role of damsel, and she acts as their white knight. The Oracle and Switch, although not protagonists, support the gender fluidity of The Matrix in different ways. Switch with her fashion, hair choice, and The Oracle with her sentience and God-like power over everyone in the film. Both the female and male characters can hold their own when needed, supporting equality in abilities not typical of the 90s.

 

Neo (middle), Trinity (Left), Morpheus (Right). 

Works Cited:

The Matrix. Directed by Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski, Warner Bros., 1999.