Jane Schoenbrun, an American filmmaker who describes themselves as non-binary, says Mary Shelley’s 200-year-old novel Frankenstein is “transphobic” and “problematic.” In comments reported by the outlets, Schoenbrun argues the story’s focus on a “constructed body” frames identity and embodiment in a way they view as harmful. The comments are presented as a critique of how the novel portrays creation, bodily construction, and what Schoenbrun interprets as gendered implications.
The claims center on Schoenbrun’s interpretation of the novel’s themes rather than on a change to the text itself. The reports do not provide direct responses from other scholars or from representatives connected to Shelley’s estate or mainstream education about the work. Overall, the coverage focuses on Schoenbrun’s characterization of Frankenstein and their reasoning that the narrative can be read as reinforcing transphobic attitudes through its depiction of an assembled body and the question of personhood.
