The decision of the United Nations to remove Wonder Woman, the cartoon character as Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls on December 16 would not have an impact on the upcoming DC movie, “Wonder Woman,” due to hit global theaters on June 2, 2017.
Critics believe that the decision of the United Nations is more of a socio-political one which has no bearing at all on the fourth movie in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) because the fan base of DC is a different lot from those talking about things involving the UN.
Wonder Woman, the cartoon character, was appointed to the UN post two months ago and the decision was met with widespread criticism from feminist groups, diplomats, and UN staff.
A petition was even signed by 45,000 people and asked UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to reconsider the choice of the character for the sensitive position, details CBS News.
Following the designation of the Wonder Woman cartoon character as UN ambassador, the international body launched a year-long campaign on gender equality and women’s empowerment, which is one of the United Nation’s new 2030 global goals.
Wonder Woman actresses
Thus far, only two real-life actresses played the role of Wonder Woman, and they are Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot.
Lynda Carter took on the role in a “Wonder Woman” TV series back in the 70s. On the other hand, Gal Gadot appeared as Diana Prince, Wonder Woman’s alter ego, in “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” when it was shown in March this year. It marked the character’s first live-action theatrical film appearance.
Those who have seen Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman can obviously see the difference in the costumes worn by Gal Gadot in the DC movie. Gadot’s Wonder Woman wears an armband on one of her arms, a strap over her corset, and a blue bottom resembling a Roman war skirt or the so-called Fustanella.
Wonder Woman, as everyone knows by now, is a fictional superhero character from the DC Comics. She is a founding member of the Justice League, featuring Superman, Batman, Aquaman, The Flash, and Cyborg.
She is a demigoddess and a warrior princess of the Amazonian people. She is known in her homeland as Princess Diana of Themyscira but outside, she is known for her civilian identity as Diana Prince.
Based on her origin story, Wonder Woman was sculpted from clay by her mother Queen Hippolyta and given life by Athena, along with superhuman powers as gifts by the Greek Gods.
Of late, however, she has been depicted as the daughter of Zeus and jointly raised by her mother Hippolyta and her aunts Antiope and Menalippe.
A culturally insensitive decision
The criticisms for the choice of Wonder Woman as UN ambassador was because of the cartoon character’s sexualized appearance, which according to some was a slight against real-life female activists.
Critics, including hundreds of diplomats and staff members from around the world who staged a protest in the UN lobby in New York, felt the comic super heroine, created 75 years ago, was culturally insensitive.
UN representatives did not elaborate about why Wonder Woman’s ambassadorship ended so soon, but with the term of the current Secretary General ending on December 31, members of his staff acknowledged that the choice of the cartoon character was an error in judgment.
In the petition, signed by 45,000 people, to strip the cartoon character of the honorary title, it read that a large-breasted white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in shimmery, thigh-baring body suit with an American flag motif and knee-high boots is not an appropriate spokeswoman for gender equality at the UN, reports the Independent Journal Review.