The Importance of Pushing Boundaries

Written by Shae Rufe

​When it comes to all things geeky and nerdy, there has always been a push from our culture. We’ve never been quite quiet when it comes to social equality. It hit me, the other day; just how important comics and geekdom are to society, and how there has been a calling from our united nerdiness to make things equal. From the very beginning, comics were something that was not really the most popular thing around. However, their devoted fans have been growing into the billions as time has gone on. So many of us flock to comics for so many different reasons, yet we all have one common ground. We love them. Comics have changed and shaped the world just as much as any other literature. But, we’ll come back to that in a moment. Sci-Fi in general has been changing the world as we know it for decades. Take Star Trek for instance. It was here, that we saw the first interracial kiss on live television. A simple kiss between Kirk and Uhura changed the world. Whether we knew it at the time, or not, it is hard to dispute that things have been ever moving forward. We nerds are anything but passive. Well, you know what I mean.

The social issues of the times are always reflected in the writings of any literary device. Star Trek pushed the boundaries of society at a time when interracial relationships were frowned upon. Later, X-Men would tackle in-equality in their own unique way. Themes have always been a powerful force in the written world. The comic world is no different. Years later, X-Men would be the first comic to showcase an interracial mutant, gay, couple getting married on the very cover of an issue. I remember buying that comic the day I saw it, and I have never been prouder. Yes, there have been many books and comics to feature homosexual couples, but none of them had gotten married. It’s strange to think, but as we progress further and further, these movements are still happening.

That once controversial episode of Star Trek, and what it stood for are not forgotten. Instead, the nerd community is taking the same route with other media forums to fight the newest social front. As someone who doesn’t exactly fit the societal role of ‘norm’, it is important to me to see various medias I love fight the fight against inequality. While I never imagined in my fondest dreams I would one day see characters of the same gender kissing in a comic, that day has come, we moved forward, love won.

Characters such as the Black Canary on Arrow may be seen as pushy or bold, but to those who aren’t slotted in the hetero-normaty that society thinks we should fit into, she is a symbol. The whole point is to show that love is love. Love doesn’t know gender, rules, or anything like that. Love knows love. Having bi, gay, and lesbian characters in a world of straight ones is important because we all search for that common ground. Comics have been a beacon to outsiders for so long, it only seems fitting that they adapt as we change and grow.

As such, more and more shows and movies have begun to do the same thing. Paving the way to show that normal isn’t what society says, but rather to show there is no normal or we’re all normal regardless. A person’s sexual identity shouldn’t be any more of an oddity than hair color. Pushing social boundaries to the limit…most importantly, giving those of us who do not fit into a societal norm, a place to call home. Now, that is truly the most important thing about our geeky family, and why our favorite comics, shows and stories have to keep pushing forward to inspire us all to be a better people through and through.

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