The worst is that the only people who pick Damian up on it are ... well, the women he openly despises. He doesn't care if Kara tells him off for calling Steph fat, because he doesn't care about Kara or Steph's opinions of him. If Dick said something then he could possibly reconsider his behaviour (after grousing that he doesn't listen to Dick omfg >E), but that would mean highlighting that his behaviour is not cute or misplaced but instead just really offensive Damian knows very well that what he is saying to Catwoman, Donna Troy and Stephanie Brown is wrong. He doesn't care.
What's always confused me is that it's very rare for someone to bring Dick to task for letting the conduct go on. I remember Babs commenting that Damian's out of line early in the Batgirl run and I don't know if it's happened elsewhere. Dick does just let things go when it comes to Damian, presumably under the idea of "well he's still learning how to be a good citizen", and that's offensive. Firstly, it's insulting to Damian because it means that Dick is assuming that he is less aware than he is (and Damian is completely aware that what he says is offensive). Secondly, and most importantly, it is Dick prioritising Damian's comfort (over not being told off for his conduct) over the myriad of female superheroes who deserve to be treated as humans rather than objects.
It's why I tend to grit my teeth when I see Damian in a book now; I know that a bunch of sexist commentary is going to come through, and the metatext of the book is going to tell me that it's entirely reasonable.
no subject
What's always confused me is that it's very rare for someone to bring Dick to task for letting the conduct go on. I remember Babs commenting that Damian's out of line early in the Batgirl run and I don't know if it's happened elsewhere. Dick does just let things go when it comes to Damian, presumably under the idea of "well he's still learning how to be a good citizen", and that's offensive. Firstly, it's insulting to Damian because it means that Dick is assuming that he is less aware than he is (and Damian is completely aware that what he says is offensive). Secondly, and most importantly, it is Dick prioritising Damian's comfort (over not being told off for his conduct) over the myriad of female superheroes who deserve to be treated as humans rather than objects.
It's why I tend to grit my teeth when I see Damian in a book now; I know that a bunch of sexist commentary is going to come through, and the metatext of the book is going to tell me that it's entirely reasonable.