8 - Charlene H: Working Towards Superhero Diversity

Everything’s an Argument: Do we need more diverse superheroes?

I love Marvel. I have watched every MCU movie and every MCU Disney+ show. I have MCU posters, stickers, clothes, and accessories. I can hold a long conversation about the MCU with anyone without preparation. I have also watched some non-MCU Marvel films.

I generally don’t think about social identities when it comes to fictional characters. However, I still think diversity and inclusion are necessary.

While I don’t think I will ever see a person who completely resembles me, I’ve always had feelings of satisfaction whenever I see someone on screen with similar physical and cultural attributes as me. Let’s take Shang-Chi, for example. When I heard it was the first Marvel movie with a predominantly Asian cast, I was excited. Or when Ned’s Lola spoke Tagalog in that one scene in Spider-Man: No Way Home. She may not be a superhero, but the brief Filipino representation warmed my heart.

I know a lot of people wonder “Why does increased diversity even matter? I care more about the story and the writing.”

I agree story and writing are important, but proper representation is important as well because it creates a positive impact on different groups. It makes people feel proud of who they are or what they identify as. It gives people feelings of reassurance and self-confidence. Not to mention, when different groups are portrayed in a positive light, people are more likely to respect and accept them in real life.

This is especially true for superheroes. Superheroes show integrity, perseverance, strength, courage, and leadership. They risk their own lives to protect and save others from potential danger. Superheroes inspire, empower, and give hope to people. As a result, many people look up to superheroes as role models or who they aspire to be. 

Mass media, including film and television, is a powerful tool of communication that can select and shape how messages are presented. Media can greatly influence people, especially impressionable children, in both direct and indirect ways.

While lack of representation needs to be addressed, it is important that whenever there is representation, it is done correctly. Misrepresentation and stereotypes are harmful. When underrepresented groups are portrayed in a negative light, the inaccurate depictions can increase implicit bias or even create negative and unrealistic societal attitudes toward those groups.

Representation needs to be genuine. Lines like “The women are always saving the men around here. You might want to think about changing the name to X-Women” are dumb, unnecessary, and should not exist. Superheroes should never be solely defined by their race, gender, sexuality, etc. They should be complex characters with strengths, flaws, responsibilities, and conflicting motivations. Superheroes need to grow in response to their experiences. If the story has little to no conflict, or if the superheroes don’t have flaws or weaknesses, viewers will find it hard to appreciate the story’s events. Audiences find seemingly perfect characters unrealistic and not relatable.

May I also add, a diverse cast does not make a movie or a show “woke.” When it comes to the real world, diversity is normal. It’s what makes us human. Not everyone is cisgender, white, straight, and able-bodied. People will always come from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, and these differences should always be embraced.

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