On June 2 of this year, Wonder Woman was released after much anticipation. After a not-so-great appearance in Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Gal Gadot made her mark in Wonder Woman. The movie follows Wonder Woman aka Diana Prince as she is exiled from her home, Themyscira, because she chooses to aid the Allies in World War I. She is accompanied by British spy, Captain Steve Trevor, and works to stop the bloodiest war in human history. The movie not only has great special effects and battle scenes; but it also demonstrates the importance of standing by one’s values even in the face of disagreement and ridicule.
I loved Wonder Woman because Wonder Woman is one of my favorite superheroes and because DC made a great live-action adaptation of her origin story. When I was finally able to see Wonder Woman, her portrayal made me excited. Diana stayed true to her beliefs and to her mission of ending WWI, despite disagreement from her mother and most of the men she encounters in the outside world. Her next course of action was never dictated by Captain Trevor or British Parliament; she did what she believed to be the most ethical and moral. She did not back down when Trevor or British Parliament thought less of her ideas because she was a woman and she did not back down when her mother urged her to stay on Themyscira. Diana knew that more people would die if WWI continued and she knew that ending the war would be to the benefit of millions.
I appreciated Diana’s steadfastness because steadfastness is often not appreciated in women by our society. Steadfast women are often seen as difficult and naive while steadfast men are seen as assertive and strong. Seeing Diana be steadfast proves that women can accomplish their goals and that accomplishing their goals should not depend on male approval. Diana defies both the social norms of 1910s British society and the social norms of modern American society. We may think our society has become more progressive and while women have made huge gains, we rarely see a strong and steadfast woman portrayed in a positive manner. For those who see Wonder Woman, I hope you all can see that standing up for what you believe in is important and that what you believe in does have value. I hope you all can see that male approval is unnecessary to achieve your goals.
The media plays a key role in how we form our values, how we perceive people that are different from us, and how we interact with larger society. Wonder Woman can serve as more than a passing trend; it can serve as the blueprint for greater female empowerment in American society. It could be the catalyst for changing attitudes about women who are steadfast and strong in their beliefs and women who do not want their gender to limit their accomplishments. Wonder Woman could make steadfastness and strength positive attributes in women, and it could give women the confidence to identify and stop injustices against women in our society.