War a Question ongoing!

I am glad that the issue of costume was addressed. Heels are ridiculous but apparently flats are taboo. Doesn’t leave many options for women.

And, just in response to the above comment and its question “how many men wear fedoras?” I’d say the answer is not enough.

One of the things I enjoyed is the idea of transformation that takes place in 52 (culminating in Vic’s “into a butterfly” line in his last breaths). I think frequently sexuality is viewed as a pose or role that is played, and the entire point of Renee’s transformation in 52 was that it had nothing to do with her sexuality. Gender was an inherent part of her character, and had nothing to do with the idea of becoming the Question. It is a reinforcement of sexuality as a core level part of being, not something added or subtracted during puberty. Even Richard Dragon’s teaching of Renee has little to do with sexuality (and acceptance or rejection thereof) or attempting to become a “lesbian Question” but rather her acceptance of the fact that she is, in many ways, already The Question, which exists entirely separate from gender.

As for the costuming, I never really thought of it much. The suit never struck me as a statement on gender (perhaps that’s because most of the women I work with always wear suits) but the fedora with the hair has, at times, seemed dissonant to my eyes. While I agree with Amy that “By taking the suit and making it her own, particularly by exposing her hair, I don’t think that Renee is purposefully reminding the audience that she is female … I think Renee is putting her own mark on the costume to make it her own and, honestly, to make it more comfortable for a female body that is, decidedly, different than a male body.”
However, I feel like the Fedora doesn’t quite belong. It’s not merely a gender question, it also feels anachronistic (how many men wear fedoras?) Plus with long hair, it must get uncomfortable to have it pressed above your ears even when tied back in a ponytail.

That being said, thank you for a tremendously interesting discussion.