In light of the new female-led movie out on theaters now, it's time we talk about "Wonder Woman" in terms that don't coincide with feminism.
Before I dive in, it's important to know that I DO support women's rights. The right to vote, the right to a voice, equality in the workplace... Those are all things I stand behind. However, in today's society, I do not refer to myself as a feminist. When people hear the word "feminist" today, the first images that come to mind are women (and some men) marching, wearing vagina hats, and throwing out insults. Now, I have no problem with different opinions, but I don't want to be tied to that stereotype that exists nowadays. Not all women or feminists go to that extreme, but still. Way back in the day, I may have identified as a feminist - before slurs and unkind words and actions were thrown around. So, as of now, I identify as supporting gender equality (without throwing the f word around).
With that being said, the new superhero movie has made its debut not only in theaters, but all over social media as well. Not a day goes by where I haven't seen some sort of article about it, either raving for it or against it and tying it into some sort of social controversy. This peaked my interest and I did some research of my own.
The first way that "Wonder Woman" goes against the said "feminist" theme of the film is the outfits that she wears. Being involved in many debates about this topic, I've found that it's more popular for feminists to explore that in some movies; the ones where women are only shown in "slutty" outfits. I see the point being made; women should not have to be portrayed in sexual and revealing outfits if they are going out on a date, walking around the house, going to work, or anything else usually found in films. How often, on the big screen, do we see secretaries in tight pencil skirts, women dressing up in short, over-figure hugging dresses for date night, and only wearing lingerie to bed? People put up a fight about the over-sexuality of women's bodies in movies, but now, since there is a woman as the lead, it's suddenly okay for her to wear just rags as a skirt and a sculpted breastplate as a top. Does anyone else notice this double standard?
A second way that "Wonder Woman" goes against the feminist theme is that there is really no leading male character. Now, hear me out, here. Men and women are equal as said by feminism, yes? Then shouldn't there be a healthy co-relationship between a hero and a heroine? I understand not having a male overpower a woman - they are both capable of incredible things. But leaving a male out of the picture altogether shows a sort of "dominance" that women have that goes against the true definition of feminism.
As a whole, with "Wonder Woman" being directed by a woman, I think that great strides are being taken towards gender equality in today's society. However, I think it could be done better if we leave out the revealing outfits.