Why SheZow, The Hub’s Gender-Bending Heroine, IS SO VITAL

Kids cable channel The Hub is breaking down the barriers of masculinity and femininity. Their newest cartoon SheZow features a teenage heroine who has awesome gadgets, incredible powers, a cool pink car and a stylin’ costume featuring a pink skirt, pink gloves and thigh high boots. The best part is, she is a boy named Guy!

Guy is a 12 year old boy whose hobbies include video games and skateboarding. He finds a magical ring that is passed down generation to generation in his family, allowing him to become the latest incarnation of the great heroine SheZow! The transformation occurs when he utters the magic words “You go girl!”. The Hub promises that “With Guy as SheZow, it’s “No more Mister Nice Girl!” when it comes to fighting crime.”

I loooooove this! Kids in our society are given so many messages about what it means to be masculine and feminine; we need to teach them to step outside of these strict gender boxes.

Growing up, I crossed many lines that made me feel uncomfortable with myself due to not fitting societies standards of masculinity. I was a sensitive boy, who enjoyed being with my sister, hated sports, did not believe I had to hook up with every girl that walked past me, and enjoyed art (including designing jewelry). Although my peers never admitted it, I was not alone. Our kids continue to live in fear of stepping outside these boxes in order to not be called gay, faggot, sissy, or many other words that enforce a culture where to be homosexual or feminine is considered a put down.

This is not only a gay/homosexual/lesbian/transgender issue. This is an issue that effects all of us because our boys are told to live up to the warped hyper-masculinity that fills our media and our girls continue to be told what they can and cannot do based on having to “act like a lady”.

Much respect to The Hub for this brave move. Our kids, whether gay or straight, can look up to SheZow and feel more comfortable with their own identity. “Act like a lady” may get a new definition when youth see this great heroine. SheZow may give a whole new meaning to “he fights like a girl”!

Check out the awesome intro:

[springboard type=”video” id=”732097″ player=”ulfb001″ width=”480″ height=”400″ ]

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Jay Deitcher, LMSW(@mrdeitcher) embraces the term MUTANT and proudly represents his MUTANT brothers and sisters.  He is an educator on comic history and runs successful Free Comic Book Day events yearly.  You can see a listing of his incredible articles and his highly energetic videos at JayDeitcher.com.