Girlhood & Comics
By: Edwin Soto
What is a cultural artifact? My first thought was that of dinosaur bones found at an archaeological dig, but it's much more nuanced than that. It's defined as anything created by humans that gives information about the culture of its creator and users, something familiar to a significant amount of the population, particularly the masses or “Common” people. (Webster). Cultural artifacts, be they ancient or current, are potent tools because they provide a snapshot in time of the social, economic, and technological happening in that era. I chose comics because they have a history as artifacts that go back to antiquity, yet they are still relevant today. There is evidence that precursors of the genre have been found in Trajan’s Column, in Rome, Egyptian hieroglyphs, Mayan culture, and the Bayeux Tapestry. Ironically, these early materials concentrated on religious subjects and were heavily illustrated versions of the Bible. This allowed the illiterate multitude to understand the teachings of early Christianity through imagery. Comics have been used in this way to convey the patriarchal narratives that were and are still instilled in girls. We use the same teaching system today with very young children because it's still a highly effective way to educate and inform.
The first comic book ever published is arguably “The Glasgow Looking Glass” in 1826; it's controversial because many comics were being published about the same time. In the 1920s and 1930s, there was a boom in the genre in Britain and the United States. Initially, Sunday comics or Sunday strips were used by newspapers to provide political commentary, satire, and analysis. Ironically they were called Sunday funnies or funny papers or simply the funnies. The American launch of “All-Star Comics no. 8” in 1941 was the first appearance of Wonder Woman and the first female superheroine in the American comic genre. Unfortunately, girls had to wait for decades before they were allowed to see the full potential of women of color as superheroes. In this girl's artifact project, we will focus on the way comics have evolved and affected girlhood concerning race, disability, and queerness.
Black Girl Superheroes
The Black female superheroine has traditionally taken a back seat to Black male characters and has been a neglected industry demographic in comics. The number of Black female characters had been relatively small and they tended to be cast in supporting roles with one-dimensional scripts compared to their “blonde world” contemporaries. Fortunately, there has been a shift, and today, there are many iconic women in the comic universe. These women have changed the traditionally repressive discourse and pernicious opinions toward black women. It wasn’t until 2016 that Marvel comics decided to hire Black female writers, precisely three because the system has always been based on a white middle-class girlhood. How paradoxical when we consider how ubiquitous black girls are in the mediascape. History is a text, a production of knowledge, and absences speak as loudly as what is present; we must read in-between the lines. “Black girls remain in some ways and in some spaces unknowable.” (Brown, Pg.200).
Marvel's first major Black female character, Storm, debuted in X-Men #1 in May 1975. Storm is the epitome of iconic and became one of the most popular characters Marvel comics ever produced, breaking the trope that Black superheroes couldn't achieve commercial viability. She was not the sidekick like many of her predecessors but the undisputed leader of the X-Men.
Storm was the prototype for the many female characters that would follow her into the Marvel Universe. Storm’s racial identity creates an affinity with young black girls and resonates with every little girl who then wants to emulate their hero. Storm was a role model that projected strength, integrity, and high social status because too many “Black girls inhabit hazardous environments due to the social, political, and economic location invoked by marginality.” (Patricia Hill Collins). “Two types dominate the contemporary media and political culture: the can-do girl who is “confident, resilient, and empowered,” and the at-risk girl who “lacks self-esteem and/or engages in risky behavior. (Anita Harris). Representation matters because it allows the empowerment of girls and the inclusion of Black voices that have been silenced for too long. The lived realities of Black girlhood represented in early comics were nonexistent and subjected them to voiceless and invisible members of society. Their exclusion in the genre perpetuated the institutional narratives that define Black girls and women as the problem. “I’m a Black woman, and while there’s been some representation through the years, it’s always been disappointing not being able to see characters that look like me in the genres that I actually gravitate towards. Often when you see people of color (POC) in stories, they get reduced to stereotypes and very, very, basic roles. I just wanted to use this as my chance to put them at the forefront and show that we unapologetically, too, can be heroes.” (Mildred Louis).
The comparison between the original wonder woman and Storm is uncanny and reinforces the narrative of the can-do girls and the a-risk girls. Wonder woman projects an image of the all-American girl who works cooperatively to solve problems. Storm is a Black woman who isn’t afraid to offend others to get the job done. She reminds me of the (SOLHOT) save our lives hear our truth, girls we read about earlier in the semester. They share the same attitude that says we're going to be heard whether you like and approve or not. We have to take and create a space that meets our needs, and nobody can do that for us; it's a unique space only we can inhabit. If we don’t create room for ourselves, then they simply won’t exist, society won’t make room for us.
Disabled superheroines
Superheroes and disabilities are not commonly read or represented in comic books. What is a disability? “A medical or psychological condition that makes it more difficult for a person to do daily activities and tasks or effectively interact with the world around them socially or materially.” (Ubranova). These impairments or conditions can be physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive or developmental, or a combination of different factors. The disability can be present from birth or result from accidents or injuries during one’s lifetime; many people are born able-bodied and subsequently become disabled. “Able-bodiedness, even more than heterosexuality, still largely masquerades as a nonidentity, as the natural order of things.” (Robert McRuer). Historically, the majority of comic book heroes have been able-bodied, heterosexual white male individuals.
This bias has steadily decreased in recent years with the inclusion of an ever-growing list of disabled characters in the genre. A superhero is described as any person possessing incredible “super” powers not natural or common to ordinary humans. I believe normalizing disabilities by taking them from outside of social norms and making them seem “normal” by including them in comics is vitally important. In general, but specifically, comic book media is a powerful tool that can shape and spread ideals of morality, good, and evil and what is considered “normative” and what is not. Including Storm and Wonder Woman comics gives these fictional characters a platform to bring attention to the portrayal of disabilities in a more positive light. They can change the stereotypical views of normality and make room for disabled individuals in the broader normative communities by universalizing accessibility and acceptance. “Representations of disability validate no difference but normality, the very illusion at the heart of the oppression of disabled people.” (Darke 1998:183). According to the World Health Organization, there are currently approximately 1 billion persons with disabilities in the world, or 15 percent of the global population (WHO, 2021).
El Deafo reminded me how disabled people are often identified and reduced to their disability alone when she just wants to be a “typical girl.” I think the non-disabled tend to overcompensate in trying to help or assist our disabled friends and don’t realize we are patronizing. Storm is an interesting character because she has disabilities that are openly discussed and explored. She has claustrophobia, and it's brought up when convenient to her storyline; the writers don’t hide it. Her panic attacks, when triggered, are entirely debilitating, but they resolve themselves when she removes herself from the confined spaces. The mental illness is treated more like an anxiety disorder, and its flare-ups are portrayed in the context of good days and bad days. The description of her disabilities in the comic book accurately represents the real-life struggles people suffering from the same disorders experience. Representation in media, especially disabilities, is beneficial in fighting discrimination and stereotypes about this community's struggles.
Queer girls
There’s something queer about comics. Comics are riddled with social and cultural stereotypes attached to queer identity. What is Queer? It's a complicated, expansive umbrella term for “minority” genders and sexuality (not heternormative or cis). It can mean something different to everyone, and its versatility or vagueness is purposely ambiguous. I think it's vitally essential for LGBTQ+ youth to see themselves in the media they consume, including comic books. Growing up, we were addicted to comic books and couldn’t get enough of them; I remember how we idolized the superheroes and tried to emulate them. Why are queer superheroes important? Because they disrupt normative narratives and traditionally constructed relationships, gender binaries, and fixed designations. In Effect, they subvert and complicate the normative girl. (Kearney 2011; Projansky 2014). The comic book medium is perfect for this because it can perform the enabling political and aesthetic work of bearing witness powerfully because of their rich narrative texture.” (Hillary L. Chute).
Comic books provide the ability to represent divergent views and scenarios that are outside the norm and for those struggling with non-conforming gender identities. There is a powerful ability to create spaces where the depiction of queer girlhood can become mainstream (Yaasification). Queer girls have not always been visible in this genre. Wonder woman came from an island populated by only Amazion women and subtly insinuated she may not be heteronormative sexually. The stories of LGBTQ+ characters were rarely portrayed in comics, causing queer girls to remain excluded, closeted and invisible. There have been recent attempts to recruit queer writers and creators to produce accurate and realistic content for this obviously marginalized and underserved fan base. A young girl experiencing newfound thoughts or feelings that don’t align with the heteronormative norm can often find solace and validation in queer comic books. For example, Batwoman and Supergirl openly identify as lesbian superheroes. While Wonder Woman, White Canary, Catwoman, Poison Ivy, and Harley Quinn are openly bisexual in their gender presentation.
Moral panic is a widespread fear and often an irrational threat to society’s values, interests, and safety. “Typically, a moral panic is most likely perpetrated by the news media, most times engaged by politicians, and can result in increased social control.” (Simply Psychology Oct 28, 2021). Any mention of homosexuality was forbidden by the Comics Code Authority (CCA) between 1954 and 1989. This included characters, themes, or any innuendo regarding sexuality that didn’t fit the binary norms. Parents became alarmed and concerned because they were told discussions about homosexuality, violence, and horror were not wholesome topics for children and, therefore, detrimental. “Girlhood, and by extension, actual girls, are perceived by adults as at risk through engagement with narratives deemed problematic, whether in relation to sexual behavior or simply connecting with popular culture.” (Gibson 2015). There is a constant societal tug of war between parental oversight, fear of indoctrination into non-traditional sexual identities, and the natural freedom to explore and discover gender identity.
Conclusion
It occurred to me that comic books as a cultural artifact are a microcosm of our society. They are a snapshot of our current society and reflect our views and thoughts about race, disability and gender dynamics. Comic books are the precursors to social media and similarly reflect both positive and negative aspects of our social and political life. In recent years the comic book media has been playing a more vital role in the pedagogy of the public about serious issues and struggles in our society. The popularity of comic books has been buoyed by the many movie adaptations of superheroes and superheroines. It does my heart good to finally see a more inclusive and realistic representation of marginalized groups and the focus on female characters, superheroines of color, superheroines with disabilities, and alternative sexual Orientations. The comic book will continue to be a cultural artifact and will empower and embolden marginalized groups into the next era by inclusivity and visibility.
References
1. Projansky, Sarah, Spectacular Girls: Media Fascination and Celebrity Culture. New York University Press, New York, 2014
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com
2. Marshall, Elizabeth, Red, Whtie, and Drew: The All-American Girl and the Case for Gendered Childhood. Johnn’s Hopkins University Press, 2002
http://doi.org/10.1353/chq.0.1326
3. Zaslow, E., Playing with America’s Doll. Situating American Girl: Tools of Socialization in a Changing Culture, Palgrave Macmillan US, 2017
4. Coulter, Natalie & Moruzi, Kristine, Woke Girls: From The Girl’s Realm To Teen Vogue, Feminist Media Studies, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1080/14680777.2020.1736119
5. Jurden, Elliet, J, “Where Are the Wonder Women?” Representation Of Women In The Superhero Subgenre, Baylor University, 2019
https://baylor-ir.tdl.org
6. Gibson, Mel, “Let’s hear it for the girls! Representations of diverse girlhoods, feminism, intersectionality, and activism in contemporary graphic novels and comics.” (2018)
https://maifeminism.com/
7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Woman