I return to make a short and simple observation. I can't believe I didn't really think about this until now.
One of the sexiest and most badass women on television right now (in my not-so-humble and biased opinion) is the fantastic Alex Kingston as River Song on Doctor Who. AND...(drumroll please)...she is not in her twenties or thin as a rail! I actually don't know how old she is, but she reads as a woman, a properly grown-up woman, not a young woman or an overgrown teenager. Her hair is fabulous. Her clothes are fabulous but NOT super revealing or skintight. She is a beautiful curvy lady and more importantly River is clever, strong, brave, funny and complicated. She is a woman I can look up to and love, question/criticize and support. Woo-hoo!
Now, it's true that she still "has to be sexy", that her physical appearance is focused on a lot, etc. It would be lovely to have a badass sci-fi woman on television who just gets to be a person and doesn't have to perform sexual objectivity. BUT, and this is just my opinion, I think River really owns her sexuality. It seems to me that often she is the one enjoying her own sexiness--like the gaze she's interested in is her own.
That's subjective, of course, and others wiser and more perceptive than I may feel that there are more troubling problems going on and not as much cause to celebrate....but too bad. This is my blog. And thus I conclude by saying: Hip hip hooray for River Song, one of the coolest characters I've had the pleasure to meet, and in my opinion a decided step forward for women in sci-fi!
You know we're stepping forward when there's a lady on TV who is actually as fascinating as the Doctor himself. (Gasp! I know! I can't believe I'm saying it!)
