Last week The CW announced that model-actress Ruby Rose has been cast to play Batwoman, a.k.a Kate Kane, in the world’s first TV series focusing on an LGBTQ superhero. She’s set to appear in The CW’s annual crossover event between its DC dramas, but there is also talk of Batwoman getting a series all of her own.
“The Bat is out of the bag and I am beyond thrilled and honored,” Rose wrote on Instagram. “I’m also an emotional wreck, because this is a childhood dream.” In an interview with Jimmy Fallon about her new role Rose said that she was so happy she couldn’t stop “spontaneously crying”.
However, what started as an emotional and happy announcement quickly turned sour. Ruby Rose has deactivated her Twitter account – as well as public comments on her Instagram account – amid backlash over the casting. Bizarrely enough, the Australian actress, who’s been out since the age of 12 and identifies as gay and gender-fluid, has been mistakenly denounced by some as just another straight actress playing a lesbian role, while others feel she isn’t “gay enough” or the “right kind of lesbian” to play the LGBTQ superhero. What’s more, according to DC Comics, Kate Kane’s character is of Jewish descent, which Ruby Rose is not.
Not only does ruby rose not identify as a lesbian but she’s not Jewish either. So…they basically lied about it wanting an actor that represented the diversity to stay true to who batwoman is and instead just picked a “hot” white person that isn’t too gay to offend the straights
— Kristin | ™️ (@negative_purple) August 7, 2018
Stop trying to force Ruby Rose on us! We don’t want her! pic.twitter.com/NGjE0MTJr1
— my name is steph and I never learned how to tweet (@stphfrndz) August 7, 2018
okay but casting ruby rose as batwoman truly is a big fuck you to all the lesbian fans like they don’t care about the rep they just wanted to cast a lesbian to have good press so they just gave it to her cause she’s well known and liked by straight girls
— justine (@MVGGIESDANVERS) August 7, 2018
I’m disappointed that Ruby Rose was cast as Batwoman considering it’s a complete erasure of Kate Kane’s Jewishness. They should have cast a Jewish lesbian to play a Jewish lesbian character.
— Alice (@yolowoho) August 7, 2018
