Wonder Woman, the iconic fictional superhero has been dropped by the U.N. as an ambassador for female empowerment, less than two months after the appointment was made.
The announcement was met with criticism and protests from people saying that she was not the right choice to represent female empowerment and gender equality. Roughly 45,000 people signed a petition in protest of the selection.
“Although the original creators may have intended Wonder Woman to represent a strong and independent ‘warrior’ woman with a feminist message, the reality is that the character’s current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring body suit with an American flag motif and knee high boots –the epitome of a ‘pin-up’ girl,” the petition read.
When the U.N. announced the campaign in October, they said the decision was “about women and girls everywhere, who are wonder women in their own right, and the men and boys who support their struggle for gender equality.”
UN spokesman Jeffrey Brez said that the campaign didn’t end early because of the protest, but that the decision to end the campaign was made soon after the launch.
“The objective was to reach out to Wonder Woman fans to raise awareness of UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 5. We did that. We are very happy,” he told CNN.
Goal No.5 aims to achieve gender equality for women and girls by 2030.
The rights to Wonder Woman’s image are owned by DC Comics.
DC Comics spokeswoman Courtney Simmons said the company has been “extremely pleased” with the partnership.
“Wonder Woman stands for peace, justice and equality, and for 75 years she has been a motivating force for many and will continue to be long after the conclusion of her U.N. honorary ambassadorship,” she told the New York Times.
Wonder Woman’s ambassadorship ends December 16.
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