Superhero Sexism: Stereotyping Women in Films and Streaming Television

Representations of lead female characters in superhero film and television often reinforce tropes that portray women, especially those who are non-White and gender non-conforming, as sexually threatening, deceptive, hysterical, or inherently evil. These depictions were created alongside early pulp fiction and comic books that targeted White, working-class, male audiences, where figures such as Dragon Lady and Catwoman were used to evoke both desire and fear. Despite shifting cultural awareness, the superhero genre continues to depict women as defective, irrational, power-hungry, or monstrous, aligning with long-standing patriarchal myths. Contemporary productions have also expanded this portrayal to gender non-conforming characters, reflecting broader cultural anxieties aligned with anti-feminist, anti-LGBTQ+, and White supremacist ideologies.

This book analyzes six major Hollywood films and two Emmy Award-winning television series from the superhero genre to examine the existence and perpetuation of these harmful characterizations. It also considers the influence of such narratives on the genre’s younger audiences, revealing how modern media continues to reproduce misogynistic, racist, and anti-queer tropes under the guise of fantasy entertainment. By placing these portrayals within their sociopolitical and historical contexts, this work highlights the implications of such narratives for public perceptions of gender, race, and power.