Posted in: Comics | Tagged: ambassador, girls, greg rucka, Honorary Ambassador, Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls, nicola scott, united nations, william moulton marston, women, wonder woman

Nicola Scott Speaks In The Guardian About Wonder Woman Losing United Nations Ambassadorship

You'll remember Nicola Scott (artist on the current Wonder Woman run) spoke on Facebook about the UN removing Diana's status as the UN's Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. Well, Nicola had more to say on the matter.

What's more it was the first time that Greg Rucka also spoke up on the matter, short but sweet:

Writing in the comment section of The Guardian Nicola noted how they petitioners found the outfit and appearance inappropriate also noting that they said that the ambassadorial role should be a real woman. Crucially, though, Ms. Scott mentioned the differences between honorary and goodwill abassadors, saying:

Absolutely, real life women should hold official representation roles, especially for such a loaded global goal, but an "honorary" ambassador, unlike a goodwill ambassador, is traditionally created for fictional characters. Winnie the Pooh was an honorary ambassador for friendship in 1998. Tinkerbell was named honorary ambassador of green (environmental awareness) in 2009. Fictional characters have the ability to cross borders and boundaries that real people can't. Their accessibility and interest to children help spread important goals to younger generations.

Nicola went on to talk about the history of Wonder Woman's creation, her costume, and her place alongside Rosie the Riveter. But definitively showing that the character came from William Moulton Marston, a womens' rights advocate. Scott did (and I don't say this as criticism, just observation) omit that the role that his wife and mistress had to play in that.

Nicola covered second wave feminism's use of Diana, too, stating:

During the second wave of feminism in the 1970s, Gloria Steinem personally chose Wonder Woman as the perfect role model to grace the cover of the first issue Ms. Magazine. She remembered the impact that Wonder Woman had on her as a child, and knew her message was still potent. It was not long after the cover that Wonder Woman became the first female lead action adventure series starring Lynda Carter. 2017 will see Wonder Woman on the big screen in the first female lead movie of the modern superhero era, starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot.

Cheifly, though, after a short focus on her history, and the strong female characters that the world has loved since, Scott got to the crux of the matter:

Unfortunately, it seems that all Wonder Woman's history, her place in cultural progress, has been ignored. The recent petition reduced her to pretty lady in a bathing suit, stripped her of agency. Just another woman who's lost her job.

That's the brass tacks, and it Nicola put her heart, soul, and mind (research, folks!) in to the work.

Read the whole Comment Is Free article over on the Guardian, it's well worth the read, and tell us what you think!

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