Kick-Ass Women: an article by GF Willmetts.
We never call heroes ‘kill-ass men’, so why should calling certain members of the fairer sex, dark hair and other shades are available, be called ‘kick-ass women’? ‘Kick-ass’ means gutsy. Is there any implication women can’t have guts? Skin is provided. Once upon a time, we might have called such women as being ‘ballsy’ meaning determined and courageous although really it meant they had balls, as a comparison to their male counterparts. Imagine trying to describe men with the female organ counterpart. I doubt if that would work.
It isn’t like we’ve never had heroic females in all the media, even if only as supporting cast putting themselves in the line of fire, like Lois Lane. In the action business, if you can’t at least win, then you have no place being there.
Whether characters were gutsy by nature or forced to be by circumstances varied greatly. Characters intentionally designed as combatants probably began with Honey West (1957) and Modesty Blaise (1963), though I’m open to suggestions of earlier examples. Ellen Ripley from the ‘Alien’ franchise is more easily identified as the first female character forced into gutsiness by circumstance, becoming highly influential among film heroines thereafter.
Given that Ripley was originally written as a male character, it’s clear she wasn’t inherently designed as a female role model. Interestingly, Sarah Connor from the ‘Terminator’ franchise also underwent a significant transformation after her confrontation and victory over the T-800 robot. Additionally, Hannie Caulder from the 1971 Western film of the same name warrants mention for a similar transition. These early examples have since inspired many more. It’s debatable whether such a transition was initially intended. After all, strong superheroines like Wonder Woman and Catwoman have existed for a while, though initially perceived more as novel takes on superheroes or villains than as attempts to attract a female audience.
Contrary to expectations, overall readership demographics remained largely unchanged, and the presence of female characters didn’t solely drive female readership. Male viewers and readers showed an appreciation for gutsy women. Notably, young male comic book readers in the UK were often hesitant to acknowledge their interest in ‘Wonder Woman,’ a reflection of targeted marketing strategies rather than inherent disinterest. Therefore, Lady Penelope Crichton-Ward from the ‘TV Century 21’ comic strip should also be considered part of this gutsy female brigade, despite occasionally needing to rescue herself.
April Dancer from ‘The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.’ presents a less clear case. As a trained agent, she wasn’t significantly different from her male counterparts. The TV version of Batgirl, who transitioned into comic books while shedding the more decorative elements of her bat-cycle, is another example. Comparing her to the more contemporary Harley Quinn, who evolved from a villainess to an anti-heroine to avoid prison or an asylum, illustrates that character strength transcends gender. This evolution also demonstrates that female villains can transition into some form of heroic status.
This article isn’t meant to be a comprehensive list of media’s “kick-ass” women, as there are already plenty of such lists on the internet, and they aren’t all-inclusive, as some of my previous examples demonstrate. Anyone attempting to select a top ten will inevitably overlook important figures, such as Elizabeth Jennings from the ‘The Americans’ (2013-2018) TV series or Buffy Summers, though in her narrative, it was always a woman who prevailed. I doubt even a top one hundred list could encompass all of them, especially in a meaningful order. Moreover, one must consider the criteria for selection, which goes beyond simply having seen all the films, TV series, books, or comic books featuring these characters. The sheer number of ‘kick-ass women’ clearly indicates that this is no longer just a derivative of male heroes but has flourished as a distinct sub-genre.
So, what constitutes the status of being ‘kick-ass’? Is it a tough female put into an even tougher situation, or one who rises to meet the challenges presented to them? Essentially, it’s a survival mechanism, and most people, regardless of sex, want to survive adversity. Primarily, it serves to distinguish them from secondary characters who need protection. These characters reach a turning point where they must act, even if it’s solely for survival. This requires an act of leadership quality. Take Ellen Ripley as a recognized example. Had she not encountered the xenomorph and instead stayed with her daughter on Earth, she would likely have risen to the rank of captain in her career, owing mostly to her leadership qualities.
In contrast, navigator Lambert was governed by emotion and prone to anger, yet she accepted rank protocol. Had she survived instead of Ripley, she might have used the Narcissus, but it’s less likely she would have spotted the xenomorph hidden in the cabin. Whether she would have evacuated the cabin remains speculation, a matter of luck and survival. The same might have applied to any of the male members of the Nostromo under similar circumstances. Survival, and potentially a happy ending for the American market, was key even then. Had it been a purely British ending, we might have heard a final scream, proving that while no one can hear you scream in space, you can certainly scream.
The essence of the ‘kick-ass’ aspect is rising to the challenge and overcoming adversity, regardless of the character’s gender. In the evolution of the film industry, featuring a strong female lead, often surpassing male characters, wasn’t entirely new—consider Princess Leia Organa in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise. However, it did start a trend of regularly showcasing strong female leads. The ‘kick-ass’ element served to make them as formidable as their male counterparts. Just because a female character can be sympathetic doesn’t mean she can’t be lethal under the right circumstances. As I mentioned earlier, we don’t label male leads as ‘kick-ass men,’ so why use ‘the fairer sex’—not meant derogatorily but as a contrast—to imply that women can’t engage in combat when necessary, especially when there is no male equivalent? The closest is labeling some men as effeminate, but that doesn’t address their survival in deadly encounters.
Remember, ‘ballsy’ signifies being determined and courageous. It’s hardly surprising that anyone would adopt an aggressive stance under unlikely circumstances. In this enlightened age, attributing male characteristics to women does seem peculiar. It doesn’t mean they are filled with testosterone when it comes to survival. By comparison, one only needs to look at the British female agents in Axis-occupied countries during World War II and their fates to realize that the film industry took some time to catch up with such heroics. Those brave women had no role models other than their duty itself. Their ‘ballsy’ attitude is undeniable, but their femininity often served as an effective disguise. It simply took much longer for the film industry to acknowledge this.
Nowadays, the acceptance of both male and female leads as equals in deadly situations is quite normal. We often want to see them triumph over all challenges, indicating that the character’s strength is now more important than their gender. The focus has shifted to how they achieve their goals, which is a more progressive aspect.
The real question is whether the term ‘kick-ass woman’ still has a place in our vocabulary, or should we seek other terms that are equally descriptive and appropriate?
© GF Willmetts 2023
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