The (Transgender) Evil Dead

A personal essay about dudes named Ashley.

Upon conception, the protagonist of the Evil Dead series was named Ashly. By the time the film was finalized, he was known as Ashley, or, more simply, as Ash.

In fact, most know him as Ash. Ash Williams, made iconic by his chainsaw hand and his quips, has helmed three films and a TV show all about his fight against an ancient evil with the ability to possess anyone it wants. He is known primarily for his brash projection of masculinity; much like Indiana Jones and Han Solo of the same era, he exudes so much of what society views as peak masculinity that he’s become one of horror’s most well known figures.

And I just so happen to think there’s a lot of legitimate evidence towards the idea that he’s transgender.

Like, legitimately. Not only is there surface-level character bits that pull in that direction, but a lot of Ash’s later development strongly supports the idea that he’s not necessarily cisgender. And while that idea was almost certainly never intended on the part of Sam Raimi or Bruce Campbell, you can still find a lot of people online who are hopping on board with this reading.

So, in laying out my evidence, we will start at the beginning: Ash Williams in the first Evil Dead is nothing like his character in the…