Gender is a social construct which has been heavily adapted into society for centuries, with expectations set for each person of the binary sex. Men are viewed as the providers and conquerors; women are expected to be submissive and take care of the house and home. Behaviors such as chivalry in women or tenderness in men are frowned upon, treated as defects in the perfect societal model. In order for everyone to measure up to such high expectations, personality traits are classified as “male” or “female.” Anyone who falls out of this exhibits androgenyous gender expression. In The Golden Compass, Daemons provide a countering set of traits to their bonded individuals; they are a separate yet connected entity which take on the role of serving as their other half. Through this, Pullman’s work creates a paradox of nonbinary identity in two forms two forms: human and daemon.