Female superheroes have had a tough go. Really when you think about it there is only a handful of successful Female superheroines that are Super Heroes in their own right and not just a female knock off version of the male counter-part. No disrespect to Batgirl and supergirl. But if you think about it you have a male dominiated realm of comics and than TV.
You should see some of the old Wonder Woman comics where it is some of the sexists and BDSM things you'll ever see for childrens comics. Some writers wrote her weaker than what she should be. I think really it is the male perception that is the biggest hurtle. (and meaning no disrepect to males on this board.) But it wasn't the young male readers of Wonder Woman that would change her or make her and shape her into the mold it was the male writers. I think their subconscious and for some their conscious where in fact maybe nervous of a strong female.
It has been a long struggle to where Xena came along. Yes, at first it seemed it was going to be a knock off version of Hercules BUT as the series developed and mature you found a very seperate complex development of the character. I believe it was due in part not only to Lucy Lawless but perhaps the male writers being comfortable enough with their own maculinity to make Xena as strong as she is/was.
Let's face some men will never be comfortable with a strong female. AND some females being so condiction to believe powerful women is somehow wrong in this society will never be comfortable with seeing a strong role model that way.
(I am sorry if I seem kind of babbly but I am half asleep-just waking up. I love the thread you started. and please post the link it would be interesting to see.)
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