Bisexual Alysia Yeoh is the first transgender character in the DC Universe.
It’s a universe that, apparently, takes its time with this sort of thing.
What was once dismissed as an impossibility by the CCA (Comics Code Authority), has now become a reality in the mainstream comic book world of DC Comics. Of course, outside of the ‘Big Two’, the world of comics has portrayed LGBT characters for a considerable amount of time. Yet, this is a rather big moment for many comic readers (and writers).
Personally, I don’t read Batgirl. I only read a few DC comics (Green Lantern and Animal Man–in case you needed to know–oh, and a few Vertigo titles, of course–Fables, Fairest, and the best series of all, The Unwritten . . . okay, so maybe I read more than a few DC titles). Anyhow, I am, however, interested in picking up this particular issue (actually, while writing this, I just called my shop, Local Heroes–those champions of all things good, beautiful and true are holding a copy for me). Part of me thinks this is a really significant achievement because, wow, hey, there’s more diversity represented in the DC Universe! While the more cynical part of me (I’ve been reading comics since 1987, maybe I mean the more “realistic part of me”) thinks, ‘Comic book compaines will do anything to sell an issue–especially in light of declining sales’ (though, to be fair, despite a recent drop in its sales, it is still a big seller).
Perhaps, however, it’s rooted more in terms of doing justice to the wonderful diversity that constitutes are ever-so-intriguing species. At least, I truly hope that’s the case.
Either way, rock on.
[Here’s wondering, however, how long it will take DC artists to give Alysia superpowers, along with gigantic over-the-top breast implants. Yeah, don’t begin celebrating just yet my patriarchal/heterosexist-despising friends.]