New York: The United Nations has scrapped Wonder Woman as its honorary ambassador for the empowerment of women and girls after two months in the role, following criticism that the choice sent the wrong message.
It was planned the comic book character would be used in the campaign into 2017, its publisher said, but a UN spokesman said her role would end on Friday.
The super heroine’s appointment in October —especially to appeal to young people — sparked heavy criticism.
Nearly 45,000 people signed an online petition asking UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to reconsider its selection of the character, typically clad in a red, white and blue body suit.
“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,” the petition read.
Wonder Woman, a DC Comics character, first appeared in 1941, fighting villains, rescuing victims and unearthing evil plots.
Dozens of UN employees protested at its headquarters on the day of the appointment, when president of DC Entertainment Diane Nelson said the Wonder Woman campaign would feature various initiatives “over the course of the next year”.
The UN did not provide further details as to why the Wonder Woman campaign was ending this week, but spokesman Jeffrey Brez said campaigns using fictional characters often lasted no longer than a few months. The designation of Angry Birds, a collection of animated characters that originated in an online video game, as UN climate change envoys in March lasted a single day, he said.
DC Entertainment, which publishes DC Comics, said it was pleased with the exposure Wonder Woman brought to the UN’s global goal to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls by 2030 “as well as elevating the global conversation around the empowerment of women and girls”. “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 UN honorary ambassadorship,” DC Entertainment spokeswoman Courtney Simmons said. The release of a special-edition of the comic book next year, is still planned, Ms Simmons said.
Why she lost it:
- The role of the Wonder Woman has been scrapped two months after the appointment, following a criticism that the choice sent a wrong message
- It was planned the comic book character would be used in the campaign into 2017
- Nearly 45,000 people signed an online petition asking UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to reconsider its selection of the character, typically clad in a red, white and blue body suit
- Wonder Woman, a DC Comics character, first appeared in 1941, fighting villains and rescuing victims
- The release of a special-edition comic book is still planned
