Okay, Batfam. We've been at this for one year. If numbers mean something to you (like they do for me), I'm really moved by the fact that we came into this day by reaching new milestones on Twitter and Instagram, with 1100 and 700 followers respectively. It's just one example of how this movement has not only sustained overtime, but it's grown. And, if you're curious about what that growth really looks like, here's a little extra data for you dating back from the prior 6 months. 

If you're looking at these numbers and your eyes are crossing wondering what the heck any of this means, here are some highlights. 

• The average engagement rate for a Twitter handle is between 0.05% and 1%, and we never drop below 4%. Even a year later, people are excited to "tune-in" to the topic of Batwoman. 

• It's recommended that a Twitter channel strives for 2.2% of follower growth each month, and we trend above that more often than not too. Again, this makes the point that we have untapped potential as it relates to Batwoman fans, which translates to viewers. 

• These things matter because they also correlate to impressions (which is how many people are encountering our tweets). As you can see, every day, more and more people are seeing our tweets, which means we have the ability to grow our viewership as well. 

Networks are all about numbers, right? Viewers, demographics, dollars and cents. In this last year, all we've done is demonstrate our thirst for this content, and our fan power. And the fact that we've been at this longer than any of the LGBTQ+ shows that were wrongly cancelled after us, and have not lost our footing means even more. We've set an example, and others are empowered at least in part because of us. This fight is for us, but it's also so much bigger than us. Want more numbers? Here's a laundry list of the LGBTQ+ shows that were cancelled in 2022. 

But, let's shift gears a bit, because this isn't the first time we've made a strong argument about our ability to impact the numbers. If numbers talk, but no one's listening, then that's the bigger issue. And in my opinion, that's always been the real problem. In my first article, I made the point that the CW and WBD were sending a loud and clear message that our numbers didn't matter to them, and we've been working hard to make them care. 

This is not to say we stop showing up when it comes to that, but more what we need to remind them of is that these numbers are counts of humans. And while every single engaged Batwoman fan matters, we're not just a bunch of people with nothing better to do than tweet about Batwoman all day. We're also students, parents, people leaders, and plenty of other career-minded individuals with demanding lives and folks counting on us. We're not only Black and/or Queer women, though that's an important segment of our population. We're people all over the globe, who identify as a number of descriptors, and who range in ages from teen to seniors. We are legitimately a beautiful rainbow of people who are continually finding time for Batwoman because of what doing so means to us and the greater message we're trying to send.

For networks, in some ways, that might make us a trickier demo to target, because if ads are their bread and butter, who are they marketing to? Let me get novel on them for a moment; what if they didn't try to box us into conventional buckets for a change: showing detergent commercials to parents, truck commercials to men, or sneaker commercials to a young adults? What if they actually sought to understand what draws this multitude of individuals to this show and talked to us about the things that resonate with us? What if they didn't try to force us to adapt to their current model, and evolved their approach to maximize their own earning potential? 

The truth is, the money being made/shared in this business does not seem to be panning out to what they thought it would. And, part of why these networks are struggling is because they're trying to stay the same or move backwards. They're trying their hardest to appeal to the markets that have served them in the past in hopes that those consumers will stabilize them. 

More, they've never valued us appropriately in the first place. Systemic biases would have one believe an audience made up of underrepresented communities is lacking in structure and spending power. Here's the rub. People who have never gone to comic conventions before are attending and selling them out for this show. People who have never read a comic a day in their lives have read them for the first time, selling out comic book stores, for the ones written about these characters or by these cast members. People who have watched and lost favorite shows time and time again have decided this is the time they can't stand for it, and turned to social media to fight to keep it, doing everything from tweeting regularly about the show to signing petitions and donating to fundraisers to send their message beyond social media. 

We are not unreliable, and under funded consumers. In marketing, we dream of the chance to tap into a new audience: one that we're not constantly competing for, and haven't already tried to reach in different ways, hoping that we win their attention over our industry peers. To get fresh and eager eyes is like discovering a new fuel source. And sure, at first that might be a little overwhelming - getting to know what's unfamiliar - but it's all ours and that's (usually) exciting. 

There's a lot to be said about the converse of this: who sits in those seats and makes these decisions, and how little they often identify with us. And that fact is trickling into many parts of the film and television industry, not just what shows are getting renewed, but who's getting hired to create content, how people are being paid for that work, and further, who's being recognized for the groundbreaking work they're creating. Because, for some, when things are changing around them, they try to regain a sense of normalcy instead of challenging themselves to learn and grow. For some, they only evolve when they have absolutely no other choice. If they can get by just a little longer with what they're used to, they can see if that change is really necessary, or if it's just a moment they have to wait to pass.

But they can't wait us out. The time for change is now, and the call is coming from everywhere - outside and in. If every neglected community stands up and speaks out, they won't be able to go on not listening. And clearly, we're not going anywhere... 

Keep fighting Batfam. #SaveBatwoman