User:DecafPotato/drafts/Birdo

Birdo, known in Japan as Catherine, (キャサリン) is a fictional character in the Mario franchise. She is an anthropomorphic pink dinosaur with a red hair bow and a round mouth capable of firing projectiles. She first appeared in 1987, as a boss character in the video game Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic. Doki Doki Panic was adapted for release outside of Japan as Super Mario Bros. 2 (1988), and the character went on to appear in spin-off Mario games and other media. Notable appearances include The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! in 1989, Mario sports games, and the Mario Kart series.

The Doki Doki Panic and Super Mario Bros. 2 instruction manuals refer to Birdo as a male who "thinks he is a girl". Later appearances vary in their depiction of the character, though Birdo is typically treated as female. This has caused some to speculate that Birdo is a transgender woman, which would make her the first transgender video game character. While the character has received generally positive reception, reception to her appearance and perceived gender has been mixed.