My interest in Wonder Woman began early on in my life. I have a picture of my dad holding me up in the sky, flying with my "underwoman" bikini and beads around my neck. Back then, though, Wonder Woman didn't fly on her own, she flew around in an invisible Jet. A lot has changed about Wonder Woman in the past 60 years. A lot has changed for women in America over the past 60 years. Yet, Wonder Woman remains an icon for women and an inspiration to little girls. And ... why not have an ideal? Someone who holds a standard of truth and strength, while retaining a feminine disposition.
I think it's appropriate to launch this blog on the week of Mother's Day, 2007, which really doesn't end until my flowers die. I am a mother of two toddlers, a professional writer and editor, with a Master's Degree in progress. My Wonder Woman coffee mug sits in front of me most mornings, reminding me that it's okay to step up and take on the challenges of my day. American women face the complexities of life from the time we are young. Roles and obligations are placed in front of us. Often, the thing we want the most, dangles just out of reach. I watch my determined one year old daughter go after whatever treasure has captured her eye. She stops at nothing. It is in her nature: DETERMINATION - a quality I hope will go on, driving her to achieve endless possibilities.
Back to Wonder Woman. a brief history :: Wonder Woman was created by the same guy who invented the lie detector test, William Moulton Marston. Marston was a consultant to DC Comics and was a champion of women's causes. He was convinced that women were more reliable than men, more honest and could work faster and more accurately. He is quoted in the American Scholar, 1943:
"Not even girls want to be girls so long as our feminine archetype lacks force, strength and power. Not wanting to be girls, they don't want to be tender, submissive, peace-loving as good women are. Women's strong qualities have become despised because of their weakness. The obvious remedy is to create a feminine character with all the strength of Superman plus all the allure of a good and beautiful woman."
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2 comments:
Way to go Erica! Very interesting!Maybe I'll do a blog....
It’s good to be able to have a female role model and why not let Wonder Women fit the bill? Women are often referred as "Super Women" but to my recollection I don't remember there actually being a real super woman—other than myself of course! Let’s see, I have overcome tremendous obstacles: I was the product of a matriarch from the “kingdom of the intercity” she was known as “Queen Patsy”, oh yes, I was reared by a single mother that raised 4 kids single handedly, and I was the youngest of the lot. I was the 1st in the family to graduate from college. I became I women of vision: worked full time, birthed 3 children, developed several start up companies, been married to the same husband for close to 30 years, surveyed the death of a child, been the family outcast, advocated for overcoming stigmas of mental health and the worrier of enemy of hell to include an ongoing battle entering the latter years of 20. Thank God for the adventures of Wonder Women!
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