Wonder Woman

I know this is a fictional character but she, as played by Lynda Carter, had a huge influence on me as a preteen girl–not all of it positive.

I loved watching that show because even back then I loved Superhero stories. Here was a woman who could do amazing things. I remember being frustrated though by how stupid people were who couldn’t see through her disguise and, more subtly, why she always had to defer to the men as Diana.  It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that even as Wonder Woman she often deferred to the men. It just wasn’t as blatantly obvious.

My irritation with that though didn’t stop me from watching because I loved following her adventures. As I did with the Bionic Woman, who was almost as cool, but not quite. I’ve only recently realized it was because Jaime Sommers didn’t have that amazing costume and, you know, like boobs. I’m still a fan of the costume and no longer confused why.

The thing is, this could very easily be the point where I started hating my body and being very unhappy with who I was. It was so subtle and never conscious though so I can’t be sure. Seeing Lynda Carter on that screen and already knowing I was never going to look like that did some damage that I’m still unpacking.

Despite that, I still love Superheroes.  Carol Danvers and the women in the Marvel universe are more my style, but Gal Godot’s Wonder Women is still pretty cool.

One of the most interesting things about Wonder Woman is who her creator based her on. If you’re interested in finding out, I recommend the book written by Jill Lepore called “The Secret History of Wonder Woman.” I believe there’s a movie out about it too, but you know I’ll always recommend the book.