G. Willow Wilson is hardly qualified to speak on issues of superheroines and sex

G. Willow Wilson, the Islamic convert who's written a few comics/graphic novels plus the Butterfly Mosque, and even apologized for the Religion of Rape she now embraces, was among various comic book writers who were interviewed by leftist Comics Alliance about the problems with lack of female creators and/or needless objectification of women in comics. There are at least a few women who gave them input, but if there's any who's otherwise unsuited for the job, it's Wilson, who seemingly admits a problem about Islam yet simultaneously tries to shroud it. Her own entry is as follows:

G. Willow Wilson (Mystic, Air): My perspective on both art and life in general has changed radically since having a baby girl. Before Maryam was born I just sort of laughed off the more questionable portrayals of women in comics. It didn't affect me personally; I'm an adult, I know my own worth. But it kills me that there are so few comics I'd feel comfortable sharing with her. Or with any kid for that matter... Whenever we've got kids under 14 in the house and they start rummaging through my comics collection, I have to dive in and make sure they don't innocently pick up some superhero book and run into what amounts to softcore porn. Never before did it occur to me how bizarre that is -- having to keep a kid away from comics.

What can we do to fix it? Well, for one thing, buy the good books instead of just retweeting them. You vote with your dollars. I don't just mean books with "strong female characters"; I mean good books, period, whether they deal overtly with women or women's issues or not. The comics that are going to turn the tide will not be Strong Woman is Strong comics, they're going to be the Mouseguards and the Life on the Golden Fields-es and the Scott Pilgrims, books that broaden the palette of what is considered marketable. This is not going to work if we make it into a propaganda campaign, because a propaganda campaign is not going to make publishers any money. We have to trick the consumers of boobsplat into buying books they wouldn't normally buy.

The other thing we have to do is realize that men do not get to dictate what it means to be a "strong woman" or a "liberated woman" or an "independent woman." This is the fig leaf behind which a lot of apologists have been attempting to hide. Ironically, it reminds me of nothing so much as the conversations that go on in the more conservative corners of the Muslim community, in which ultra-orthodox men attempt to dictate exactly the same thing -- except in our case the "strong woman" is usually completely covered up as opposed to practically naked. They're two sides of the same coin. Paternalism is paternalism, whether it wears a burqa or a thong.

It's curious how she technically admits the problem with the Muslim world - men dominate...except that she's trying to downplay the case. Whether "ultra-orthodox" or otherwise, men DO dominate in Islam, and make every possible effort. Part of the key to comprehension of this can be found in Sura 2:228, where Muhammed claimed that men are a "degree above them [women] in status". Sura 4:34, also on that list, requires careful attention too. In this case involving the burka, it's that as is the case in many parts of the Islamic world, many women are forced to wear it, and those who do wear it willingly are sadly self-oppressing no matter how badly they put themselves at risk of illness like osteoporosis or lack of exercise.

Does this suggest that all of a sudden, she's actually willing to admit but one of many problems with Islam? It's uncertain, and if not, then she's still done little to qualify as someone to speak on the matters.

Also, there's a difference between this whole thong and burka matter: if the former's a problem, it's one described as objectification, which can be a poor example in itself but isn't condoning violence. In the latter case, it's oppression - definitely when the man forces the woman to wear an oppressive outfit and even acts violent if she refuses. Which of these problems is worse? Food for thought.

And if Wilson is downplaying the problem to make it sound like it's not actually part of Islamic beliefs, then she hasn't helped much at all. The way she responded to Frank Miller's graphic novel Holy Terror certainly doesn't give much hope that she's having second thoughts about what she now goes by. But if she does start to become more honest about the problems involved, then who knows, maybe we can offer her benefit of the doubt that she's starting to gain some sense.