U.N. Drops Wonder Woman From Ambassador Role
With only two months under her belt as an honorary Ambassador to the United Nations, Wonder Woman has been dropped from her new role.
To say reactions are mixed would be an understatement. As we spoke about earlier, numerous protests and petitions broke out after the original announcement in October, citing Wonder Woman was the wrong choice to symbolize empowerment for women and girls.
“The first goal of the UN Ambassador is to speak out against discrimination and limitations on women and girls,” Our contributor Felicity H. Barber writes. “But they’ve chosen a woman who cannot speak unless she’s performed by someone else. It’s hard to define ’empowerment’ but I think of it as who can speak and who gets heard.”
With immense dissatisfaction, over 45,000 people signed a petition protesting the U.N.’s new choice for ambassador. Included in the petition concerned creators expressed,
“Although the original creators may have intended Wonder Woman to represent a strong and independent “warrior” woman with a feminist message, the reality is that the character’s current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring bodysuit with an American flag motif and knee high boots –the epitome of a “pin-up” girl. This is the character that the United Nations has decided to represent a globally important issue – that of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls. It appears that this character will be promoted as the face of sustainable development goal 5 for the United Nations at large.”
However Jeffrey Brez, a spokesman for the U.N., refuted that the campaign ended as a result of the momentous protest, claiming other honorary fictional ambassadorships maintained short tenures as well.
Meanwhile after the announcement, there were many relieved and happy protesters. But others are disappointed in the choice to cut out Wonder Woman. Supporters conversely claim that she did in fact represent strength, power, and femininity intertwined – traits which routinely receive push back throughout politics and corporate America.
Check out some further responses below:
Wonder Woman dropped as UN ambassador because she’s not fat and un-American enough. https://t.co/Ai04SxruXa via @YahooMovies
— Brandon Morse (@TheBrandonMorse) December 14, 2016
UN drops Wonder Woman because her breasts are too large https://t.co/1S054OKb5W — The Independent (@Independent) December 14, 2016
UN drops Wonder Woman as honorary ambassador after protest that she doesn’t portray “feminist message” https://t.co/vdUMmO7wuC
— Moira Forbes (@moiraforbes) December 14, 2016
About time too – UN drops Wonder Woman as UN Honorary Ambassador campaign https://t.co/4FoBHdvpfj — Tim Unwin (@TimUnwin) December 13, 2016
How do you feel about firing Wonder Woman from her honorary role? Who do you think would be the best candidate as an ambassador for gender equality and empowerment?
