Wonder Woman Named UN Ambassador, But Protesters Don’t Like Scantily Clad Character
Wonder Woman was appointed an honorary United Nations ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls on Friday, but thousands of protesters have signed an online petition asking the world body to reconsider their decision.
Protesters signing the petition argue the fictional Wonder Woman character may have been created with a feminist message 75 years ago, but the modern superhero does little to empower women and girls today.
The campaign asks the UN to consider choosing a real life female to be responsible for empowering women and girls instead of a fictional character, according to the site Care2Petitions.
“The character’s current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring body suit with an American flag motif and knee high boots –the epitome of a ‘pin-up’ girl.”
The UN Wonder Woman ceremony was attended by Gal Gadot who plays the superhero in next year’s movie by the same name and Lynda Carter, who played the role in 1975; she told CBS News the superhero was created to fight for equality.
“The ‘she’ has become a ‘we.’ It is this community of ‘us,’ it is this strength that lives within us, that we can do anything.”
The UN made the Wonder Woman announcement as part of its Sustainable Development Goal 5: achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls worldwide. The resolution calls on world governments to increase educational opportunities for girls, reduce child marriage and maternal deaths, and guarantee legal protection for women in developing countries.
With the slogan “Think of all the wonders we can do,” the UN campaign was designed to promote female empowerment and capitalize on the success the feminist movement has already achieved.
The DC Comics’ Wonder Woman character was chosen for her role in breaking stereotypes; instead of playing the damsel in distress, the vintage superhero showed it was possible for women to be strong and aggressive.
Not everyone agreed with holding up the fictional character as an example for all women and girls, however. UN staff members joined women’s groups this weekend in circulating an online petition calling for a human ambassador instead of a fictional superhero, according to Care2Petitions.
“It is alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualized image at a time when the headline news in United States and the world is the objectification of women and girls.”
A crowd of 100 UN staff members protested at the headquarters of the world body holding signs that read “I am not a mascot” and “Let’s get real”, reports CBS News.
The protesters point to real life women ambassadors, actresses, industry leaders, and government officials to argue the UN could have appointed a human to advance the feminist agenda instead of a fictional character.
Not everyone agrees with the protesters, however, some critics were quick to argue the UN staff was arguing over small details instead of supporting the movement as a whole.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Wonder Woman character and a movie by the same name is due out in the summer of 2017 starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot. Critics don’t think the chaos around the UN ambassadorship will harm the film’s performance but argue the movie could potentially help the feminist movement.
The new iteration of Wonder Woman will feature a female lead with a female director in the first major female superhero movie.
The Wonder Woman Care2Petition currently has more than 2,300 signatures with a goal of 5,000.
What do you think about Wonder Woman being named as a UN ambassador to empower women and girls?
[Featured Image by Matt Cowan/Getty Images]
