Supergirl and Sexism

It’s not easy being a superheroine in the sub-genre. That’s been the case since inception, and it doesn’t appear to be changing soon. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been good superheroine movies, but they’ve had to contend with backlash from people who think having a woman in the leading role is “woke”. And we all know what I think. Especially given the real world.

Supergirl, the latest entry in The DCU, isn’t immune to misogyny. Whether it’s Milly Alcock’s face being “ugly”, or trashing on her character because “female Superman”, it seems this movie isn’t breaking the preconceptions. Granted, early reviews have been subpar, but a movie shouldn’t be judged by the gender of its lead. Unfortunately, that’s what’s happening here. It’s sad.

The backlash actually started with the character’s cameo in Superman. I liked that movie, but a drunk and potty-mouthed Supergirl barging in unannounced was met with confusion and anger. Supergirl swears? And she’s sassy? What’s this nonsense about?!

Personally, I thought it was interesting to see a more immature side to the character. Ignoring how it was explained in-film with having visited a planet with a Red Sun, it’s the kind of behaviour you’d expect from a super-powered teenager. Supergirl’s entire persona is that she’s rough around the edges. She’s not a girl scout like her cousin, and she makes many mistakes. I’d argue that Superman’s flawed too, but that’s not the point…

Anyway, Supergirl being a brat is something I didn’t know I needed. But Alcock sold me on it, drawing on her youth in the marketing for Supergirl. So when it was announced the next entry in The DCU would be a buddy movie with Lobo, I was excited. Especially since Lobo’s a pain in the butt, and him working off Supergirl was a dream come true. All that was missing was for the movie to be rated R.

Of course, plenty of people were having none of it. Reactionaries aside, superhero dude-bros were making this into a diversity war. Perhaps the most-egregious insult was about Alcock’s face. People were calling her a cavewoman, mocking how “ugly” and “unattractive” she was. It got so bad that Dean Cain, who played Superman in the 90s, joined the bandwagon. But yeah, this was bad, and it continues to be with Supergirl premiering soon theatrically.

I’m not sure what the deal behind Alcock being “ugly” is. She’s not! Even if she’s not conventionally-attractive, so what? Hollywood sells a form of beauty that’s fake, with a cottage industry dedicated to plastic surgeries that often make people look worse as they age. Alcock isn’t a “bombshell”, but she doesn’t need to be. She sells the character in other, more important ways.

Besides, why is this important to Supergirl? Superheroes aren’t real. There’s no preconception of what they look like, other than being enhanced and toned. Kara’s also more rugged than her cousin, so her having rougher facial features fits. It makes her unique, truthfully.

As for the movie? It’s getting lukewarm reviews from critics, but that’s not Alcock’s fault. Like Jonathan Majors in Ant-Man & the Wasp: Quantumania, she’s being regarded as a high-point. Considering she sold me with her cameo in Superman, I’m not surprised. She’s a good actress!

It’d be nice if more people understood that, instead of complaining. Even if this movie’s bad, it should be judged by its script, not if its lead is attractive. That’s what matters here. Superheroines still have an upward battle next to their male counterparts, even if their movies are getting better. And isn’t that important? Shouldn’t we want movies to succeed?

I wouldn’t be turned off if this wasn’t a pattern with superheroine projects: Wonder Woman was criticized for being too simplistic, despite having plenty to say on false assumptions about men. Black Widow was criticized for being an inferior copy of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and ruining Taskmaster, despite having plenty to say about men controlling women. Even Disney+ shows with female leads were criticized for being too kitschy, despite that being the point! It seems like a superheroine project is doomed to criticism, which saddens me.

By making this a “woke” issue, the enjoyment’s also slightly diminished. And that upsets me for many reasons, chief among them that it makes something already silly into something even sillier. I don’t mean that in a good way, either. Besides, this is a story about a super-powered individual who travels the galaxy to save her dog. Silliness aside, that’s an interesting premise.

I don’t understand the issue with Alcock and Supergirl. I know adjusting to new interpretations of characters is difficult, especially when the previous adaptation was part of a franchise, but people were unhappy with the previous Supergirl because she was Latina. And, again, it wasn’t Sasha Calle’s fault the movie was mixed-reviewed. So it shouldn’t be surprising with Alcock, either. However, that fans aren’t willing to give her a chance is sad and upsetting. It shows how immature people can be.

But yes, I don’t mind Milly Alcock as Supergirl, and I doubt her solo outing being bad is her fault. Now can we close the door on this nonsense?