We Are All Wonder Women print by Chicago artists and sisters Sarah and Catherine Satrun
Representation Matters
On Monday, I sat in a room of older men – a true old boys club if you will. And I pretended once again not to hear or care about yet another sexist “slack” joke. Of course as good old boys do, they all had a hearty laugh – oblivious or just don’t care?
In that moment, as the only woman in the room, I was thinking, why the cuss am I here? What the cuss am I trying to prove or fight up with? Who the cuss really cares anyway? Thankfully, it was for a moment. I let their immaturity pass by me and I said to myself, if not me…then who?
On Tuesday, I started seeing reviews for the Wonder Woman movie, pop up on my various timelines. I was going to see the movie anyway, and after reading Amanda Magee’s review, I had to go see this movie!
What’s funny is the one negative review I read before I made it to the cinema, was from a man. A man so bored during the movie, he fell asleep. Uninterested. Unimpressed. Dismissive. Seen one superhero movie…seen ’em all I suppose. Must be nice.
On Wednesday, I saw the movie.
Today, I write.
Representation Matters
The opening scenes on Themyscira, of the Amazons training and a young Diana shadowing their every move, made my throat tighten and I hoped that my punk cuss self wouldn’t let a tear fall. I thought about all the little girls, watching, shadowing and learning from the wonder women in every day life. And it made me wonder, if we had more movies like this growing up, what impact would it have had?
Wonder Woman made me think of every woman I know who is kicking cuss in real life. Kicking cuss, in a world that still tells them No, at every turn. Wonder Woman made me think of my mother, who is still my superhero today. Like Wonder Woman – she was flawed, she didn’t have it all together but she kicked cuss every.single.day without a lasso of truth. But cuss…what my mother would have done with that lasso of truth!
I was unprepared for how this movie would make me feel. Representation matters. And while there are flaws – no real character development for the villain Ares and the over the top, third act big finish. I want to get to the point where I’ve seen one female superhero movie…I’ve seen ’em all.
At it’s core, this movie made me appreciate even more the wonder women I admire in every day life. Representation matters. If you’ve seen it, what are your thoughts? Please share below. If you haven’t as yet. Buy a ticket and go.