Wonder Woman

A few weeks ago, I saw the Wonder Woman movie. I’m not a huge superhero fan, but I couldn’t resist a movie directed by a woman with a mostly female cast. Did I mention it was a cast of badass, powerful, smart, and loving women? For most of my fifty-five years of life, movies have been focused on men, with women the weaker, supporting characters. There have certainly been many improvements since I was a young girl, but the improvements have been slow and sporadic.

So often in film and television, women have been portrayed as one-sided characters and often as the damsels in distress or the bitchy vixens. Neither is good nor bad, but having only one dimension for a gender certainly is. Wonder Woman is strong and loving. She has both characteristics. She is both independent and receptive to relationships and love. She can protect herself, but is also willing to be part of a team. Wonder Woman represents what so many women want…to be both strong and independent, as well as a loving part of any relationship.

Watching Wonder Woman grow up surrounded by the love of other women was almost as fabulous as watching these same women train her to use her strength to protect herself and others. Being represented in movies by these characters was revolutionary for this middle-aged feminist. I used to watch old movies with my mother. Every female character was weak, syrupy sweet, and existed to please men. Oh, how glorious it was to see the opposite on the big screen!

Everyday Wonder Women

I meet Wonder Women every day. No, they don’t wear breastplates, but they soldier on by owning both their loving nature and their independent strength. They support other women through actions and words. They mentor younger women and teach their daughters how to be powerful and kind at the same time. These Wonder Women love their husbands (or wives) and raise their boys to believe that strength is a variety of actions and all are valuable. Wonder Women understand that they are equals in the world and refuse to allow anything less.

I was inspired by the movie and by the progress women in film have made. Now it’s time to keep that progress going so that it isn’t a rare occurrence, but rather a normal part of life. While we are at it, let’s do the same thing in our government, our corporations, our homes, and in all aspects of life. Soldier on, Wonder Women!

Love,

Lisa Kaplin Psy. D. PCC