Friday Links is Fully Dressed

Look at me, taking a day off blogging about female superheroes! I’ll be back tomorrow to wind up “Batweek” with a rather long post about the history of Batgirl. Meanwhile, this week’s Friday Links post doesn’t refer to Huntress or Power Girl but our Australian Olympic athletes, many of whom are finally being allowed to dress for comfort rather than the male gaze.

Other Olympic stories that caught my eye included British medal-winner Lizzie Armistead using her position to raise awareness of continuing sexism in the sporting industry, and the unfair focus on perceived faults with US teenager Gabby Douglas’ hair rather than her epic gymnastic skills and her gold medal. Bitch Magazine provides a rundown on the Olympics from a feminist point of view.

At Tor.com, an important discussion about geek girls and trolling – the complaints are getting louder, but so are the trolls.

On a similar story, Adrienne Kress talks about being a fake geek girl, and why accusations of ‘not being authentic’ do actual damage to women who are trying to fit in.

Justine Larbalestier has made a triumphant return to blogging this month, to celebrate the release of Team Human. I particularly enjoyed her posts on writing to the market, and the duty of care YA authors do or do not have to their teen audience.

Margo Lanagan talks about the pleasures of keeping what you read to yourself.

Gail Simone talks about Blade, the first of the Marvel Comics properties to make it big in Hollywood, and wonders why it keeps getting left out of the narrative.

Twenty years on, how do we feel about Buffy the Vampire Slayer the Movie?

And then there’s this. No words yet, but oh boy I’m getting excited. ROLL ON DOCTOR WHO YEAR 49!