This is a historic moment for queer representation in the superhero genre.
Batwoman just came out as a lesbian to the whole of Gotham City.
In the latest episode of The CW series, titled How Queer Everything Is Today, the caped superhero (Ruby Rose) struggles whether to divulge her sexuality to the world because she fears that it will unveil her true identity as Kate Kane.
But after meeting a queer teenager whose parents doesn’t accept her sexual identity, Batwoman decides to publicly come out in an interview with Kara Danvers aka Supergirl (played by Melissa Benoist) for CatCo magazine.
Showrunner Caroline Dries told Entertainment Weekly that Batwoman slash Kate Kane is “so comfortable with who she is and so comfortable with being truthful” so it was important for the character to “stand in her truth” .
“So there was this automatic dramatic issue for me as a writer to be writing a story about a girl with such confidence putting on this costume and disguising everything about herself,” she explained.
“So, I thought it was a cool character moment for Batwoman to say, ‘Not only do I represent hope for the city, but I represent hope for a lot of people out there who are struggling with their whatever.’”
Dries added: “In this case it’s being accepted for sexual orientation, but I think it’s a metaphor for bigger things [like for] people who just feel marginalized or uncomfortable in their skin. It kind of just made her a bigger hero.”
Batwoman is the first live-action superhero series with an openly gay lead character.
The show’s synopsis describes “out lesbian” Kate as having “a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind”, while her alter-ego Batwoman is a “highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence”.
But before she can become the hero that Gotham City needs, Kate has her own “demons” to overcome.
The show was recently renewed by The CW for a second season, along with other queer fan-favourites such as Roswell, The Flash, Supergirl, Charmed and Black Lightning. It second season will air later this year.
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