If you had endless free time on your hands, how would you choose to spend it? Probably not analyzing the skull sizes and facial features of animated characters. However, news of another Shrek sequel has given green swamp-dweller fans a few things to overthink with the release of a teaser trailer for Shrek 5 on Feb. 27., 2025.
“Facebook Schizoboomers are now Transvestigating Shrek,” posted X user @nikoxbenet on Feb. 28., 2025. Their viral post, with over 5.2M views, 264K likes, 16K reshares, 11K saves, and 833 comments, included a screenshot of a separate X post, from an account calling themselves, “Freedom Of Truth Updates.”
The screenshot, which does not include the X handle of the original poster, shows two images of Shrek’s face – one from Shrek Forever After, released in 2010, and one from the 2025 Shrek 5 trailer – with green and red lines drawn down the foreheads, noses, mouths, and chins.
Below that, are two additional images, of male and female skulls, with the same colored lines showing the sizes of certain skull features. The skull screenshots have no attribution to the image sources.
“Subliminal feminization of childrens media pt. 6,” is written in the caption of the screenshot. It is implied by the language and use of images that Shrek has somehow gone from being “male” in Shrek Forever After, to perhaps “female” in the upcoming sequel, indicating that animators may be trying to hide transgender messaging in the popular film series.
“Imagine waking up one day and realizing people are analyzing ogre skull structures,” wrote X user @dreamyycici in the comments.
“being transphobic is so concerning omg,” added X user @ladidaix.
Others tried to use creativity and artistic progression to explain why the same character might look different over 15 years later.
“The artist(s) responsible for the Shrek redesign are doing it because they have a new art style that emphasizes cartoonishly expressive faces,” X user @HausenFaust shared in the comments. “The Puss in Boots movie absolutely did this.”
“I don’t mind it, it would be good to change things a bit since he’s probably 10-20 years older now,” added X user @cookdonut in the same thread.
What is Transvestigating, and why is it a thing?
According to the organization, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), transvestigation refers to the act of people using “fake pseudo-scientific ‘evidence’” to label someone or prove they are transgender.
It is typically used against celebrities and high-profile individuals, “with the underlying bigoted and ignorant implication that being a transgender person is a bad thing,” according to GLAAD.
The organization also considers this kind of rhetoric to be “hate-driven conspiracy theory” which “maliciously targets cisgender public figures.” While targets are usually left-leaning and LGBTQ+ supporters (such as Madonna and Michelle Obama), theories have even been lodged against notable conservatives such as Kyle Rittenhouse and Andrew Tate.
The original post seems to have been deleted, but that didn’t stop others on X from voicing their opinions and countering the information with their own jokes.
“what stage of unemployment is transvestigating shrek?” wrote X user @RightWingCope, sharing the same screenshot.
“Good lord.. I can promise these people that their children are not gonna notice his face being ‘slightly more feminine’ or however they wanna put it,” wrote X user @mokawonz in the comments.
X user @JohnnyVomits expressed their disbelief in the comments as well. “Sometimes I think ‘there is no way this is real’,” they started. “Then I realize it is 2025 and Andrew Tate is still a thing.”
Is Shrek’s daughter trans? The fan theory explained
It might be a bit of a stretch to say that Shrek himself has undergone a transition, but others across the web agree that transgender themes may be present in the new sequel through a different character – Shrek’s daughter.
“Pause, not to be a Shrek nerd, but I’m sure Felicia is the only girl out of the ogre triplets and she has blue eyes,” wrote X user @SarkyFancyBear, sharing an image of a new Shrek character and two images of the babies from Shrek the Third. “That means either Fergus or Farkle transitioned, let’s go?”
The viral post has over 7.8M views, 123K likes, 5.8K reshares, and 4.7K saves.
Why is Shrek being ‘transvestigated’?
James Factora, author for them.us, provided more insight on the theory about the new character, who is voiced by Zendaya. “She’s got a nose ring. She’s got green lipstick on. She has bangs and some kind of inscrutable half-up bun situation. She’s following in the family tradition of exclusively wearing green and brown clothing, but she’s accessorizing with a purple crystal necklace,”
“She is, dare I say, incredibly she/they-coded,” Factora continues. “They might as well go ahead and make her a barista at Farbucks.”
A more prominent clue emerged that has some thinking the teenaged cartoon may be trans. Factora explained that Shrek and Fiona had three children, named Fergus, Farkle, and Felicia. Felicia appeared to be the only girl, animated with blue eyes. However, in the trailer, Zendaya’s character has brown eyes.
“Naturally, Shrek advocates and scholars have come to the conclusion that Zendaya’s Shrek character must be trans,” Factora states.
“What if that isn’t Felicia- SHREK HAS A TRANS DAUGHTER!?,” posted X user @KINGP0PPY, with a screenshot of baby Felicia next to the teenage Shrek character.
X ussr @mochiamori_ went even harder on their fan theory. “What if I said that ogres are a metaphor for transgender people,” they wrote in the caption of their post, which included a reshare from @SarkyFancyBear. “The first shrek movie is about how shrek, an open trans man, helps fiona, a closeted trans woman, embrace her true self after her parents shunned her for not being human (aka not being císgender).”
Shrek fans will have to wait until 2026 to find out if any of these theories are true.
The Daily Dot reached out to @nikoxbenet via X DM for comment.
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