Last month, Ruby Rose shocked comic book content fans by announcing she was leaving Batwoman, on which she played lead hero Kate Kane, after only one season. The reason was reportedly less than amicable, and it was revealed the show would carry on with a new protagonist, reportedly killing off Kane. But, as per The Hollywood Reporter, that last bit has proven to be incorrect.
Showrunner Caroline Dries refuted the claim, saying that while Rose is leaving the show, that doesn’t mean that bridge has to be burned down. But it’s not necessarily because Rose could always return for a cameo.
“As a lesbian who’s been working as a writer for the past fifteen years, I’m well aware of the ‘Bury Your Gays’ trope and I have no interest in participating in it,” Dries said. She continued:
“That’s why it’s important to me as the showrunner to clarify any misinformation out there about Kate Kane and recasting Batwoman. Like you, I love Kate Kane — she’s the reason I wanted to do the show. We’ll never erase her. In fact, her disappearance will be one of the mysteries of season two. I don’t want to give away any of our surprises, but to all our devoted fans, please know that LGBTQ+ justice is at the very core of what Batwoman is and we have no intention of abandoning that.”
The term ”Bury Your Gays” refers to a trope in which gay characters are seen as more expendable than their straight counterparts. A guest column about it in THR singled out shows like Jane the Virgin, The 100, The Magicians, and The Walking Dead, which suspiciously offed prominent LGBTQ+ characters. Batwoman made history as the first scripted live-action TV series with a lesbian superhero protagonist.
(Via THR)