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Gosh, The United Nations has named Wonder Woman as an honorary ambassador on “Wonder Woman Day” in New York City. Should we all cheer? How exciting for women to have a hypersexualized comic-book figure as their role model for leadership. I would instead nominate real women such as Angela Merkel, Christine Lagarde, Michelle Obama, or New York’s own Senator Kristen Gillibrand. However, the United Nations offers up the symbol of an alluringly beautiful woman in a bathing suit. This act further promotes the idea that women achieve power mainly on the basis of their attractive physical appearance, not their intelligence or leadership skills. In fact, research has shown that the lack of women in position of power or authority has serious negative implications for both men’s and women’s psychology. Recent research by Taschler & West (2016) found that lack of contact with women in high-status position is associated with more hostile sexism and even more rape myth acceptance among both men and women.

It’s true of course that Wonder Woman was portrayed as strong and brave, but mainly in her earlier manifestations. As the comic strip developed in the postwar years, however, Wonder Woman became more feminized—rescued by men rather than being the rescuer, for example. So, Wonder Woman is not necessarily a symbol of even of female power and strength.

Also, in her adventures, Wonder Woman was frequently chained and restrained in a quite creepy, sexualized way. A perfect symbol for 21st century women? Hardly. It would seem that she was a transitional symbol that perhaps made some sense in mid-20th Century America. But in 2016?

I think that in this mistaken act, we are experiencing yet another sign of the near-exclusion of women from senior leadership roles in the United Nations. Would a contemporary female leader choose “Wonder Woman”? I don’t think so. 

by Dr. Alice Eagly, PhD

Alice Eagly is Professor of Psychology, James Padilla Chair of Arts and Sciences, Faculty Fellow in the Institute for Policy Research, and Professor of Management and Organizations at Northwestern University.
She also held faculty positions at Michigan State University, University of Massachusetts in Amherst, and Purdue University.
Her research and writing pertain to the study of gender, attitudes, prejudice, cultural stereotypes, and leadership.

She is the author of numerous journal articles and three books:

Sex Differences in Social Behavior: A Social Role Interpretation (1987 with Shelly Chaiken)

The Psychology of Attitudes (1993 with Linda Carli)

Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders (2007)