diff --git a/blueprintcompiler/language/gobject_property.py b/blueprintcompiler/language/gobject_property.py
index 5d0c867..b267083 100644
--- a/blueprintcompiler/language/gobject_property.py
+++ b/blueprintcompiler/language/gobject_property.py
@@ -22,12 +22,12 @@ from .binding import Binding
 from .common import *
 from .contexts import ValueTypeCtx
 from .gtkbuilder_template import Template
-from .values import ArrayValue, ObjectValue, Value
+from .values import ArrayValue, ObjectValue, Value, VariantValue
 
 
 class Property(AstNode):
     grammar = Statement(
-        UseIdent("name"), ":", AnyOf(Binding, ObjectValue, Value, ArrayValue)
+        UseIdent("name"), ":", AnyOf(Binding, VariantValue, ObjectValue, Value, ArrayValue)
     )
 
     @property
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class Property(AstNode):
         return self.tokens["name"]
 
     @property
-    def value(self) -> T.Union[Binding, ObjectValue, Value, ArrayValue]:
+    def value(self) -> T.Union[Binding, VariantValue, ObjectValue, Value, ArrayValue]:
         return self.children[0]
 
     @property
diff --git a/blueprintcompiler/language/gtk_menu.py b/blueprintcompiler/language/gtk_menu.py
index c7ef5f2..9e76d61 100644
--- a/blueprintcompiler/language/gtk_menu.py
+++ b/blueprintcompiler/language/gtk_menu.py
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 
 import typing as T
 
-from blueprintcompiler.language.values import StringValue
+from blueprintcompiler.language.values import StringValue, VariantValue
 
 from .common import *
 from .contexts import ValueTypeCtx
@@ -98,8 +98,12 @@ class MenuAttribute(AstNode):
         return self.tokens["name"]
 
     @property
-    def value(self) -> StringValue:
-        return self.children[StringValue][0]
+    def value(self) -> StringValue | VariantValue:
+        if len(self.children[StringValue]) > 0:
+            return self.children[StringValue][0]
+        elif len(self.children[VariantValue]) > 0:
+            return self.children[VariantValue][0]
+        raise CompilerBugError()
 
     @property
     def document_symbol(self) -> DocumentSymbol:
@@ -133,7 +137,7 @@ menu_attribute = Group(
     [
         UseIdent("name"),
         ":",
-        Err(StringValue, "Expected string or translated string"),
+        Err(AnyOf(StringValue, VariantValue), "Expected string or translated string"),
         Match(";").expected(),
     ],
 )
diff --git a/blueprintcompiler/language/values.py b/blueprintcompiler/language/values.py
index 63cf4fc..41a4c5e 100644
--- a/blueprintcompiler/language/values.py
+++ b/blueprintcompiler/language/values.py
@@ -371,6 +371,44 @@ class IdentLiteral(AstNode):
         else:
             return None
 
+class VariantValue(AstNode):
+    grammar = [
+        "variant",
+        "<",
+        UseQuoted("type"),
+        ">",
+        "(",
+        UseQuoted("value"),
+        ")"
+    ]
+
+    @property
+    def var_type(self) -> str:
+        return self.tokens["type"]
+
+    @property
+    def var_value(self) -> str:
+        return self.tokens["value"]
+
+    @validate()
+    def validate_for_type(self) -> None:
+        expected_type = self.context[ValueTypeCtx].value_type
+        if expected_type is None:
+            pass
+        elif (
+            isinstance(expected_type, gir.IntType)
+            or isinstance(expected_type, gir.UIntType)
+            or isinstance(expected_type, gir.FloatType)
+            or isinstance(expected_type, gir.FloatType)
+        ):
+            raise CompileError(f"Cannot convert variant to number")
+        elif isinstance(expected_type, gir.StringType):
+            raise CompileError("Cannot convert variant to string")
+        elif isinstance(expected_type, gir.Boxed) and expected_type.full_name == "GLib.Variant":
+            pass
+        else:
+            raise CompileError(f"Cannot convert variant into {expected_type.full_name}")
+        pass
 
 class Literal(AstNode):
     grammar = AnyOf(
diff --git a/blueprintcompiler/outputs/xml/__init__.py b/blueprintcompiler/outputs/xml/__init__.py
index 5e43834..4e4cc1c 100644
--- a/blueprintcompiler/outputs/xml/__init__.py
+++ b/blueprintcompiler/outputs/xml/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 import typing as T
 
+from blueprintcompiler.language.values import VariantValue
+
 from ...language import *
 from .. import OutputFormat
 from .xml_emitter import XmlEmitter
@@ -83,13 +85,23 @@ class XmlOutput(OutputFormat):
             if isinstance(child, Menu):
                 self._emit_menu(child, xml)
             elif isinstance(child, MenuAttribute):
-                xml.start_tag(
-                    "attribute",
-                    name=child.name,
-                    **self._translated_string_attrs(child.value.child),
-                )
-                xml.put_text(child.value.string)
-                xml.end_tag()
+                if isinstance(child.value, StringValue):
+                    xml.start_tag(
+                        "attribute",
+                        name=child.name,
+                        **self._translated_string_attrs(child.value.child),
+                    )
+                    xml.put_text(child.value.string)
+                    xml.end_tag()
+                elif isinstance(child.value, VariantValue):
+                    xml.start_tag(
+                        "attribute",
+                        name=child.name,
+                        type=child.value.var_type,
+                    )
+                    xml.put_text(child.value.var_value)
+                    xml.end_tag()
+
             else:
                 raise CompilerBugError()
         xml.end_tag()
@@ -148,6 +160,11 @@ class XmlOutput(OutputFormat):
             self._emit_value(values[-1], xml)
             xml.end_tag()
 
+        elif isinstance(value, VariantValue):
+            xml.start_tag("property", **props, type=value.var_type)
+            xml.put_text(value.var_value)
+            xml.end_tag()
+
         else:
             raise CompilerBugError()
 
@@ -205,6 +222,8 @@ class XmlOutput(OutputFormat):
                 xml.put_text(self._object_id(value, value.ident))
         elif isinstance(value, TypeLiteral):
             xml.put_text(value.type_name.glib_type_name)
+        elif isinstance(value, VariantValue):
+            xml.put_text(value.value)
         else:
             if isinstance(value.value, float) and value.value == int(value.value):
                 xml.put_text(int(value.value))
@@ -284,6 +303,10 @@ class XmlOutput(OutputFormat):
             xml.start_tag(tag, **attrs)
             xml.put_text(value.child.value)
             xml.end_tag()
+        elif isinstance(value.child, VariantValue):
+            xml.start_tag(tag, **attrs, type=value.child.var_type)
+            xml.put_text(value.child.var_value)
+            xml.end_tag()
         else:
             xml.start_tag(tag, **attrs)
             self._emit_value(value, xml)
diff --git a/variant-test.blp b/variant-test.blp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f69522f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/variant-test.blp
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+using Gtk 4.0;
+
+menu root {
+  submenu {
+    name: "one";
+    item {
+      action: "app.foo_bar";
+      target: variant<"s">("\"one\"");
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+Button {
+  action-name: "app.shave_yak";
+  action-target: variant<"y">("8");
+}
\ No newline at end of file