DC has not been afraid to promote trans creators and characters in recent years. One such new anti-hero character, Featherweight, has become the subject of online controversy. However, complaints about Featherweight’s trans representation are coming from multiple angles.
Featherweight was introduced in Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #2 by Greg Rucka and Nicola Scott. The miniseries centers around the two supervillains assembling a team to pull a heist on the Justice League Watchtower trophy room. Featherweight was introduced as an idealistic activist who lent her superstrength to defending protesters. She was recruited after Cheetah and Cheshire saw her demolish an armored vehicle with one punch.
There was an aura of mystery about Featherweight from the beginning, with dialogue teasing her being part of multiple DC Comics legacies. She gave her name as Alya Raatko and made reference to her mother having tried to kill Superman once. She also told Cheshire’s daughter, Lian, that one of the Robins was her cousin. Beyond that, she seemed like an ordinary, nerdy girl with a fondness for Japanese schoolgirl fashions and a Kawaii aesthetic.
The clues established her as the daughter of Nyssa Raatko (another character created by writer Greg Rucka), cousin of Damian Wayne, and granddaughter of Ra’s Al Ghul. However, little was made of Featherweight until the finale of Cheetah and Cheshire Rob The Justice League.
Why Featherweight is just now drawing fire for DC?
In the final issue, Featherweight confirmed that she is bisexual and a trans woman. This came after Klarion, who had a one-sided crush on Featherweight, asked her orientation. Featherweight jokingly told him to “look me up in a couple of years.” This joke was based in Klarion’s status as an immortal Lord of Chaos who cannot grow up.
For predictable reasons, this drew fire from audiences who complain whenever any new LGBTQ character is introduced. However, the revelation that Featherweight is a trans woman also drew fire for more varied and sympathetic reasons.
Some readers have complained that Featherweight is a trans-coded cliche. Most of her clothing is the colors of the trans pride flag (pink, blue, and white), and her costume even features a pink cat-ear hoodie that could evoke the pussy hats worn by feminist protesters or other online cliches about trans women. Another subject of criticism is her superpowers. Some read them as an anti-trans cliche that leans on the belief that trans women athletes hide their strength by presenting as feminine, while others dislike how her powers only work when she is “triggered” by something.
The one accusation both sides of this discourse have embraced is that Featherweight grooms Klarion. However, this seems to be the biggest reach out of all the complaints regarding the DC miniseries. Featherweight did nothing to encourage Klarion’s crush. Indeed, she barely spoke to him.
Beyond that, it was also subtly suggested Featherweight might be lying about her age. While her social media claims her age is 25, Featherweight acts more like a teenager. She remains in constant communication with her mother while complaining constantly about how she’s a grown-up. She also spends the most time socializing with teenager Lian Harper.
