This blog isn't about me, you're not going to get to hear about the troubles in my life or how sad I am my cat died. Instead, you will get my opinions on the issues of the day, something like the soup of the day. So today, I think I'll start with one of the things I thought up not too long ago, it deals with current issues, and yes, it is known as the "Supergirl Paradigm". So, enjoy.
Figure I'll start you off with an interesting picture.
So what is the "Supergirl Paradigm"? Well, we've all got a good idea who Supergirl is, and if you don't, you can take a long walk off a short pier.So lets address "paradigm" then. A paradigm is used much in the same manner as precedent, but a little higher. If you are a paradigm of justice, you are much the same as a paragon of justice(notice the use of the same letters in both words). In short, paradigm, is a high-point for a particular thing, while paragon is an absolute embodiment of something, paradigm is more a good reference point.
So, what is the "Supergirl Paradigm" you ask? Well, if you must know...
The "Supergirl Paradigm" is the standpoint from which female physical beauty and how scantly clad somebody can be.
....I think I just heard a lot of "lolwut?"....
What you see above is an image of the various incarnations of Supergirl throughout the literal ages of Superman.
Hear me out. Lets look at the various incarnations of Supergirl for a moment, we've got sweet and nice, we've got ones with attitude and big boobs, we've got leotards, skirts, and full-body suits, long hair, short hair, various powers and literally, different people. Each one was a representation of the tastes of the time and how far it was acceptable to push the limits.
And each one is a sort of paradigm for the limits of acceptable artistic sexuality. We all know that bad-girls wear a lot less(which currently is VERY difficult since the current Supergirl wears very little), but they're bad girls. We know that anyone wearing that little is going to be evil, and evil people can get away with that because they're breaking the rules. So we don't bother to apply the rules to them in the first place.
But Supergirl is a well-known female heroine who's not an advertisement for a rubber fetish(and I'm talking to you Batgirl). She has also gone through MANY incarnations over the years. Which is why she is the paradigm for what an artist can get away with on a girl and still be considered tasteful.
Lets face it, the current Supergirl, she doesn't wear much. But then, what many girls wear these days isn't a whole lot more. And most people are starting to be OK with that. Or sure there's backlash, and much as I love a girl in a mini-mini-skirt I'm not against covering more up. But more often than not, arguments against generally come from people who wish they looked like that, or wished they were getting some of that.
And lets take a look at art, comic book heroines have steadily worn less over the years, though Wonder Woman didn't wear too much to start with. They have become less womanly and more sexual in nature. If you take a quick look around the site here, you'll find that most babes aren't wearing much unless the theme is a classical one. From faeries to mermaids, my angels to other peoples, and fantasy warrior chicks, even modern-themes art, girls aren't wearing much.
But that's OK, because we're working with the "Supergirl Paradigm", that is, as long as they're wearing about as much as Supergirl, it's OK. Because Supergirl is a good-guy who follows the rules and doesn't do evil. Therefore girls who are dressed heavier than her(but not obviously evil), are good as well, because if what she wears is following the rules, then what other girls wear must be following the rules too.
And there you have the "Supergirl Paradigm", that as long as a female wears as much as, or more than the current supergirl, it's OK.
