Wonder Woman has a new cause to fight for: the empowerment of girls and women. The United Nations is scheduled to make the comic book character the emblem of hope for girls and women everywhere on Oct. 21.
In her role as Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls, Wonder Woman will spread the message of women’s empowerment, ending sexual violence against women, and increasing gender parity in public leadership roles.
Her image will be used into UN social media and other material to promote women’s empowerment, sponsored by DC Entertainment, and Warner Bros., to support of Unicef and the UN’s new year-long campaign.
But not everyone is on board with the pick.
The UN faced criticism after turning down seven female candidates for the top job of Secretary General. In the organization’s 70-year-history no woman has ever lead the UN Security Council. Now, with the appointment of António Guterres, it will be at least another five years.
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And men continue to hold the majority of leadership positions available within the UN. Senior positions in the UN are 92% male.
Some are saying her appointment is hypocritical of the UN, masking the fact that the UN isn’t empowering women by electing them into leadership positions, with reason.
Others are celebrating her position — pointing to Wonder Woman’s background story which claims she represents justice and fights for women’s equality with “feminist zeal.”
“She really is the first humanitarian superhero. It is an interesting, unique tale of someone who is basically giving up a life of comfort to take on conflict and to be a crusader for justice and peace,” Jim Lee, the co-publisher of DC Comics told NPR.
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Either way, the first female superhero turns 75 this year, and will join other fictional characters such as Pooh-Bear and Tinkerbell, as a UN honorary ambassador.
Outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon as well as Diane Nelson, president of DC Entertainment, will welcome Wonder Woman on board at the ceremony taking place at UN Headquarters in New York, Oct. 21.
The UN also plans to have “special guests” which are rumored to be either Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series, or Gal Gadot — set to play the character in the new movie.
Time will tell — will Wonder Woman truly be kicking-ass for women everywhere aiding to elect more women into power, or will she remain a lone figure among men in the decades to come?