ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Portrayal of women in comics

Women in comics are characters who are often depicted as strong, capable, and independent, but they can also be portrayed as overly sexualized, stereotypical, or one-dimensional. This happens because comic book artists sometimes draw women with idealized body shapes and outfits that show a lot of skin, making them appear more like objects to be looked at rather than full-fledged characters.

This can be problematic because it reinforces harmful messages about the roles and expectations of women in society, like suggesting that their main purpose is to be visually appealing to men, or that they are not capable of being heroes in their own right. Moreover, it can create a harmful environment for real-life women and perpetuate body image issues.

However, in recent times, there have been efforts to improve the representation of women in comics, with more diverse body types and clothing that aligns with the characters’ personalities and motivations. There are now a range of female characters who are multi-dimensional, powerful, and inspiring, such as Wonder Woman and Captain Marvel.

Overall, it is important to remember that the portrayal of women in comics can have a significant impact on how readers view and treat women in real life. As such, strides are being made to create more well-rounded and positive representation of female characters in comics.