I haven't seen it, but the similarities struck me as well. Though the difference is that the Starlights are girls in their true form, and since Usagi dates one of them briefly, that may be yet another hint of lesbianism to make the censors' heads explode.
I was also very much reminded of Ranma 1/2, which is all about a boy changing into a girl and back to play the gender differences for comedy. I think the current controversy over SheZow is ridiculous. I don't see any reason to ascribe a transsexual agenda to it, either form the trans community or from their critics. I never thought of Ranma in those terms and I doubt I'd see SheZow that way. It's just a novelty for a comic superhero show. No one thinks there are ulterior motives behind Bruce Banner turning into a giant green monster, or a boy becoming a grown man as Captain Marvel. There are several gender swap books for kids where it's just played for the laughs of the idea (like "Help! I'm Trapped in My Sister's Body"). I don't see it as promoting an aberrant behavior or lifestyle (not using "aberrant" as a purjorative, btw), anymore than Beauty and the Beast is promotion of bestiality.
-TK
"I've always admired atheists; I think it takes a lot of faith." -Dr. Joel Fleischman
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eched
11 years ago
Ya, all the press against it is a joke. The character isn't transsexual. I have a friend who is and the guy loves the idea of the show, but felt pretty insulted when the news called the character transsexual. At most the character is a cross dresser, which is what I've been seeing the character as.
Further more, there is NOTHING wrong with having transsexual or cross dressing characters in a kids show, since there are a lot of kids that are boys that dress up as girls and girls that dress up as boys. Like, these people need super heroes too.
Flower power is too much for the dragonzord!
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IkuharaKunihiko
11 years ago
Never heard of it. Is it available on YouTube? If it is going to be aired in the US, I would be surprised. Based on the plot description alone, it seems quite similar to a plot point in Sailor Stars, which is still "taboo" in the US because of the cross-dressing/transforming.
I don't know if kids should be exposed to gay themes, though. Honestly, I support the gay community, but some kids may still be too little to understand it or may be confused by it. I guess they should at least be around 16 to get it with an open mind. I don't know if this applies to SheZow, though - I haven't seen the show and thus cannot estimate it. It seems rather harmless at first glance. Actually, it may help boys put themselves into girls' shoes (no pun intended) and understand them better.
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eched
11 years ago
Being exposed to gay themes at a young age is the same thing as being exposed to a massive amount of straight themes. Why is over using one type of dating better then another? I don't understand the mind set here.
The show aired in the US just the other day on The Hub. It's doing a full season.
Flower power is too much for the dragonzord!
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IkuharaKunihiko
11 years ago
I don't know, there are instances where kids were raised by gay parents and still (read: a majority) grew up to be straight. Maybe I am not an expert on this, it would be better if one could find a scientific survey where kids were exposed to gay themes at a young age and see how they took it, how they reacted and if this was too much to handle or was is just a normal new thing they learned.
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blondiebear_17
11 years ago
The character does not change gender or identify as female in any way though. From what I have read the character just takes on the superhero mantle of his female aunt. It's more like he has to out of duty and it just doesn't bother him that much.
JEFF : I hate Glee.
PIERCE : I'm not crazy about Glee either.
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eched
11 years ago
You are quite right. I was summarizing a bit, my bad.
Flower power is too much for the dragonzord!
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