A superhero, male or female, is someone who chooses to protect the world from any danger it may face. Why then does society view a male superhero as fulfilling his destiny and a female superhero as defying expectations? Gloria Steinem, an American feminist and activist, discusses in her essay, “Wonder Woman,” that the introduction of a female superhero in media brought about an empowerment in women in a time when she was needed the most. Wonder Woman was a heroine in the making, but not without facing and overcoming objectification and limitations instituted by governing bodies or individuals. Similarly, Julie D. O’Reilly, an Associate Professor of Communication and Women's and Gender Studies, analysis in her article, “The Wonder Woman Precedent:
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However, in order to gain equal standing among her male counterparts, she had to engage in the battle of subject versus object. Wonder Woman’s high level of autonomy set her apart from the stereotypical female character. In other words, Wonder Women had natural power, choose her own path, and was able to resist male dominance. However, Wonder Women was objectified due to her physical appearance (Steinem 254). Wonder Woman went from being an independent heroine to nothing more than an object a men desired. Nonetheless, she was able to remain a proto-feminist leader due to her inspiration on the female audience both in comics and real life. As a leader and symbol of feminism, Wonder Woman set about changing the world for equality and justice (Steinem 251). Wonder Woman’s home, Paradise Island stood for the home of feminism. In Paradise Island, an all-female society, women were not inferior to men and women were trained to become independent and have a senses of justice that would transcend into the real world in comics (Steinem 250). Steinem cited several pieces of evidence that would lead to the conclusion that an all-female society could be possible and possibly successful; therefore, entertaining the idea that women do not need to be saved or helped by
However, in order to gain equal standing among her male counterparts, she had to engage in the battle of subject versus object. Wonder Woman’s high level of autonomy set her apart from the stereotypical female character. In other words, Wonder Women had natural power, choose her own path, and was able to resist male dominance. However, Wonder Women was objectified due to her physical appearance (Steinem 254). Wonder Woman went from being an independent heroine to nothing more than an object a men desired. Nonetheless, she was able to remain a proto-feminist leader due to her inspiration on the female audience both in comics and real life. As a leader and symbol of feminism, Wonder Woman set about changing the world for equality and justice (Steinem 251). Wonder Woman’s home, Paradise Island stood for the home of feminism. In Paradise Island, an all-female society, women were not inferior to men and women were trained to become independent and have a senses of justice that would transcend into the real world in comics (Steinem 250). Steinem cited several pieces of evidence that would lead to the conclusion that an all-female society could be possible and possibly successful; therefore, entertaining the idea that women do not need to be saved or helped by