Ms. Marvel, Feminism, and Sexist Tropes

When she debuted in 1977, Ms. Marvel/Carol Danvers was meant to resonate with second-wave feminism. But her costume, powers, and introductory storyline bear evidence of sexist tropes that can interfere with the character’s aspirational empowerment. 1/11 #CaptainMarvel #TheMarvels

As we discussed in our intro thread, Danvers as Ms. Marvel took direct inspiration from feminist icon Gloria Steinem. However, it’s worth noting the ways Ms. Marvel is at odds with some core goals of second-wave feminism, including combating female objectification in media. 2/11

Ms. Marvel’s costume, with its bare legs, back & midriff, is clearly sexualized relative to the costume of her male counterpart, Captain Marvel. This reflects a trope where male costumes are modeled on athleticwear while female costumes are modeled on lingerie & swimwear. 3/11

The use of this trope is ironic given the tribute to Steinem. One of Steinem’s most infamous projects was “A Bunny’s Tale” (1963), in which she went undercover to expose connections between objectification and exploitative working conditions at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Clubs. 4/11

In addition, while Ms. Marvel is granted an atypically physical powerset, including superstrength, energy manipulation, and flight, her overall empowerment is undercut by the ways her introductory narrative references the misogynistic trope of female hysteria. 5/11

Initially, Danvers doesn’t know she’s Ms. Marvel; she has no control over her transformations or memory of her exploits. Admittedly, this is not unlike some stories starring the Hulk. But the specific mobilization of this convention in Ms. Marvel is differently gendered. 6/11

As critic Alex Boney observes, Danvers’ transformations are signalled by “fainting spells and blackouts, which had been used to signal female hysteria and instability for centuries.” Hysteria discourse survives in the belief women are “too emotional” for leadership roles. 7/11

Compounding things, Danvers is under the care of a psychologist, Michael Barnett, who is also a love interest. Barnett learns the truth of Danvers’ identity before she does, pathologizes her condition, and is in a problematically controlling position as her doctor/lover. 8/11

Thankfully, under new series writer Chris Claremont, Barnett was written out of the story. Danvers also learns the truth & gains control over her transformations. However, throughout Ms. Marvel vol 1, Danvers’ story continues to be defined by identity mysteries & conflicts. 9/11

Charitably, these identity mysteries and conflicts reflect the context of second-wave feminism, in which women fought for, and achieved, new opportunities while being forced to contend with enduring cultural, social, and institutionalized sexism. 10/11

But these conflicts also reflect ongoing uncertainty about what a female feminist superhero could or should look like, how she should behave, and who she should appeal to. In our next thread, we’ll discuss how female readers reacted to and informed these conflicts. 11/11