Ruby Rose is set to make history as the first openly gay superhero in a leading role — and she’ll be doing so as Batwoman in a CW Network show of the same name. This is very good news for anyone tired of watching Spiderman webbing redheads or Superman smashing up skyscrapers with his bare hands (textbook male toxicity).
Batwoman, also known as Kate Kane, was first introduced in the 1950s as a love interest for Batman (*insert eyeroll here*), before being reinvented by DC Comics in 2006 as a lesbian of Jewish descent. Ruby — the gender-fluid actress who rose to fame in Orange Is the New Black — will first portray the character in a crossover episode with the network’s other DC shows — which include Supergirl, Arrow, The Flash — set to air this December.
“Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence,” Variety says of the show’s premise. “But don’t call her a hero yet. In a city desperate for a saviour, Kate must overcome her own demons before embracing the call to be Gotham’s symbol of hope.”
While fans have long asked why their favourite superheroes cannot be gay — historically they have always remained straight on screen — there have long been rumours of LGBT undertones within the stories. Wonder Woman was said to have enjoyed romantic relationships with women, yet there’s no evidence of this in the film. Thor’s Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson, is supposedly bisexual, although the scene confirming this was removed from the final cut.
The Batwoman announcement forms part of a recent push towards more diverse representation in superhero franchises, with CW’s Netflix released series Black Lightning featuring the first black lesbian superhero in a major role, and Black Panther being the first superhero blockbuster to have a predominantly black cast.
