I’m still salty that NCIS: Hawaii is canceled. A lot of that is because there were some excellent role models for young girls (and yes, young boys as well) in the series. Kate Whistler is the one I’m looking at for today.
Whistler was introduced in the very first episode. She quickly became an integral member of the team, despite being FBI rather than NCIS. She made it clear that the two federal agencies have the same goal, so they need to work together. That didn’t mean she allowed people to walk all over her.
Women taking the lead don’t have to be “bossy”
I hate that women who take the lead end up being called “bossy.” Young boys and men are “leaders.” Why aren’t women? I guess some of it is due to the way women in charge have been shown in the past, because the writing has been through the male gaze. And let’s be honest; it’s just downright terrible.
NCIS: Hawaii changed that. The women in charge were never called “bossy.” At least not by those who mattered. When a woman took control of a situation, people just listened. If there was a mad call being made, they would be told. Otherwise, women had the ideas so they should be followed.
Whistler made it clear that she was one with smart ideas at times. She also knew when she didn’t quite have the ideas. That didn’t stop her from taking charge as she listened to ideas. Showing herself as a leader and not a boss.
She supported Lucy’s dreams without ending the relationship in NCIS: Hawaii
My favorite moment of Lucy and Kate’s relationship was when Lucy shared that she got a huge opportunity that she couldn’t miss out on, even though it would take her away from Hawaii for some time. This would usually mean the end of a relationship. Writers would add something like this in to cause drama for characters.
That wasn’t the case for Whistler. Sure, she was disappointed that her girlfriend was going to be away, but there wasn’t a question on how to make long-distance work. She didn’t try to talk Lucy out of going. Instead, Kate supported.
Kate made it clear that Lucy couldn’t miss out on that opportunity. She would wait—and that’s exactly what she did.
That didn’t mean Lucy could get away with being selfish all the time. That brings me to the next reason Kate is a role model.
Kate showed what hard conversations are like
Lucy shut down a lot. Kate was a lot more open, although even she had her moments. Both of them were written as human women, and that meant flaws. However, NCIS: Hawaii didn’t shy away from tough conversations.
We saw a fair few, and I swear nearly all of them were initiated by Kate. She knew what it would take to make a relationship successful. She wasn’t going to let Lucy just make decisions that affected the two of them. She wasn’t going to let Lucy give into her own insecurities or doubts. They would need to talk about it.
It doesn’t matter whether young girls are in relationships with men or women. Tough conversations are needed. Yes, they’re scary, but be like Kate and be brave enough to have them.
She didn’t compete with other women
The writing of women on so many TV shows has always been so terrible when it comes to female groups. It ends up being women against women. It happens in real life too. Far too many women believe that because another woman has got something, it means they can’t. They end up trying to sabotage things for other women.
It doesn’t have to be that way. That’s something Kate proved. She didn’t argue with Tennant—well, not unless she believed that she did have the better idea (and that’s fair game!)—and she didn’t put down other women in charge. She would step back, allow them to take control of a situation, and offer support when needed.
Kate would put herself into a situation for others, asking where they needed her. This wasn’t a way for her to one-up someone or find a flaw, but as a way to genuinely help.
The cancellation of NCIS: Hawaii has taken far too much from us. One of those is the great role model that Kate Whistler is for young girls.
