Ruby Rose & the Toxicity of Fan Outrage2 min read

Ruby Rose has been announced as Batwoman in a TV series set to air on the CW network in late 2019/early 2020.

As always when it comes new casting for beloved superheroes (especially in the DC Universe) filmmakers and actors alike get severe backlash with bullying online and sometimes even death threats.

After what we’ve seen from Kelly Marie Tran’s treatment after the release of The Last Jedi, it’s safe to say fans of beloved franchises take things a bit too seriously if a movie or show doesn’t go the way they plan it to be.

This results in people collectively scapegoating individuals to the point where it turns into cyber bullying.

For Rose’s case, their was a lot of criticism from DC fans (obviously) because they thought she wasn’t a good actor. However, what surprised most from the last week or so is the response from the LGBT community.

Ruby identifies herself as gender fluid and a small group of people from the LGBT community went online to discuss why she wasn’t the right fit for Batwoman.

Since 2006, Batwoman’s character Kate Kane has been an openly gay superhero in an attempt for DC Comics to be more diverse. It was indeed successful and many like the character.

For that reason, people online were frustrated at the fact that the studio miscast the role as they pointed out at the fact that Rose does not identify herself as lesbian nor is she Jewish, like Kane.

Looking at the situation in which Hollywood casts for minority roles, it is, indeed, a fair point. However, instead of going to DC or the CW, many resorted to harassing Ruby Rose online which led to her quitting Twitter.

What people need to understand is that mob mentality directed at an individual can lead to deterioration of mental health, social anxiety and depression.

Closing in on one person is not going to do any good whatsoever.

Miscasting in films and TV always hits my nerves, however now I have the tendency to reserve judgment after a movie or show comes out. That’s what everyone else should do.

Instead of coming to conclusions from an announcement or trailer, wait for the end product to determine its success.

That’s why people love  Ben Affleck’s grittiness and stocky build as Batman as well as Grant Gustin’s characterisation of Barry Allen on The Flash.

As for miscasting within minority groups, being from an Asian background myself, if an actor from the same community as mine were to play a beloved character but not necessarily come from the same country, I’d still be proud.

Some won’t agree with my perspective and that’s totally fine.

The casting may not be accurate but it does show a huge step of progress that should be celebrated and supported unconditionally.

I can’t wait to see Ruby Rose as Batwoman.

Photo by Lena Orwig on Unsplash