She’s The Doctor

So, I've had some time to think about the announcement of the new doctor.

I have no problem with the actor, I've enjoyed her in what I've seen her in, and I think she could be a great addition to the show. As with previous doctors, while I have thoughts about the actor I will wait until I have seen her in the role before coming down on the one side or the other.

I do have a small concern about her being cast simply because she is a woman, I would like to hope the role was open to both men and women but I suspect a decision was made first that the new doctor had to be a woman and so the audition process would have been limited. Not that I necessarily feel this was unfair, we have had a very long time of the status quo so to speak, but I would like it to be a natural thing rather than a huge deal.

There has been one argument I have seen from a few men that I think is a valid one, and that is the concern about losing a fantastic male role model on television for young minds. I absolutely agree that the doctor has been a wonderful role model for young people, boys and girls alike. But surely the fact that the doctor will now be female should not keep her from still being a positive role model for both boys and girls. I just had a slight argument with someone about this, his point was that The Doctor was the only positive male role model on television for him when he was growing up, and that he was a good role model for his young nephews, who otherwise have superheroes who solve problems with violence as their only other options.

My question, however, is this: why can't The Doctor still be a strong positive role model as a woman? When I was a little girl, I didn't only look up to women on television or in books, I mean I would have been starving for role models if I was only limited to women in the 70s. Watching Doctor Who when I was six years old showed me the kind of person that I wanted to be, and the fact that that person happened to be a man didn't enter into it. 'But little boys don't look up to women' - why not? As a little girl, I did not let the gender of the hero of the story limit my ability to identify with them, is the suggestion that little boys don't have the ability to do the same? I don't believe little boys 'naturally' only look to men as a role models, I believe it is only because they are shown, be it purposeful or otherwise, that they should look to men and not to women.

The truth is, there are lots of positive role models and lots of negative role models of both sexes out there, and as long as Doctor Who is on television there will be at least one positive role model for anyone who wants to watch.

Now roll on Christmas!