Availability Quote by Kelly Sue DeConnick
![“There's a thing that creeps into this conversation ... that if you complain about the depiction of women [in comics], it becomes, 'Well, but ladies - the dudes are idealized too.' And the thing is that the dudes are idealized for strength and the women are idealized for sexual availability. It's…” quote by Kelly Sue DeConnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/33b/kelly-sue-deconnick-23585_availability_there-s-a-thing-that-creeps-into-this-co_1669192.jpg)
“There's a thing that creeps into this conversation ... that if you complain about the depiction of women [in comics], it becomes, 'Well, but ladies - the dudes are idealized too.' And the thing is that the dudes are idealized for strength and the women are idealized for sexual availability. It's very, very different. The women's costumes are cut in such a way that I could give a cervical exam to 90% of our heroines. And I don't have a medical degree! So if I can find it, that's impressive.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Comic Book Writers Panel, 2018
The quote highlights how male characters are idealized for power while female characters are reduced to sexual objects, emphasizing a double standard in comic representation.
In simple terms: Women are sexualized, men are empowered in comics.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge gender bias in media.
Themes
gender bias
representation
media criticism
sexualization
power dynamics
Mood
frustrated
critical
determined
Type
analytical
advocacy
When to use this quote
- comic book creation
- media literacy
- editorial policy
- fan discussions
Key Concepts
feminist critique
cultural analysis
visual culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this double standard affect readers?
- What steps can creators take to balance representation?
A Different Perspective
The critique may overlook progress made in recent years.
![“I had no clue what anyone was talking about like, you know I don't think I, I don't think any of the depictions of sex were more to me than just like an image of two people's arms rubbing together [when I was eight], I just had no clue.” quote by Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/43b/lena-dunham-1013_arms_i-had-no-clue-what-anyone-was-talking-ab_340752.jpg)
![“Comics are reflective of what's going on in larger culture. Wonder Woman came to be in her position when women were first entering the workplace in numbers during the war. Then Wonder Woman had another rise in the '70s when Gloria Steinem latched on to her as an icon for the [feminist] movement. I…” quote by Kelly Sue DeConnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/07b/kelly-sue-deconnick-23585_comic-book_comics-are-reflective-of-what-s-going-on_727466.jpg)
![“I don't think we're supposed to say [expletive deleted] anymore.” quote by Kelly Sue DeConnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e0a/kelly-sue-deconnick-23585_expletives_i-don-t-think-we-re-supposed-to-say-expl_1317827.jpg)
