Batwoman is the name of a fictional character, the female counterpart to DC Comics' popular superhero Batman. She first appeared in Detective Comics #233 (1956). Batwoman's real name was Kathy Kane, in reference to Batman co-creator Bob Kane.

Batwoman and her niece Bat-Girl (Betty Kane) were intended as romantic interests of Batman and Robin, respectively. Batman wished for Kathy and Betty to retire from crimefighting due to the danger that they were placed in - hypocritically so, given that he expressed no such qualms over Robin's presence by his side. Nevertheless, she remained his ally, and although her presence never equalled that of Robin, the ongoing Super-Sons stories in Brave and the Bold revealed that she might have married Batman in the future and been mother to "Batman Jr." When Kathy eventually did retire from crimefighting, she become the owner of a circus. She was killed by the League of Assassins and the brainwashed Bronze Tiger in Detective Comics #479 (1979).

Bat-Girl's career was heavily retconned after the Crisis on Infinite Earths to remove any reference to her working alongside Batman, Robin or Batwoman from her history; Batwoman has yet to be referenced in any post-Crisis comics, although the late Kathy Kane has been mentioned on occasion. It may be that Kathy Kane existed but was never Batwoman in the post-Crisis DC Universe.

Another Batwoman appeared in the direct to video animated film Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman.

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The Wild World of Batwoman was a 1966 film that was mocked in an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.