UN staff launch petition & protest over UN's choice of Wonder Woman as ambassador

The appointment of comic book superhero Wonder Woman as a United Nations (UN) ambassador for women’s empowerment has not been well received by UN staff.

Workers have launched a petition – ‘Reconsider the Choice of Wonder Woman as the UN's Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls – pressuring for a reconsideration. So far it has over 2,500 signatures.

The petition reads: “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. This is the character that the UN has decided to represent a globally important issue – that of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

“It is alarming that the United Nations would consider using a character with an overtly sexualised image at a time when the headline news in United States and the world is the objectification of women and girls. The image that Wonder Woman projects (life-size cut outs of which have already appeared at UN HQ) is not culturally encompassing or sensitive – attributes the United Nations expects all its staff members to embody in the core value of respect for diversity.