Throughout history, water has served as a setting for gender transformation and divine beings who embody both masculine and feminine traits:

: Seahorses challenge traditional gender roles in reproduction; females impregnate males, who then gestate and give birth to the young. 3. Contemporary Art and Culture

: Mermaids have long been adopted as allegories for trans women. Both are often viewed as "half-other" or threats due to their perceived seductive power, yet they also symbolize the beauty of physical transformation and self-identification. 2. Biological Fluidity in the Ocean

: These fish live in harems with one dominant male; upon his death, one of the females turns male and takes his place.

Modern creators and activists use aquatic themes to explore and affirm trans identities:

The ocean is home to numerous species that naturally transition between genders, a phenomenon known as sequential hermaphroditism: