So I just learned that the creative team behind Batwoman will be leaving the title over "creative differences" with DC involving the depiction of Batwoman's wedding to her female partner. Partner? No, let me clarify that. In comics, partner can always mean sidekick, or business partner, or any number of non-sexual couplings. But in this case, partner means lover; as in betrothed, girlfriend, wife. Apparently, something about that has miffed the executives at DC. Now, according to an official statement from the creative team of J.H Williams III and W. Haden Blackman, there were other factors involved; like last minute changes to the story arcs at the eleventh hour, and being asked to completely disregard long standing story arcs that would have negatively impacted the character and the series. But the final straw appears to have been a directive to not show any part of the wedding between Kate Kane, Batwoman, and her lover Maggie.
The series has had a rocky road from it's inception, with previous talent also leaving due to "creative differences". But through it all, Batwoman has persevered. She has even managed to carve out her own personality from the every growing members of the Bat Family. She wasn't a girl, or anyone's sidekick, nor did she herself need a sidekick. She was smart, resourceful, and could throw a roundhouse kick to rival the main Bat himself. She was troubled, and faced her demons head on. She dealt with mature themes in a mature way...and that included her complex relationship with her girlfriend. Forget the fact that she is gay, just look at her relationship for what it is: two grown ups dealing with all of the many faceted aspects of an adult relationship. Navigating waters of trust, love, lust and responsibility. I repeat, she is an adult in an adult relationship. One that might not have been perfect, but that is what made it all the more real. It may sound cliched, but I am sure that somewhere there is a young, feisty lesbian in the making that reads this comic and thinks, "Hell yeah, this is who I need to be more like". It gave hope and visibility to so many LGBT youth (and adults) that they do have representation. A voice from someone who must understand how they think, and wants them to know that there is nothing wrong or different about you. You're going to have the same ups and downs in dealing with whoever you choose to love that everyone else in mainstream media has. But don't dispare...you're not alone.
But now, we're told that Batwoman can't be seen married to another woman. What the fuck is that about? You put a positive role model out there, and then do an about face and tell everyone she should be ashamed of who she loves? Not cool at all. Send her high kicking back into the closet. Everyone involved is stating this is not because of her sexual orientation. Well, I call bullshit on that. She can be a lesbian, but don't show any proof of who she is. Why not just make her a nun? Better she renounce all sex than have the wrong kind of sex. DC, I know it doesn't matter to you, but maybe you need to look at what's going on in your house lately. You have very talented people working for you...well, not as many as you used to have, but there is still talent there. Listen to them. They know their audience. That is what makes some of your creatives so special...they have their finger on the pulse of their audience. Let them do what they do best. Trust them. you were making history with this title. Do the right thing; don't wake up in five years, and find you're on the wrong side of that history.
#Batwoman
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