DC’s New Trans Anti-Hero Featherweight Controversy Explained

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DC Comics has recently made an effort to include transgender creators and characters. One new character, an anti-hero named Featherweight, has sparked online debate. However, criticism of how Featherweight is portrayed as a transgender person is coming from various different perspectives.

Featherweight first appeared in the comic series Cheetah and Cheshire Rob the Justice League #2, written by Greg Rucka and illustrated by Nicola Scott. The story follows the two villains as they gather a team to rob the Justice League’s trophy room. Featherweight is portrayed as a hopeful activist who uses her super strength to protect demonstrators. Cheetah and Cheshire recruited her after witnessing her single-handedly destroy an armored vehicle.

From the start, Featherweight was shrouded in mystery, hinting at a complex history within the DC Universe. She introduced herself as Alya Raatko and casually mentioned her mother once attempted to kill Superman. She also claimed to be cousins with one of the Robins. Despite these intriguing revelations, she largely presented herself as a typical, somewhat nerdy girl who loved Japanese schoolgirl style and all things ‘kawaii’.

Details revealed that Featherweight was the daughter of Nyssa Raatko, a relative of Damian Wayne, and the granddaughter of Ra’s Al Ghul. Despite this established background, her story didn’t gain much focus until the conclusion of the ‘Cheetah and Cheshire Rob The Justice League’ storyline.

Why Featherweight is just now drawing fire for DC?

In the latest issue, Featherweight publicly shared that she is both bisexual and a transgender woman. This revelation happened after Klarion, who had unrequited feelings for her, asked about her sexual orientation. Featherweight playfully responded by telling him to check back with her in a few years – a joke referencing Klarion’s immortality and inability to age.

Predictably, the introduction of this character sparked criticism from those who often react negatively to new LGBTQ+ characters. However, the reveal that Featherweight is a transgender woman also faced criticism, but for a wider range of reasons, some of which were more understandable.

Some readers feel the character Featherweight relies too heavily on familiar tropes. Her outfit prominently features the colors of the trans pride flag – pink, blue, and white – and includes a pink cat-ear hoodie that some see as referencing both feminist protest imagery and common stereotypes about trans women online. There’s also been criticism of her powers. Some interpret them as reinforcing the harmful idea that trans women athletes mask their strength with femininity, while others object to the fact that her abilities only activate when she experiences a triggering event.

Both sides of the debate agree that Featherweight manipulated Klarion, but this claim feels like the most far-fetched criticism of the DC miniseries. Featherweight never encouraged Klarion’s feelings for her – she hardly even talked to him.

Something else I picked up on was a hint that Featherweight might not be telling the truth about how old she is. She says she’s 25 on social media, but her behavior feels much younger. She’s always checking in with her mom, even while insisting she’s an adult, and honestly, she seems to hang out with teenage Lian Harper way more than anyone else her own age. It’s a little odd, and definitely makes you wonder!

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2026-01-12 19:37