Justice League: Dream Girls – A DC Pride Event has been a fun read. And, as this article is being written, the series hasn't concluded. That means there's still more to come. But the fun in the series isn't the only reason I've purchased this since it debuted. The central message regarding LGBTQ+ rights is a major part of it.
Among the topics discussed in Justice League: Dream Girls is how trans people have been mistreated and how that mistreatment affects them. After reading issue No. 2, I reached out to one of the writers, Jadzia Axelrod, and asked if she’d discuss the important messages within the series. I was lucky enough that not only did she respond, but she also gave me detailed answers to some topics.
"It wasn't a pitch--talking about mental health is very important to Nicole and I, and has informed our work at DC in the past. It's all through our work at DC, all through the GALAXY books, BAD DREAM, HAWKGIRL. So, of course, that was a subject that was going to show up in DREAM GIRLS, and everyone on the editorial side knew that and supported us," Axelrod revealed when asked about the process of pitching Justice League: Dream Girls to DC Comics.
As a person who suffers from mental health issues, reading this series was intense. Seeing Dreamer feel as if she doesn’t deserve to be loved or have friends is a story that I know about personally. However, I don’t have to deal with the bigotry that comes from being trans. For example, suicide within the trans community is high. According to the National Library of Medicine “The suicide attempt rate among transgender persons ranges from 32% to 50% across the countries.” This was a subject within the story and one that Jadzia discussed.
"Trans suicide, especially among young people, is frightfully high. Our society, sadly, is structured to contribute to that, to make trans people think that they have no place in the world. That's a reality we live in, and while these are fantasy characters, they are grounded in a very real emotional experience. Then the power fantasy of superheroes becomes not seeing someone unfettered by your concerns and worries, but seeing someone who shares them and how they deal with it."
“I hope they feel less alone. I didn't have these comics when I needed them, which is why I make them now," Axelrod remarked of what she was hoping people get from this series.
As I mentioned earlier, I don’t personally know what a trans person goes through. However, I understand wanting stories that will help you feel seen. For me, as a Black man, Luke Cage becoming the leader of the Avengers while being a caring father and husband (instead of a stereotype) was a big moment. Stories like Justice League: Dream Girls are important and could make a difference in a trans person's life for the same reason. It helps remove the stereotypes that some media outlets produce that misinform and hurt their community.
Another important note is that Justice League: Dream Girls is written by two trans women who may have had similar situations or knew (or know) someone who did. Hopefully, they’ll find out about this series and have a positive outlook on life and their future in it. Or, if you’re someone on the outside looking in, maybe it’ll cause you to look within yourself and be more tolerant and accepting and want to be more informed.
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