By Kelly Youngblood
Eleven-year old Rowan Trilling-Hansen of Champaign had no idea a letter she wrote to DC Comics would spread across the globe faster than a speeding bullet.
But the experience has taught her the power of the pen is mightier than any super hero’s sword.
Just last month, Rowan wrote a letter to DC Comics expressing her frustrations over the lack of female representation in the super hero comic book world.
“I’m a girl and I’m upset because there aren’t very many girl superheroes or movies and comics from DC,” she writes.
“I love your comics but I would love them a whole lot more if there were more girls,” she goes on to say.
“Girls read comics too and they care,” she says in closing.
Rowan’s letter has gotten a lot of attention from news media. Just google “girl writes letter to DC Comics” and you’ll find at least a dozen stories about it on sites like The Huffington Post, The Telegraph, and People Magazine.
Last week, Rowan was even given a five-minute feature spot on the Today Show.
Rowan, a fifth-grade student at Stratton Elementary, is the daughter of Jim Hansen and Renee Trilling, who are both literature professors at the University of Illinois.
Renee says she is “incredibly proud” of her daughter for writing the letter.
“She could have just been angry and resentful but instead she knows she can share her opinion. I love that she acts like she has a right to be heard. That’s fantastic,” Trilling said.
Rowan says the experience has taught her a lot about the importance of speaking up if you want to make a difference.
“Almost everyone I know could have written that letter. It’s not a question of whether they could have written the letter it’s a question of whether they believe they could change something,” she said. “Everyone has a voice and everyone can speak up. They only have to believe in themselves.”
Rowan said she didn’t expect the attention the letter has garnered, but she hopes it will have an impact on the way the comic book publisher portrays females in its books and movies.
On Jan. 30, DC Comics tweeted “Thanks Rowan. We agree, we’re working hard to create more superhero fun for girls!”
And, “Yes Rowan, girls read comics too! Wonder Woman movie & Supergirl TV both in the works, with more exciting girl power announcements soon!”
Rowan was thrilled to see DC Comics respond to her letter on Twitter but was beyond excited by this gesture: an original superhero sketch of Rowan herself.
While she’s happy with their initial response, Rowan said she doesn’t want the comic book publisher to put the issue on the back burner anytime soon. “It’s not like, OK now DC Comics has responded, now it’s over and we never have to worry about any of this stuff again,” she said.
Rowan said she not only wants to see more women super heroes in the comic book series- she wants to see them dressed differently.
“I want to see more female super heroes and see them dressed more appropriately..it’s not practical to walk around in a bathing suit,” she said.
It’s not just the world of super heroes that have Rowan wondering about gender inequities. She questions why there’s a girls section and boys section for toys. And why is the girls section “pink and purple and sparkly” and the boy section is “black and blue and red.”
“What if there’s a girl who likes black and blue and red?” she asked.
And what about those Lego Friends sets that are marketed towards girls: “They’re cool but they’re all cafes, beauty salons, houses, bakeries. There are no battleground Lego Friends (sets). Why is that?” Rowan said.
While she doesn’t plan on writing any more letters anytime soon, she does wish people would stop categorizing each other.
“You don’t need to categorize people because you can’t exactly. People don’t fit into categories- people are deeper than that. When you categorize people it’s just the top layer- you’ve got to go deeper than that,” she said.
Getting to Know Rowan
When she’s not fighting for truth, justice and the American way, Rowan can be found at French lessons, playing cello, reading or performing with her Irish Dance team. Here are a few more interesting tidbits we learned about this amazing Chambana Kid to Know:
Who are your role models?
Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl, and Super Girl. And my mother- she is one of the smartest people I know. And all of my teachers. They have all been incredible role models to me. People don’t value how much teachers do for them.
What makes you happy?
My cat, my friends, reading, and dancing.
What’s your favorite subject?
My favorite subject is English because I love grammar and history.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
A psychologist, TV producer, author. (Maybe) open a cancer research clinic with my friend. There’s lots of options out there.
Where would you like to live when you grow up?
London
Is there anything you can’t do?
I cannot do push-ups.