Writer claims Green Lantern ring is sexist in HBO series

Vanessa Baden Kelly, a writer and co-executive producer for the HBO series ‘Lanterns’, has stated that the Green Lantern power ring is “sexist.” In an interview with Collider, Kelly discussed the creative development of the third episode, “OutKast,” which revisits the origin story of John Stewart.

Kelly claimed that she repeatedly argued in the writers' room that John Stewart’s mother, Bernadette Stewart, would have been selected by the ring if not for its inherent sexism. Kelly described Bernadette as “the most fearless of everybody,” suggesting her character possessed the necessary qualities to be a Green Lantern.

The episode introduces significant changes to established DC mythology, depicting how John Stewart’s parents used extreme methods to condition him to overcome fear so he could eventually become a Green Lantern.