What is the article about?
The article dives into the topic of feminism, expectations, gender roles, and how these things fit into society within the 1963-1980 time period. Can women really have it all? Are women capable of working and being successful while raising a family and tending to a husband? This article looks into four super-heroines who each embody different roles within their femininity. Are women needed or are women simply wanted?
This article is directed toward a broad audience. It has a tone that is empowering to women, but also informative to men. It brings up issues that women can relate to such as the question of, can I really have it all? It is clear throughout the article that the author is aware of the struggles that women face. For example, the struggle of choosing to have a family or not, choosing to stay at home with children or work, and choosing to step into a powerful and important career or whether to allow the husband to be more dominant and successful while remaining supportive and somewhat submissive.
Key Points
Where do women look to for guidance or inspiration as it relates to their roles? The article indicates that women, in the 1970's especially, began to look to popular culture for guidance. Wonder woman specifically. Wonder woman was introduced as an icon for feminist identity in 1972. She represented personal empowerment and purpose. Before this, there was no female hero to relate to for women. The pop culture shown, through comics especially, was dominated by men. This left a void for women who aspired to be or do more than they had been shown growing up.
In 1954 the need for positive gender roles was brought to light as wonder woman became more prominent. That being said, Stan Lee decided to create The Fantastic Four. As the need for sex equality and gender role clarification became more prominent, the development of Susan Storm, also known as invisible girl in the Fantastic Four, was created with great precision. Over the years, there had been female characters on television that portrayed housewives, mothers, and even heroes, however, there no supermom superhero as of yet. Invisible girl was the only superhero to have a child. This highlights a key point that although women were respected as super-heroines, they were not perceived as family women as well. The important thing to note about this part of the article is that there was the idea that women had to choose to be either a working women or a mother. It was still not common to have women who can work, be a parent, and juggle the daily duties of the traditional homemaker. So, is it now possible to be a supermom?
Prior to Invisible Girl having a child, female superheroes were perceived as being maternal in terms of being domestic and nurturing, but not physically mothers. This upset some as that perception seemed to undermine the female hero because of her lack of procreation in comics. So, does procreation define a women? Does it validate her role in society? A point that this article hits on is one that notes the ever-growing feminist society.
Between 1960 and 1970, second-wave feminism was brought on. This new wave of feminism changed the image and characteristics of future super-heroines. These female characters such as wonder woman and invisible girl embodied the mother, meaning they were nurturing, caring, and observant. The is how the supermom complex came to be.
In 1968, it was written into the Fantastic Four script that Susan Storm would become pregnant and deliver a baby. The interesting point here is that Susan was isolated in a sense. She was guarded within the walls of a Manhattan penthouse and protected from danger by not being allowed to take part in missions. This shows the perception of women and pregnancy back then. That was an age where pregnancy was seen as an ailment or illness and almost a disability for nine months. When it came time for Susan to deliver the child, there were some complications with such and her husband Reed had to complete a dangerous mission in order for the baby and mother to be safe. In the end, she delivered the baby safely, which you would think would bring her credit. However, it was Reed that received credit and Susan and her delivery became secondary to his courageous feats. This was a good example of the masculine society that was and still is at times. Males and their masculine feats ans successes often overshadow the everyday duties and accomplishments of women.
As the article continues, it introduces Marvel girl and Storm from X-Men. They each take on very different roles, yet are perceived in similar ways. They embrace the feminist roles of nurturers, caregivers, and protectors. These were quite different than Susan Storm. Susan went against the status quo and fought for her place on the team of four. Even once she became a mother, she proved that she could do it all. She could be a good mother, a protector of mankind, and a wife. However, the men on the team still wanted to protect her and put her in the box of parenthood alone. This brings up the question, is opposing the status quo a bad thing? The expectation of mothers is far different than fathers, but is that how it should be? Or, is it an unfair expectation of women?
Summary and Conclusion
The resounding point made throughout this article seems to be that women have been and always will be put into a category of their own. They will be isolated, stereotyped, and often discriminated against, whether intentional or not. However, this does not mean that women have to accept this fate. As seen throughout the evolution of comic book characters, women can be fierce, yet loving. Women can choose to be whatever they want to be, whether stay at home mothers or successful business women. Women are valuable and worthy of a place in this "man's world". What I would ask the author is this. Is it possible that men need women to fill these nurturing roles for selfish reasons? Can the powerful and heroic man exist without the nurturing women beside him? Only time will tell, but if this article lends us any insight into the future, it would suggest that women are capable of so much more than we are currently seeing. This is what makes this article current and important. Yes, these examples are fictitious, but they lend us insight into the real woman. The real woman is strong, insightful, nurturing, and capable. Men beware!
Reference
D'Amore., & Mattoon, L. (2012). The Accidental Supermom: Superheroines and Maternal Performativity, 1963–1980. Journal of Popular Culture, 45(6), 1226-1248. doi:10.1111/jpcu.12006
