battlestar galactica

So far we've looked at fictional female politicians who hold office in what is supposed to be our modern reality. Some of the problematic aspects of these characters have included oversexualization, a tendency toward irrationality or emotional response, and being driven by petty politics. We've also seen these characters depicted as needing to have enough energy to do the job of governing while fending off sexism in the workplace. Today I'd like to take a look at female politicians who serve in very different worlds than ours, and ask if these limitations persist in those narratives. SPOILERS for The Hunger Games, Star Wars, and Battlestar Galactica.

Yes, I will look at Laura Roslin, I promise. But first...

Friday nights are going to be odd without Battlestar Galactica. Yes. You read right. I'm a huge fan of the show (in case you couldn't tell by the first sentence of this post). One of the most consistently well-written and acted shows I've ever seen, Battlestar signed off last week in an epic two-hour finale. While I have mixed feelings about the finale itself, I nevertheless will always remember the show's bold tackling of important and current issues that most television shirks, as well as the obvious respect and reverence the writers and actors had for the characters.

Kowtowing to all those involved in Battlestar Galactica is definitely due in large part to the way the women of Battlestar Galactica were represented: as three-dimensional characters. As humans. What a wonderful, beautiful concept.