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[neorej]

Sounds like they've got the image of the Linda Carter-era Wonder Woman stuck in their head. Because as of right now their description doesn't match up with the current iteration despite them saying something different.

But I'd be curious as to what fictional (or factual) woman meets their every requirement.

 

[Trokil]

Of course it has to be white

 

[WaterAstro]

"Wonder Woman stands for peace, justice and equality, and for 75 years she has been a motivating force for many and will continue to be long after the conclusion of her UN Honorary Ambassadorship," said Courtney Simmons, from DC Entertainment,

 

[CaviarMeths]

"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," the petition read.

I'm not well-versed on comics from the 50s, but wasn't Wonder Woman originally like... not that at all? Wasn't she basically a glorified maid for the JLA? She was incredibly sexist when she first came out and her characterization has had nowhere to go but up over time.

 

[Trokil]

But I'd be curious as to what fictional (or factual) woman meets their every requirement.

like this

 

[Sgtpepper89]

Now is the time for Kim Kardashian to shine! A true icon and rolemodel of the 21th century.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

I'm not well-versed on comics from the 50s, but wasn't Wonder Woman originally like... not that at all? Wasn't she basically a glorified maid for the JLA? She was incredibly sexist when she first came out and her characterization has had nowhere to go but up over time.

You're not entirely wrong since she used to be the Justice Society's secretary in the early 40s if I remember correctly but her creator was a feminist who deliberately created her to be an icon that little girls could look up to. He also happened to be a bondage fanatic so things got a little weird.

I highly recommend reading this very extensive article (that somebody linked to in a previous GAF thread) about the feminist legacy that led to the creation of WW:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/last-amazon

An excellent read even for non comic fans.

 

[Xe4]

Well said.

As a point of curiosity, so you beleive WW being an honorary ambassador somehow makes it less likely for real women to become honorary ambassadors as well? As I said before it's not a competition; no real woman got denied becoming a honorary ambassador because of WW, this is just something they did for the 75th anneversary. I'm just trying to see why it's a big deal at all.

 

[broncobuster]

You're not entirely wrong since she used to be the Justice Society's secretary in the early 40s if I remember correctly but her creator was a feminist who deliberately created her to be an icon that little girls could look up to. He also happened to be a bondage fanatic so things got a little weird.

I highly recommend reading this very extensive article (that somebody linked to in a previous GAF thread) about the feminist legacy that led to the creation of WW:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/last-amazon

An excellent read even for non comic fans.

Marston's life is interesting enough they're making a film about him next year.

 

[kunonabi]

Marketing stunt over.

Pretty much. This and and her being at the top of that power ranking were obviously just to help promote the movie.

 

[4 is a cutie]

"These protesters are extremists! Darn feminists/far-left/sjws! Grrr!"

Some of yall are extra mad over this shit lol. I can't tell if the angry people are DC stans or what. Anyways, women didn't want WW as a symbol, so whoever was running things decided to oblige. If people feel a real symbol would better serve as a role model in this case, then cool

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Marston's life is interesting enough they're making a film about him next year.

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to it even though I never had any interest in him as a writer but he definitely led a fascinating life.

I hope we also eventually get biopics about Kirby, Siegel & Shuster, Bob Kane (even though he was a scumbag, it still would be very interesting) and Stan Lee.

 

[excelsiorlef]

"Stop judging women by how they look! A big-breasted white woman of impossible proportions can not be representative of feminism!"

The goddamn irony is hopefully not lost on the petitioners.

....

She's not real... like not a real person.

She's drawn that way (or has been in the past) frequently by men...

Like are we just pretending that the oversexualization of women in comics isn't a thing?

We can argue if it is the case here with the current version but this idea that their statement is somehow insulting actual women and "hypocritical" is hilarious.

I'm not well-versed on comics from the 50s, but wasn't Wonder Woman originally like... not that at all? Wasn't she basically a glorified maid for the JLA? She was incredibly sexist when she first came out and her characterization has had nowhere to go but up over time.

Wonder Woman predates the JLA by you know almost 20 years

As a point of curiosity, so you beleive WW being an honorary ambassador somehow makes it less likely for real women to become honorary ambassadors as well? As I said before it's not a competition; no real woman got denied becoming a honorary ambassador because of WW, this is just something they did for the 75th anneversary. I'm just trying to see why it's a big deal at all.

I just think it's cheap PR and yeah maybe DC should have teamed with the UN to promote women in the flesh who are actually doing things to the world better for women, instead of cheap PR to sell some comics and an upcoming movie and make no mistake this was scheduled to go till 2017 ya know when the movie comes out.


This article really tackles the issues people had with quite well:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/oct/21/wonder-woman-un-ambassador-staff-protest

 

[Audioboxer]

Nofunallowed.jpg

Best not to care about this and rather just let these kinds of outrage brigades either eat themselves alive or feel fleeting moral superiority over daft things like this.

I do feel a bit of sympathy for the artists though.

 

[Irminsul]

"These protesters are extremists! Darn feminists/far-left/sjws! Grrr!"

Some of yall are extra mad over this shit lol. I can't tell if the angry people are DC stans or what. Anyways, women didn't want WW as a symbol, so whoever was running things decided to oblige. If people feel a real symbol would better serve as a role model in this case, then cool

"Women" didn't want that? All of them? How do you know? Don't you think there are women who actually appreaciated WW as a symbol? If so, who gets to decide what to do? Those that make the most noise?

Because that's how things actually work right now.

 

[ArtHands]

Truth is she appeared in BvsS and they dont want to have anyone associate with that movie

 

[Cynar]

Now is Captain Marvel's chance.

Still a white woman. No chance going off the original story. If preaching about 75 years of equality gets overlooked then I really doubt captain marvel has a chance.

 

[Aizen.S.Kennedy]

Lots of mansplaining in this thread. Some women didn't want wonder women for this. If that's the case I'm glad they made it happen. With her history she is sorta sketchy. Yea yea but now... history is still important the last 10-15 years don't just erase the characters past.

And I know this may come as a shock to some ppl here but lots of ppl are tired of their heroes/representatives being white models. That's basically all ppl have gotten for the last what 75 years? More? Ever?

I know I'd take Luke cage over superman as honerary whatever anyway. But then again Ima black dude.

 

[Jonnax]

Why didn't you post the entire petition text OP?
Reading it it's totally reasonable.

An American red/white/blue dressed character is a bit silly on the world stage. But also whole objectification angle.

Looking the pics here posted plus those Supergirl pics. It looks like a western version of Japanese anime waifus.

On 21 October 2016, the Secretary-General of the United Nations decided that the new Honorary Ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls will be Wonder Woman, a fictional character, the rights to which are owned by DC Comics, a for-profit entertainment corporation.

Since that date, over 16,000 people have expressed their concern with this appointment.


Wonder Woman was created 75 years ago. 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 body suit 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.

At a time when issues such as gender parity in senior roles and the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse of women and girls is at the top of the United Nation’s agenda, including the “He for She” campaign, this appointment is more than surprising. 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. The image that Wonder Woman projects (life-size cut outs of which have already appeared at UNHQ) is not culturally encompassing or sensitive –attributes the United Nations expects all its staff members to embody in the core value of respect for diversity.

The message the United Nations is sending to the world with this appointment is extremely disappointing. The bottom line appears to be that the United Nations was unable to find a real life woman that would be able to champion the rights of ALL women on the issue of gender equality and the fight for their empowerment. The United Nations has decided that Wonder Woman is the role model that women and girls all round the world should look up to.

Having strong (living, breathing) female role models is a critical aspect of the goal of empowerment of women and girls. If the United Nations would like a list of incredible extraordinary women that would formidably carry out this role, we could surely be able to come up with a list from which the Secretary-General could choose.

Since 2007, the Secretary-General has launched campaign after campaign under the banner of the empowerment of women and girls. However, the United Nations cannot on the one hand claim that “providing women and girls with equal access to education, healthcare, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large,” and on the other, award this key ambassadorial role to Wonder Woman, relegating the importance of the issue of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls to the previous appointment of fictional characters for ambassadorial positions, such as Tinkerbell (Ambassador of Green) and Winnie the Pooh (Ambassador of Friendship).

 

[TBiddy]

"Women" didn't want that? All of them? How do you know? Don't you think there are women who actually appreaciated WW as a symbol? If so, who gets to decide what to do? Those that make the most noise?

Because that's how things actually work right now.

I don't think anyone, outside a few people visiting Tumblr regularly, actually knew about Wonder Woman being ambassador.

 

[excelsiorlef]

I don't think anyone, outside a few people visiting Tumblr regularly, actually knew about Wonder Woman being ambassador.

And you know the women from around the world who work at the UN and through the UN, who engaged in the protest to try and get not a fictional character as their "ambassador" for women's issues...

 

[4 is a cutie]

"Women" didn't want that? All of them? How do you know? Don't you think there are women who actually appreaciated WW as a symbol? If so, who gets to decide what to do? Those that make the most noise?

Because that's how things actually work right now.

Does anyone ever mean "all" of a group when making a statement like that? Stop being weird; no one was forced to change anything.

 

[Irminsul]

Does anyone ever mean "all" of a group when making a statement like that? Stop being weird; no one was forced to change anything.

More people being in favour of removing her than those against it would be a start. Or at least a sizeable proportion. You'll always find people against something in any kind of group.

 

[Kinyou]

You're not entirely wrong since she used to be the Justice Society's secretary in the early 40s if I remember correctly but her creator was a feminist who deliberately created her to be an icon that little girls could look up to. He also happened to be a bondage fanatic so things got a little weird.

I highly recommend reading this very extensive article (that somebody linked to in a previous GAF thread) about the feminist legacy that led to the creation of WW:
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/09/22/last-amazon

An excellent read even for non comic fans.

The bondage actually also likely had a feminist inspiration behind it

 

[The Elite]

I think the role model should definitely be someone real and tangible instead of a fictional character.

Will they allow her to be big breasted though? I have no problem with some of the logic but the descriptors used to describe why she's bad are borderline offensive on their own. Also, "impossibly proportioned" depends on the artist.

Are they going to judge real life women on their physical attributes as well? I am being facetious here but the tone of that first paragraph gives the impression that body type will be considered going forward. There might be noble ends behind the decision but the text does damage to their intention.

 

[Kreed]

Here's most of the petition.

Thank you for posting this, which should have been in the OP, even though you would think more posters would at least try to look for what the other side's complaints were before going all "OMG SJWs/Outrage culture".

And this, again, is why Democrats won't be in power for the next decade. FTR, this is the WW little girls love with right now:

So when groups of Republicans/conservatives complain about things like Starbucks cups having a liberal bias against Christmas, does that have an affect on the Republican Party's election chances?

 

[The Boat]

So... body shaming? It doesn't matter if the character is a strong heroic woman if she has a "hot body" and/or shows some skin?
I mean, I get the point, but it's a fine line we're walking here.

 

[4 is a cutie]

More people being in favour of removing her than those against it would be a start. Or at least a sizeable proportion. You'll always find people against something in any kind of group.

I don't know if 45,001 women were for Wonder Woman being a symbol. Im not sure why this is important because there was no official vote to get WW removed. If anything, be mad at the higher-ups who didn't (as far as we know) set up some sort of ballot to decide. At the end its clear that the outraged people aren't mad for women's sake, seeing all the generic sjw/"We can only have blank role models??? Huh!?!?" posts.

 

[Prototype Viktor]

Why is wonder woman white anyway

Spoiler

other than she was created 75 years ago

when her home island is in a tropical area? She should be darker skinned from simply sun exposure

 

[TBiddy]

And you know the women from around the world who work at the UN and through the UN, who engaged in the protest to try and get not a fictional character as their "ambassador" for women's issues...

No, I don't claim that. But considering there's currently less than 45,000 people who have signed this thing, how widespread do you think this thing is? Keep in mind that online petitions usually explode, because people have a tendency to sign anything.

I'm suggesting that very very few people (outside of Tumblr and niche-sites) actually knew about Wonder Woman and her ambassadorship.

Also, I'd argue that creating an online petition (or signing it) doesn't have much to do with 'engaging in protests'.

 

[Count Dookkake]

They need something more contemporary.

They should ask Uwe Boll if they can use his Blubberella.

 

[excelsiorlef]

So... body shaming? It doesn't matter if the character is a strong heroic woman if she has a "hot body" and/or shows some skin?
I mean, I get the point, but it's a fine line we're walking here.

So we are actually just going to pretend that oversexualization of women in comic books isn't thing....

 

[The Elite]

Why is wonder woman white anyway

Spoiler

other than she was created 75 years ago

when her home island is in a tropical area? She should be darker skinned from simply sun exposure

It's based on Greek mythology. Gal Godot is probably a good representation for that region.

 

[Addi]

Of course it has to be white

it's grey actually

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr-F40mnul8

 

[The Boat]

So we are actually just going to pretend that oversexualization of women in comic books isn't thing....

Of course not, but that doesn't mean we have to do the exact opposite. Recent representations of WW seem pretty "tame", of course it will always depend on the artist, I just don't think this particular criticism makes a lot of sense.

 

[4 is a cutie]

I think the role model should definitely be someone real and tangible instead of a fictional character.

Will they allow her to be big breasted though? I have no problem with some of the logic but the descriptors used to describe why she's bad are borderline offensive on their own. Also, "impossibly proportioned" depends on the artist.

Are they going to judge real life women on their physical attributes as well? I am being facetious here but the tone of that first paragraph gives the impression that body type will be considered going forward. There might be noble ends behind the decision but the text does damage to their intention.

So... body shaming? It doesn't matter if the character is a strong heroic woman if she has a "hot body" and/or shows some skin?
I mean, I get the point, but it's a fine line we're walking here.

Keep in mind Wonder Woman was created by men and mostly drawn by men. No one is shaming a cartoon character and revealing their secret desires to take down real life supermodels. They are pointing out how, aside from a few iterations, WW is skin-bearing and busty like most other female comic book characters are.

 

[Hot Coldman]

Thiiiiis kinda always felt like some 75th anniversary marketing stunt anyway so whatever

 

[CryptiK]

Of course it has to be white

Its grey. Very neutral.

 

[Ulysses 31]

So we are actually just going to pretend that oversexualization of women in comic books isn't thing....

The men get oversexualized too with all the six packs and abundance of muscles so I don't see any why women should feel uniquely targeted.

 

[lightskintwin]

Guys, I'm pretty certain Wonder Woman didn't get her feelings hurt over this. I'm sure she appreciates your concerns and support, but I promise she'll be OK.

 

[Nibiru]

Good.

Has the world really ran out of real women with great achievements that require acknowledgment that the UN must use a fictional, cartoon character to act as a representative role model for women?

It was just supposed to make a good cause fun and exciting by attaching a superhero to it. Nothing wrong with that imo.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

UN can do better.

 

[killertofu]

WW is all about S&M anyways...

Thicker than a bowl of oatmeal.gif

 

[excelsiorlef]

Of course not, but that doesn't mean we have to do the exact opposite. Recent representations of WW seem pretty "tame", of course it will always depend on the artist, I just don't think this particular criticism makes a lot of sense.

I'm just saying both Superman and Wonder Woman are essentially invulnerable, only one of them wears short skirts, or previously tight short shorts and tube tops

vs

 

[The Boat]

Keep in mind Wonder Woman was created by men and mostly drawn by men. No one is shaming a cartoon character and revealing their secret desires to take down real life supermodels. They are pointing out how, aside from a few iterations, WW is skin-bearing and busty like most other female comic book characters are.

As I said, I understand the point, but it's a fine line. If we start demonizing characters simply because they're white and hot, it doesn't really get us anywhere. It sends the message that you can't have that body type or show some skin without doing so for men's viewing pleasure.
The issue of creator, creation and intent is a complicated one of course.

 

[Sioen]

She's white, away with her!

 

[ArkkAngel007]

"These protesters are extremists! Darn feminists/far-left/sjws! Grrr!"

Some of yall are extra mad over this shit lol. I can't tell if the angry people are DC stans or what. Anyways, women didn't want WW as a symbol, so whoever was running things decided to oblige. If people feel a real symbol would better serve as a role model in this case, then cool

That is incorrect. Maybe you didn't or never heard anyone vocalize it, but there are those who do out there.

Edit: Nvm, page didn't load the newer posts. Still disagree with your stance

 

[TBiddy]

I'm just saying both Superman and Wonder Woman are essentially invulnerable, only one of them wears short skirts, or previously tight short shorts and tube tops

Both of them are sexualised to a certain degree. You don't need to be naked to be sexualised.

 

[sibarraz]

For shit like this at times some feminist can't be taken seriously

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

Don't ever downplay fictional characters in a time where kids are learning about diversity and feminism from Steven Universe characters than real people. Sometimes even adults.