“Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines” was shown in Gibble Auditorium on Monday, March 14. The movie was about the absence of female superheroines and their need to be represented in modern culture. According to one of the experts on Wonder Woman, she was “psychological propaganda for the type of woman that would one day rule the world.”
Wonder Woman debuted in December of 1941. Many female superheroines have been introduced, but Wonder Woman is the only one who survived and stood out from all of the male superheroes. Wonder Woman was an Amazonian woman, a woman who was strong and did not need a man in order to survive. Women had to enter the workforce during World War II since all of the men who held the jobs were overseas; this change led to the rise of Wonder Woman. A researcher in the movie said, “Any woman, in theory, could become Wonder Woman.” “Wonder Woman Day,” a celebration of Wonder Woman throughout the years, was created to bring strength to women and to raise money for domestic violence shelters. With 90 percent of violence in the world aimed against females, this day sought to help. Wonder Woman’s only weakness was that she lost her powers when she was bound. She could free herself, unlike the other female characters in comics who needed a man’s assistance in order to be freed.
When the war was over, the men returned and they took their jobs back, the essence of Wonder Woman died. The comics of Wonder Woman depicted a life dominated by romance instead of the strength and power that her life had consisted of during the war.
“Ms.” magazine ran an ad entitled “Wonder Woman for President” as an attempt to fight for Wonder Woman’s powers back. Many supporters and enthusiasts of the superheroine chimed in with their support and praise of the Wonder Woman movement during the movie. Katie Pineda, an 8-year-old girl who was bullied in school, talked about how she looks up to Wonder Woman and how the superheroine gives her strength even in adversity. Lynda Carter, the actress who portrayed Wonder Woman on the television show, added her support for the character and said Wonder Woman needs to make another appearance.
Assistant Professor of Sociology Rita Shah held a question and answer directly after the movie. There are several different reasons why this movie should be shown to Elizabethtown College students according to Shah. “First, if you listen to coverage of movies, movie directors, etc., you will hear a story that there isn’t an audience for female superheroes, a story that is, quite frankly, not real,” Shah said. “Unfortunately, because moviegoers hear that there is no interest, they think the characters are not as exciting or interesting or, perhaps, that females shouldn’t or couldn’t be superheroes. So, it is important for students to see this film because it shows how awesome female superheroes are and dispels the myth that there isn’t any interest.
“Second, the film also highlights real life female superheroes and their struggles to advance equal rights for women (and men),” Shah continued. “In doing so, the movie and conversation after the movie will hopefully help show that men and women are equal and that the fight for women’s equality is about creating a society in which both sexes are viewed as smart, capable, interesting and able to kick ass and benefit everyone.”
The end of the movie was about the importance of Wonder Woman and how she is a symbol of female power. Wonder Woman’s legacy is what we make it, and the necessity of bringing the superheroine back was clear by the end of the movie.
