{"id":{"repo_id":"carleton","oai_identifier":"oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/40607"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/carleton/oai:carleton.scholaris.ca:20.500.14718/40607","repository":{"repo_id":"carleton","name":"Carleton University","base_url":"https://carleton.scholaris.ca/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's...a Girl?!: Analyzing Representations of Femininity on The CW's Supergirl","abstract":"Although it takes more than diverse media representation to create positive social change, representation is still important in normalizing identities and discussing social issues. However, representations of minority groups are often either flawed or absent in media. This is true for the genre of superhero stories: for instance, it has long been dominated by superheroes who are heterosexual cisgender men, creating a reputation of a sexist boy's club. Focusing on the CW's Supergirl, this thesis provides a snapshot of how women are fairing in superhero media in the mid-to-late 2010s. This snapshot highlights that representations of superwomen have improved greatly, no longer entirely reflecting a problematic singular ideal of what femininity means. Centered around three superwomen, protagonist Kara Danvers/Supergirl, Kara's sister/super spy Alex Danvers, and Nia Nal/Dreamer, this analysis argues that the show presents complex and nuanced depictions of femininity that are a strong step forward for the genre.","abstract_html":"Although it takes more than diverse media representation to create positive social change, representation is still important in normalizing identities and discussing social issues. However, representations of minority groups are often either flawed or absent in media. This is true for the genre of superhero stories: for instance, it has long been dominated by superheroes who are heterosexual cisgender men, creating a reputation of a sexist boy's club. Focusing on the CW's Supergirl, this thesis provides a snapshot of how women are fairing in superhero media in the mid-to-late 2010s. This snapshot highlights that representations of superwomen have improved greatly, no longer entirely reflecting a problematic singular ideal of what femininity means. Centered around three superwomen, protagonist Kara Danvers/Supergirl, Kara's sister/super spy Alex Danvers, and Nia Nal/Dreamer, this analysis argues that the show presents complex and nuanced depictions of femininity that are a strong step forward for the genre.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Freitag, Dylan Willis"],"institution":"Carleton University","degree_name":"Master of Arts (M.A.)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Communication","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020","date_published":"2020","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:34:24Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright © 2020 the author(s). Theses may be used for non-commercial research, educational, or related academic purposes only. Such uses include personal study, research, scholarship, and teaching. Theses may only be shared by linking to Carleton University Institutional Repository and no part may be used without proper attribution to the author. 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