Last night as I was getting ready for bed, I was watching Star Trek: The Motion Picture and started to think about how the "damsel in distress" moniker has been dropped and women are becoming more independent and mainstreamed into the different geek genres. Granted, it's taken a long time for it to happen but we are being heard in many of our favorite franchises and we have come a long way from being that damsel in distress.
Yes, at a time and there are still times today, when women fill in the princess role of being queens and princesses looking for their Prince Charming. However, this common stereotype has been changing in the past few decades, and if you really think about it, going as far back as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. True, Dorothy was lost from Kansas, and she had four allies but really she faced dangers that back in 1939 ordinary women weren't facing because of the stay at home mentality. Not only that, Dorothy managed to kill two Wicked Witches, one by accident and the other by trying to save the Scarecrow from being burned to a crisp. I don't know about you, but that is a far cry from the damsel in distress, and the mentality that women are weak and worthless.
Fast forward to the 1960's and the original series of Star Trek, Nichelle Nichols broke the racial barrier by not only playing the first African American based officer in the series, but also sharing a kiss with William Shatner onscreen that was considered at the time to be taboo. Nichelle, plotted the course for future women, as her character Lt. Uhura held her own against the males of the Enterprise crew and though she was given a typical job as communications officer, she paved the way for women to become the forefront of a new cultural movement in geekdom. In addition, she helped heal tensions between a world that was torn by racial problems and was on the brink of a nuclear war with Russia. Kudos, to you Mrs. Nichols for laying the foundations for the rest of us!!!
Then a few years later we get Princess Leia, one of the most iconic characters in the Sci-Fi Genre, watching her planet get destroyed, leading a Rebellion against a tyrannical Empire, falling in love with a Scoundrel and finding her long lost brother. We also got leading ladies such as Marion Ravenwood and Sarah Connor who also took the lead, going from damsels in distress to holding it down with the guys. We also got such heroines as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Ellen Ripley in films, as well as Selene from the Underworld series.
On the small screen, I could go on for hours about leading ladies who are not damsels persay but I want to talk about who has come out in recent years that I admire their characters. For example, in 1994 Star Trek once again made history by appointing it's first female Captain to the franchise. Captain Kathryn Janeway which I admired for her toughness and perseverance in trying to get her crew home. She stood toe to toe with Kazon, Borg, Malon and forged alliances with a species more deadlier than the Borg, 8472. All while commanding a ship stranded light years from home. A few years later, we get heroines such as Samantha Carter, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV Version), Va'la Mal Doran, Fred "Winifred" Burkle, Willow Rosenburg and others who have graced our TV Screens with their presence. I really want to take this moment to highlight Fred from Angel whom at first was a damsel in distress having been trapped in a demon dimension for years before Angel's team rescued her from that demon dimension. Over the course of the next few seasons, she evolved from the damsel to a full blown hero, and even as she was infected by the demon Illyria, she did not become a damsel she fought it with grace, and strength that I haven't seen before in a TV character. At the same time, I was mad that she was killed off but that's the brilliance of Joss Whedon, he keeps you guessing and rooting for your heroes till the end.
I also want to point out that even in older shows like Doctor Who (one of my favorite shows) the role of the companion is also changing. Yes, The Doctor has had both male and female companions, but over the course of the travels and the many different companions, the companion role has evolved from being a damsel to a hero in their own right. A good example of this would be in the Eighth Doctor audio dramas with his companions Charlotte "Charley" Pollard and later on Lucie Miller. Both companions, were damsels but over the course of the audios held their own against Daleks, Cybermen, and many of the Doctor's enemies while keeping The Doctor in line. The same could be said of the classic Who companions, mainly Dorothy "Ace" McShane, Peri Brown, Sarah-Jane Smith, Rose Tyler, Donna Noble, Grace Holloway, Martha Jones, Amy Pond, and now more recently Clara Oswin Oswald.
The role of the female has also changed in the books, granted they may have taken backseats to their male counterparts but they could still hold their own and were far from being the damsel in distress. Arwen from Lord of the Rings is a prime example. She held her own against the Nazgul while protecting Frodo. In comics, Jean Grey whom, is my favorite comic hero has faced death and risen from it several times, Storm, Rogue, Batgirl, Supergirl and others have all held their own and have proven over and over that they are far from being the damsels in distress.
As I close off this blog, I firmly believe that the role of women in all genres is changing from a secondary role of being the damsel to the full out hero that men have been for decades. It'll be interesting as women come into their own in the geek world how the role of women in geekdom as well as in media continues to change. I truly believe that women will continue to make a huge impact in the world as well as our favorite media and television shows.
" ....and with the power of conviction. There is no Sacrifice" - Pat Benatar "Invincible"
Till next time true believers!
-Jane
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