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If you’re just complaining about this stuff to hear yourself complain, with no intention of changing your reading or buying habits, because you somehow need the security blanket of the same ol’ superhero comics you’ve always read, knock yourself out. You will get more of the same, and you can make yourself feel important by denouncing these creepy, cringe-worthy comics whilst continuing to support them like the good little fangirl you are.

http://it-sparkles.blogspot.com/2011/09/stop.html (via comixace)

Down for this, of course. Complaining is not enough—we need to take concrete action, individually and in numbers, against sexism in comics. Call to arms, kids etc. etc.

But then there’s this:

Support the books that do it right. Stop calling attention to all the offensive material, because seriously? What you’re really doing is helping the very things you hate find a wider audience. So, stop.

#sideeye

like the good little fangirl you are.

#sideeye

Listen up ladies, boyfriend’s gonna show us how to do feminism, fandom and media activism right. Complaining about sexism in superhero comics is silly, because what else did you expect, right?

Except—ALL sexism is harmful, ALL sexism is worth calling out. The micro level matters, because by and large, that is where people live.

Except—superhero comics are not in fact simple soft core, id-porn. Heroic fiction is, culturally speaking, kind of a big deal. Superman means something to people. By dint of being on a massively popular cartoon, Starfire means something to people. Superhero comics can be better, and they should be better.

Except—new readers deserve the chance to weigh in on this issue, and they don’t deserve to be scolded for not being into cool comics. What I’m saying is that, a) not everyone is ~over this conversation, and b) “But why are you reading The Outsiders anyway?” isn’t helpful in this context.

Except—“What you’re really doing is helping the very things you hate find a wider audience. So stop.” Nope! People are bringing attention to the comics and to the problem at same time, and in the process, finding new allies and enemies. They’re opening the conversation to new voices, and that’s a good thing.