Gal Gadot responded to the U.N.’s “Wonder Woman” controversy, and we totally get where she’s coming from
Among all the superheroes, Wonder Woman holds a special significance for many of us because she’s just so darn kick ass. And earlier this year, she achieved international exposure by being named an honorary ambassador by the United Nations for the empowerment of women and girls, a title which is unusual for a fictional character, but pretty awesome all the same! Except…not everyone thought so, and in fact, a petition went around that heavily criticized the UN for choosing a fictional superhero with an “overtly sexualized” appearance, and asked that she be removed — and she was.
If you’re wondering what Wonder Woman herself (AKA Gal Gadot who is playing her in the movie) thinks about the controversy, she opened up for Time magazine.
"There are so many horrible things that are going on in the world, and this is what you’re protesting, seriously?When people argue that Wonder Woman should ‘cover up,’ I don’t quite get it. They say, ‘If she’s smart and strong, she can’t also be sexy.’ That’s not fair. Why can’t she be all of the above?"
That’s a great question: Why, indeed!? At the same time, we totally understand the concerns of the UN and those petitioning. There are numerous real-life feminist role models they could have chosen instead of a comic book character (who definitely has a pretty sexy ~look~), but we understand Gadot’s point too, that it seems unnecessary to protest a smart and strong female figure like Wonder Woman being given exposure.
Being strong and sexy and smart shouldn’t be mutually exclusive. So there’s that. Also, just because a woman shows skin, that should not automatically deem her as “sexualized.” Women should be free to express themselves in any way they choose, without that pressure of being labelled or criticized in an unfair way.
Gadot went on to talk about how important it is to have these bold representations in pop culture — especially for the opposite sex.
"We need to educate boys, show boys strong women in powerful positions. It’s all about expanding the possibilities of what women can be."
via giphyWe completely understand both sides of this argument as they raise fair points, and at the end of the day, we’re happy to have Wonder Woman in our lives in other capacities. Like, the movie. Come on, June 2017! Bring on the girl power.
H/T: Entertainment Weekly
