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Connie Diep
Professor Beadle
English 115
7 December 2015
Superpowers Breaking the Gender Boundaries
In our Western society we are bred to fit into different sex categories which includes
either male or female. Gender expectations are unavoidable in the world we live in now because
it has become the social norm. Males/females feel pressured to be accepted. In addition to these
gender expectations there is also hegemonic gender and races. Hegemonic means dominant or
powerful. The way hegemonic views are seen in our society are with the ideas of
masculinity/femininity. In Ms. Marvel, Kamala Khan is a teenage Pakistani American who
struggles with becoming socially accepted. Kamalas gender expectation from her family is for
her to be obedient and submissive but her peers want her to be accustomed to their lifestyle such
as partying and drinking. Kamala has a battle within herself to be socially accepted by her peers.
When Kamala gains her superpowers she was able to use her incredible strength to rescue her
friends and look beautiful just like Captain Marvel. Although earning superpowers may have
given Kamala acceptance into society she did not challenge the gender roles. Kamala was not
confident enough with her natural appearance, she was already reading comic books prior to
gaining her powers, her parents still controlled the way they communicated with her because she
is a female, and even with her superpowers her friend Bruno still had to assert his male
dominance to keep Kamala safe. Superpowers did not transgress the gender boundaries in Ms.
Marvel and as a result, no one looked at Kamala any differently.

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Media heavily impacts the way women believe they are supposed to look. Kamala being
like any another teenage girl struggles with her physical appearance. In Dines article, Visible or
Invisible: Growing Up Female in Porn Culture, she says, Women do seem enviable to girls and
young women since they appear to embody a type of power that demands attention and
visibility. (Dines 252). In Ms. Marvel, there is a scene where Kamala is reading a Marvel comic
book and Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) is seen as a beautiful blonde, curvy super hero that
looks good fighting enemies in thigh high boots. (Wilson and Alphona Wyatt 5). Kamala greatly
expresses the way she feels about wanting to be exactly like Captain Marvel. Not only does she
want to become a superhero but someone who is socially accepted by their appearance as well.
One of Kamalas peers named Zoe resembles a popular, thin, bubbly, and beautiful woman who
she wishes to be. Kamala is just one of those insecure girls seeking for acceptance. She knows
that in order to demand this attention and visibility she must become somebody that she is not.
The color scheme throughout the comic shows the rich vibrant colors and the use of bigger
panels to draw attention to Captain Marvel and her importance. This is also an example of how a
womans physique and beauty draws attention to the audience. When Kamala became Captain
Marvel it did not transgress the gender boundaries, it only made those feminine barriers stronger.
Many women in Western society today believe that conforming to porn culture is the
only solution to demonstrate hegemonic femininity. Porn culture is the media figuring out a way
to make females more inferior to men by exploiting their bodies. Hegemonic Masculinity and
Black Gender Ideology, written by Patricia Hill Collins states, Because a good deal of
womens beauty is associated with their hair, this aspect of womens physical appearance takes
on added importance in the process of constructing hierarchies of femininity. (Collins 233). A
couple scenes into the comic after Kamala transforms into a superhero she realizes that its not

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what its cut out to be. I always thought that if I had amazing hair, if I could pull off great boots,
if I could flythat would make me happy. But the hair gets in my face, the boots pinch
(Wilson & Alphona Wyatt 34). Kamala then embraces her own identity by being comfortable in
her own skin. She was able to incorporate her own style into her superhero costume. (Wilson &
Alphona Wyatt 77). Although Kamala changes her costume it does not change the way other
people see her as an individual. Kamala also struggles with her responsibilities as a teenage
female in her family and this still keeps her within the gender boundaries.
In families parents are the first ones to teach their children about gender. Based on our
sexes (male/female) we are treated with different respects. In Renzetti & Currans article, From
Women, Men, and Society, Renzetti and Curran state, That parents associate their childs sex
with specific personality and behavioral traits is further evidenced by the effort they put into
ensuring the others identify their childs sex correctly. (Renzetti and Curran 76). This includes
the toys that they play with and how they interact with parents. In Ms. Marvel, Kamala is seen
again reading a Marvel comic book. (Wilson & Alphona Wyatt 6). Even before Kamala was able
to become a super hero, she had already been reading action comic books. The Marvel comic
was not only filled with the male superheroes but a character that embodied superficial beauty. I
want to be you, Kamala says to Captain Marvel. (Wilson & Wyatt 18). Kamala had the
opportunity to be whoever she wanted to be, but instead she chose beauty over power. She could
have chosen both beauty and power but unfortunately she favored one over the other causing
gender boundaries to grow even stronger when she made the decision to be beautiful.
Men dominate the positions of authority and leadership in government, the military, and
the law; cultural productions, religions and sports reflect mens interest. (Lorber 30).
Unfortunately, their parents pressure Kamalas older brother, Aamir to look for a job, which

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demonstrates the stereotype that men are supposed to be the bread winners of the family. Another
example is when Kamalas father then starts to compare her and Bruno by saying, Look at your
friend Brunoworking hard for his family and getting top grades does he complain? (Wilson
& Alphona 8). Kamala does not transgress gender boundaries and neither does Aamir. Parents
are the one who put gender into perspective for their children.
The way the parents talk to Kamala is with concern and care especially her father Abu.
When Kamala finds herself in trouble she does not go to her mother because she knows that
Ammi will get angry with her. Ammi worries about the innocence of her daughter and does not
want her to become out of line. Parents use a greater number and variety of emotion words
when talking with daughters than sons. (Renzetti & Curran 79). Abu cares greatly about Kamala
and tells her how special and unique she is to their family. (Wilson & Alphona Wyatt 93). Even
after Kamala has superpowers she still finds herself living under the expectations of her family
values. They still see Kamala as their young innocent child and they still want to preserve that
image-no amount of superpowers can change that.
Not only does Kamalas family push her into gender expectations but her peers as well.
Zoe wants Kamala to be rebellious and break the rules so that she is able to fit in. Now Kamala
feels like she must impress Zoe by trying to neglect her obligations as a Pakistani daughter. You
thought that if you disobeyed your parentsyour culture, your religionyour classmates would
accept you, Captain America says to Kamala. (Wilson & Alphona 17). Kamala comes to
realization that if breaking rules do not get her accepted she must be as beautiful as Captain
Marvel. She does not know who she is supposed to be and it forces her to conform to gender
expectations.

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Not only does Zoe enforce the gender role upon Kamala but her friend Bruno does as
well. Kamalas superhuman strength is incredible when she saves Bruno from the robbery but
then she gets shot by Vick. Even after being saved by Kamala Bruno asserts his male dominance
by trying to protect Kamala and calling the police for help. (Wilson & Alphona 66). Kamala
attempts to go after Vick and save him from Doyle who is keeping him hostage. She was not
prepared for a fight that her superpowers couldnt even handle. She then fails to save Vick during
her first attempt and needs Brunos help. (Wilson & Alphona 95). Superpowers do not prove that
she breaks the gender boundaries. Where is this smack talk coming from? Usually Im afraid to
correct a substitute teacher who cant pronounce my name, Kamala says. (Wilson & Alphona
86). Even though superpowers made Kamala act differently she was able to stop herself and
realize that was not her true self acting out.
Superpowers did not transgress the gender boundaries in Ms. Marvel and as a result, no
one looked at Kamala any differently. Kamala is a rebellious teenager that wants to be a part of
societys gender norms for women. She struggles with finding her inner beauty and acceptance
from her peers. And although Kamala may have changed her costume and embraced her true
image, no one else knew she was Captain Marvel so they continued treating her with the same
gender expectation. Both Kamala and Aamir suffered from gender roles in the family and how
they are seen by their parents. Bruno being the friend that he is, watched over Kamala with
protection and care even when she had superpowers. Superpowers did make Kamala physically
stronger than most women but not emotionally. She felt that in order to be powerful she must be
gorgeous. Being superficially beautiful did not make Kamala happy with herself. She was not
able to challenge the prescribed gender roles of women in society but instead made them
stronger by becoming a victim of the media.

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Works Cited
Willow G., Wilson and Alphona, Adrian. Ms. Marvel. 1st C. Ed. Sana Amanat. NY: Marvel
Entertainment, 2015. Print.
Collins, Patricia. Hegemonic Masculinity and Black Gender Ideology. Composing Gender. 1st
Ed. Eds. Rachael Groner and John F. Hara. MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. Print.
Dines, Gail. Visible or Invisible: Growing Up Female in Porn Culture. Composing Gender. 1st
Ed. Eds. Rachael Groner and John F. Hara. MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. Print.
Lorber, Judith. Night to His Day The Social Construction of Gender. Composing Gender. 1st
Ed. Eds. Rachael Groner and John F. Hara. MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. Print.
Renzetti, Claire and Curran, Daniel. From Women, Men, and Society. Composing Gender. 1st
Ed. Eds. Rachael Groner and John F. Hara. MA: Bedford/St. Martins, 2014. Print