Batgirl's Transgender Roommate

[TiaNadiezja]

A couple of months ago, Barbara Gordon's roommate in DC's Batgirl ongoing series, Alysia Yeoh, came out to her as trans.  Unfortunately, Gail Simone - the writer of Batgirl, and all around awesome human being - hasn't done much with the character since.

Has anyone else been following the book?  What do people think of Alysia's portrayal, and of Batgirl and the New 52's portrayal of LGBT characters in general?

[Kia]

That's cool I haven't read any Batgirl though I should since I am one of those Batman franchise whores, I think I'll check it out next time I'm in the comics shop.

As far as the New 52's LGBT portrayal I appreciate though at sometimes it feels a bit forced. Almost like they're just picking characters at random and making them gay or bi or whatever not necessarily because it deepens the characters but because it makes the gallery of characters more diverse. But I will say that it's good since the comic book fandom is like the largest cesspool of cis-heteronormative misogyny in the West it's a good sign that writers and publishers can move away from catering to that population only to portraying deep and multifaceted characters.

[Jamie D]

Despite a huge LGBT following and a growing number of gay comic book characters – Batwoman, Northstar, The Green Lantern and Kevin Keller, to name but a few – DC comics has revealed in Batgirl: Issue #19 that Barbara Gordon's (aka Batgirl) roommate is transgender. However, author Gail Simone has no plans of dressing up Alysia Yeoh with superpowers. "I want to do this right, representation is important. No one wants stereotypes or tokens. We want believable characters we can care about, that we want to know more about," revealed Simone in an interview with NewNextNow.com.

For followers of the series, Alysia, who has been a mainstay since issue one, is known as the smart, ambitious young woman from Singapore who dreams of being a master chef. But like so many of her cohorts, remains chronically underemployed. But through series of events (it's not easy being Batgirl), Alysia has never had a chance to share her true self with Gordon.

http://lgbtweekly.com/2013/04/12/holy-bat-girl-dc-comics-introduces-transgender-character/

[Ltl89]

I don't know why, but I imagined Bruce Wayne transitioning when I read this,lol.  I'm all down with the trans community (obviously) but this made me smile a bit. Batman realizes all along that the psychological torment he has been facing all these years was his repressed gender issues.  That's why he needed to transform into a character every night, so he could hide from his true self. 

I like this take judging from the posts above, but I do wish they could have given her a bit more of a fem hair cut.  Just my opinion though.  Maybe I will actually read it.

[Kia]

I don't know why, but I imagined Bruce Wayne transitioning when I read this,lol.  I'm all down with the trans community (obviously) but this made me smile a bit. Batman realizes all along that the psychological torment he has been facing all these years was his repressed gender issues.  That's why he needed to transform into a character every night, so he could hide from his true self. 

I like this take judging from the posts above, but I do wish they could have given her a bit more of a fem hair cut.  Just my opinion though.  Maybe I will actually read it.

This just made me picture Batman in drag, which is an idea I full-heartedly endorse. Bulletproof pumps, utility corset, etc. et cetera

However, author Gail Simone has no plans of dressing up Alysia Yeoh with superpowers.

Give her powers just not something stupid like "magical gender-bending" or "superpowered comedic relief"

Btw my avatar is another DC character (albeit published by Vertigo) named Lord Fanny, a crossdresser with awesome Aztec shaman powers; just to name another trans* comic book character

[V M]

LOL... I usually go as Cat woman for Halloween but the obstinate dipsticks at my apt.s don't seem to get it 

[Cindy]

Quote
"This just made me picture Batman in drag, which is an idea I full-heartedly endorse. Bulletproof pumps, utility corset, etc. et cetera "

I love this

And of course the emergency tampon belt to plug any leak anytime, anywhere.

I've always wondered about Robin

[Padma]

... but I do wish they could have given her a bit more of a fem hair cut.

Funny, her tomboyishness is one of the things I really appreciate about her - because it's so unusual for trans women not to just get portrayed as überfemme all the time - plus I think she's cute .

[TiaNadiezja]

She got more panel time in the most recent issue, which also included a bit of harassment and Barbara's experience of Alysia's response to it.  It was a really, really interesting read.