Women Comic Book Characters in Movies - or Lack There Of

Thinking on this current Batwoman not being allowed to marry issue that came up today...  Someone in the comments of an online article said it might be because DC is looking at all of its characters as potential stars in tent pole movies and they didn't want them married because it would hinder the ability to make a movie attractive to the public - specifically, having a lesbian character would make it less attractive to the movie going public.

(articles here: http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=47715 
and here: http://io9.com/dc-wont-allow-batwomans-gay-marriage-to-be-depicted-1257106266

I can understand that idea, but I also find it very short sighted by a company who has a poor history with its movies (outside of its big two characters of Batman and Superman who have and probably always will be, the big DC pull for readers and viewers).  Catwoman wasn't a bad movie because the lead was a woman - Catwoman was bad because it was a horrid script and story.  Green Lantern wasn't bad because it had a lead that was a man - Green Lantern was bad because it was a horrid script and story.  See?  Both suffered from the same problem and it had little to do with the sex of the characters.

My question here is, why would a potential Batwoman movie have to focus on her being a lesbian OR being a 'gasp' married lesbian?  I'm not a lesbian, but I would love to see a movie where that aspect was a part of a greater picture of a HUMAN BEING.  This is potential for a great story telling moment!  But it makes me realize why there is STILL no Wonder Woman movie... Because DC is caught up in the 'issue' of having a woman superhero story rather than a superhero story.  At no point did this seem to be a problem in telling the superhero story of Superman or Batman.  We weren't hung up on the issue of them being men were we?  Then why do we have to get hung up on the issue of Wonder Woman or Batwoman being women?  Can't we just tell a super cool story about some superheroes? 

Take a moment if you saw the Man of Steel movie and imagine that WHOLE thing with Wonder Woman instead of Superman.  From beginning to end (maybe Lois Lane is Lou Lane or Larry Lane... whatever). The same emotions expressed, the same issues dealt with, the same losses and triumphs.  But instead of a man, it was a woman.  Would it still be good?  Would you have still enjoyed it?  Would you still be yelling about the plot holes and problems?  Did it matter so much that it was a woman?  

Personally, I think it would still hold up.  Why?  Because the same way we didn't have to have a moment to address that Superman is a man, we don't have to address that Wonder Woman is a woman.  We can SEE that!  We don't have to point it out or have some dumb guy make some comment about "A woman?  What can she do?" then chuckle in some macho way before Wonder Woman punches him into next Tuesday.  Its not necessary and it takes away the power of the whole movie by funneling it all into this focus on her being a woman and being able to compete in a 'man's' world.  We just saw her break Zod's neck right?  Guess she can handle herself...  Move along, nothing to see here...  AND, you still got a cool superhero movie.

Its not that complicated, nor should it.  For some reason, the comic guys and the movie guys seem to think that the fact a woman is a woman, has to be addressed and focused on.  It doesn't.  I think we all pretty much know the differences.  Thanks.

And as far as Batwoman being a lesbian?  Why is THAT your focus?  She is still a human being with an interesting story to tell, lesbian or not.  And what if the love interest was a woman?  How interesting would that me?  How developed a story line would THAT be?  Can DC not challenge itself to be something more?  Going back to my earlier idea of Wonder Woman in the Superman film..  What if Lois Lane was still a woman?  Would it be so weird for movie goers then?  Would they not go to see it?  Possibly.  But it would be a hell of a story wouldn't it? 

I hate to compare Marvel and DC, but I have to for a moment.  Overall, Marvel's movies have been successful, more so than DC's.  Marvel also has no problem depicting gay marriage - even having whole comic book issues devoted to the subject.  I'm not saying Marvel poops gold every time they put out a comic or movie, but they are more aware of the times they are living in - and have been for a long time.  Their superheroes have done more to touch on current social issues than DC has and I think that is a lesson DC really should be waking up to.  When DC was asked about the stories of the new comic featuring Superman and Woman Woman, what came across was not a discussion of men and women working together to do something, but more a 'romance' story.  How is that progressive? How is that touching on current and social issues or concerns or even the desires of current readers?

My overall point here is that, until the movie studios and comic book companies grow up and stop making this idea of a female comic book character an issue, there won't be a good woman lead comic book movie.  Women are human beings with stories, depth, pain, hope, light and darkness inside of them as much as the men have.  Instead of making it the focus or some hurdle to jump, just write a good story!  That's what its all about.  Its what it has ALWAYS been about.  There's nothing complicated about it.  Stop making it that way.

DC has some of the best female characters and one of the most iconic in Wonder Woman, but they  appear to not really get what's going on outside of their offices and some weird idea of how to make themselves relevant.  So far, the only way they have stayed relevant is upsetting their loyal fans and readers with poor and confusing decision making recently.