I want to be Batwoman.
I've jokingly called myself Super Xan before, and my hubby sometimes calls me his Warrior Princess whenever I gear up to do battle for him or whomever or whatever else I feel passionately about. But this one is new.
Batwoman became my new hero when I gobbled up Batwoman: Elegy after reading Ryan Jent's CLGBT blog, DC's lesbian Batwoman wows with Batwoman: Elegy. The new graphic novel from DC Comics reveals that Batwoman, Kate Kane, got kicked out of the military because she refused to "don't tell" when her sexuality was questioned. Not only does this hot redhead fight crime, supernatural beings and arch villains to stand up for the common good, she's also not afraid to stand up to her superiors to fight for her right to identity. Even if it means losing everything she's ever worked for.
Kate Kane is the kind of woman that I looked up to who helped me come out publicly, even though I didn't know of her character yet. I admire women who embrace their sexuality and aren't afraid if the world knows that they love women. These women, such as bisexual songwriter Ani DiFranco, helped me take those first steps. But of course, coming out is an ongoing process. Even after all the family and friends know, as well as anyone who finds their way to CLGBT, there are always other people who haven't yet heard. Everyone important in my life has known since the first few months that I figured out that I'm bi and chose a polyamorous lifestyle with my husband. Family, friends, a few select "safe" co-workers — that wasn't bad. New people in my life find out quickly, and if they can't deal, then well, I only just met them anyway — although I have yet to run into someone who hasn't accepted it. And then, hey, if people find me through CLGBT, I figured that that was the best and most appropriate environment for that as it is, so I'm cool with that too. But then there are those stragglers. The ones you're not quite sure are safe or not. That's where Batwoman's courage is helpful.
This article appears in Jul 22-28, 2010.