I was watching a PBS documentary last week, called "Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines". It was quite interesting actually, discussing female superheroes of comic book fame, and the rise of the women's movement, and what it means to be a "Superhero" in today's world. If you were to look at some of the newer comics, you might think it meant being sexy and catering to the violent fantasies of mysoginistic males. But the film makes the point that the "Wonder Woman" comic started out during the World War II years, and was meant to convey that women had a responsibility to support the war effort, and to be their best selves. And the film encourages women to use their talents to change the way popular culture now represents them.
So what does it mean to be a "Wonder Woman"? The thing with Superheroes is that they usually have some kind of otherworldly gift or power, beyond those of mere mortals. In the case of Wonder Woman, she has her magical bracelets that help her to ward off evil, and her lasso of truth, that forces people to tell the truth whenever they are ensnared in it. The other thing with Superheroes is that they always use their powers for good, and work to combat the forces of evil. So the question is - have I been granted any special gifts or abilities, and if so, how do I use them? And - does this make me a "Superhero"? What really makes a woman a "Heroine"?
Coincidentally, in the last couple of weeks, a picture has been making the rounds on social media, of the recently called Young Women General Presidency, that draws the comparison between them and the three good fairies of Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". As we all know, the good fairies each have magical powers that help them to overcome the evil Maleficent and save the Princess Aurora. Just as the three fairies have their powers and use them in good ways, you could make the argument from this picture, that these leaders have been granted special powers to lead the Young Women of the world in ways of goodness.
So what does it mean to be a "Wonder Woman"? The thing with Superheroes is that they usually have some kind of otherworldly gift or power, beyond those of mere mortals. In the case of Wonder Woman, she has her magical bracelets that help her to ward off evil, and her lasso of truth, that forces people to tell the truth whenever they are ensnared in it. The other thing with Superheroes is that they always use their powers for good, and work to combat the forces of evil. So the question is - have I been granted any special gifts or abilities, and if so, how do I use them? And - does this make me a "Superhero"? What really makes a woman a "Heroine"?
Coincidentally, in the last couple of weeks, a picture has been making the rounds on social media, of the recently called Young Women General Presidency, that draws the comparison between them and the three good fairies of Disney's "Sleeping Beauty". As we all know, the good fairies each have magical powers that help them to overcome the evil Maleficent and save the Princess Aurora. Just as the three fairies have their powers and use them in good ways, you could make the argument from this picture, that these leaders have been granted special powers to lead the Young Women of the world in ways of goodness.
I don' know that I have any particular answers to these questions, but I have for several years liked this quote from Margaret D. Naudald, former Young Women General President:
"The world
has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough
women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who
are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and
fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more
goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough
popularity; we need more purity."
I don't know about you all, but that sounds a lot like a Wonder Woman to me.
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