Gendered "Otherness" Experiences in the Body

Many writers have chosen to explore gender roles and the impact of gender on characters' lives and experiences by having their characters live as the other (or another) gender. In SF, this is often sex changes, or alien sexes; in historical or fantasy fiction, there can be "body swaps" between characters, magical transformations, or characters -- often female -- who live and pass as male. Characters may also have "souls" or "spirits" that multiply inhabit the same body, in both science fiction and fantasy.

Some examples:

Marion Zimmer Bradley, Hawkmistress! (1982) (girl disguises herself as boy and passes for male)

Maureen McHugh, Mission Child (woman lives and passes as man)

Geoff Ryman, The Warrior Who Carried Life (magical transformation of female to male body)