unfridged

RIP Big Barda

Way back in 1999, comic book writer Gail Simone made a list, a simple list that chronicled the superheroines that had been “either depowered, raped, or cut up and stuck in the refrigerator,” often as a plot device for a male hero. She called the list Women in Refrigerators (in dubious honour of the demise of Green Lantern girlfriend Alexandra DeWitt) and it is now used to show a widespread pattern: female characters who die, abruptly and usually offscreen, to create a more compelling character arc for another hero.

Sexism, racism, and a whole host of other forms of oppression are nothing new in geek culture, but a dialogue is starting to develop. We’re beginning to demand, in ever greater numbers, that our heroes reflect our realities, and this blog will attempt to highlight the best achievements, and the various missteps along the way.

This time, we won’t be staying in the fridge.

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