The politicization of Wonder Woman

[wyldwolf]

Of course, you knew it would happen. Any person or character that carries the label 'feminist icon' is bound to eventually be attacked by sexists and racists. Already faux-outraged by women-only showings of the film that are raising money for Planned Parenthood ("little baby killers&quot and women's shelters ("free hotel stays for welfare leeches&quot , misogynists are invading comment sections of the film reviews with comments like these:

* WW is a typical grrrl power movie; just plain idiocy. Hollywood doesn't want male customers any more, I guess, but will promote this silly movie for the sake of a fellow (((tribe member))) from Israel (Gal Gadot).

* More feminist trash by Joolywood.

* There is no such thing as antisemitism. It is a word made up by Jews so its more difficult to criticize them. They even admit to this.

* Is there any girl on girl action in it? Or do we have to wait for the extended directors cut? Gotta love how Patty Jenkins and Gadot like to show off their racks.

Now, National Review is out with their take on why the movie is getting overwhelming positive reviews, which begins like this:

"Could film critics — virtually all of them ardent progressives — be grading on a curve, the way the Army gives women two and a half more minutes than men to be credited with the top score in a two-mile run? Movie reviews are as susceptible to virtue-signaling as any other form of lefty writing."

Anyone else following this trend or noticed?

[LisaM]

1. I noticed a few 4chan-like reader comments for the women-only showing some theatres are having.

It was so ridiculous - one of them said, well, are they going to have men-only showings for.....{list of at least ten male superhero movies}? As if that doesn't exactly illustrate the point?

[niyad]

3. nobody is stopping them from having male-only showings. they are just pissed because

they never thought of it.

[bettyellen]

4. They're pissed because their men only showings weren't at all intentional, LOL.

[niyad]

5. you are, of course, absolutely correct.

[LisaM]

6. They pretty much are that, anyway.

I live next to a movie theatre, so I see all the opening night audiences and they are at least 75% male for most of this type of movie (and I think I'm underestimating).

Interestingly - we get free tickets to movies - they've had advance special showings for people in our apartment for a bunch of movies, the male movies. They aren't doing it for this one, though.

(My favorite crowds were the little girls coming to see "Cinderella" wearing princess dresses, and the mothers and daughters who came for the "Frozen" singalong!)

[niyad]

7. you confirmed what I suspected about the audience for that macho garbage. watching

the young princesses must have been really sweet.

[LisaM]

12. Yes, and it's worse in the summer.

We had a rash of car thefts in our building one year (we got it back, but ours was stolen for a while), and let me just say, I didn't have an iota of worry about car thefts and break ins with the crowd that came to the "Frozen" singalong. (For that matter, I didn't worry about the people that came to see "Ab Fab" or "Hidden Figures", either).

The "Godzilla" crowd was hilarious, mostly young Japanese (male) college students who poured into Five Guys afterwards. I didn't worry much about them, either, and boy were they enjoying themselves.

It's very interesting if you're someone like me who likes to observe these things.

[X_Digger]

33. In states other than 5 (all deep south), that would be discrimination.

A movie theater is explicitly called out as a public accommodation under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title II. All but five states have added discrimination based on gender to the list of protected classes.

So technically, such a showing would be illegal.

[Blue_Warrior]

43. But that doesn't seem like why the act was intended for...

[X_Digger]

46. Intent has nothing to do with breaking the law. If you had a christian only showing..

.. or a native american's only showing.. it still would be discrimination.

The thing about principles (as opposed to preferences) is that you apply them universally.

If you don't? Then they're not really principles.


"Discrimination? Meh, when the group I'm discriminating against suits me, it's fine.." -- Apparently some folks.

[niyad]

2. oh, it has been noticed. look at what lebanon did. poooor widdle male snowflakes simply

cannot handle, or imagine, strong, confident, competent, intelligent women. their masculine identity apparently hangs by very small sacs.

[NewJeffCT]

8. Regarding the reviews

If critics and Hollywood were all so liberal and eager to promote a superhero movie with a female lead, why were superheroine movies like Catwoman and Elektra treated so savagely by critics? Why has Black Widow not been given a movie for Marvel, even though she had some great moments in Avengers 1 and 2 as well as in her first appearance in Iron Man 2?

[justiceischeap]

9. I have friends of color that are against the movie cause Gadot

is pro-Israel and was in the Israeli Army

Seems everything is controversial these days.

That said, it would appear the same thing that happened with the Ghostbusters reboot is happening here--if it's about strong women, people need to put it down.

[LisaM]

13. Aren't all Israeli citizens required to be in the army, though?

I don't see how that can be held against any one person in particular.

[justiceischeap]

17. Yes they are but apparently she posted something anti-Palestine

on her FB page (which makes sense if you're pro-Israel--though I'm not voicing an opinion one way or the other).

My problem with all this is that we live in a time when even simple entertainment has been politicized and if I go see this movie (which I won't 'cause I'm broke), then I'm seen as the white lady who doesn't get it or support my friends of color or am pro-Israel or, or, or....

[EL34x4]

21. Gadot has a Facebook post that is very pro-IDF.

Shows her and her daughter praying. Conservatives are in love.

[img][/img]

[tritsofme]

27. Wow, I've never heard of her, but I love her based on that post alone!

How sad that it is "controversial" to denounce Hamas terrrorists using women and children as human shields...

[Motownman78]

38. One man's terrorist

is another man's freedom fighter. 240 years ago there were terrorists named Washington, Jefferson, and Adams yet today we call them patriots.

[grossproffit]

47. No, Hamas ARE terrorists, just like ISIS, Al-Queda, Taliban, Hezbollah They're NOT freedom fighters.

[cabot]

39. agreed

God forbid someone voice disapproval of women and children being used as human shields.

[Behind the Aegis]

45. Right?!

She is an Israeli and therefore, she is evil. She is Jewish and prays, therefore, she is a bad person. It is amazing how far some go to twist their hate of Jews and Israel into something they like to pretend is "liberal".

[Blue_Tires]

24. Yeah, I also had a bunch of problems with her casting...

Most of them are minor and petty, but still...

[Orsino]

42. It seems her years in the IDF make her responsible...

...for all Palestinian deaths during that time. Or something.

I can understand boycotting, but the premise seems thin, and mostly an attention grab, Godot being the most prominent Israeli actress on the scene now.

Banning? Wrong answer.

[Egnever]

10. Haha this dude can't wait to see wonder woman

One of my most anticipated movies this year. My only hope is it is as awesome as it looks in the trailer.

Screw the haters this one is going to be epic. My bet is it does really well at the box office.

[Initech]

15. I'm going to see it for sure!

Every time you buy a ticket for Wonder Woman, a white male social justice warrior snowflake loses their minds!

[mythology]

19. It would be nice for DC to have an actual good movie

Their movie theater movies (with the exception of the Nolan Batman films) have been pretty bad. It's odd that they have done some really good animated movies and do quality tv shows, but feature movies have been so bad.

[Egnever]

22. Blasphemy!

I loved Superman and Superman vs Batman. The biggest problem for the later imho was they had to cut it down for the movie audience . The full unedited version is excellent.

You want to talk about crap pretty much every movie after the original iron Man in the marvel universe has gotten progressively more childish. I really want to like those movies but ugh..

[geek tragedy]

11. not paying attention to that, but we have our tickets for Saturday already nt

[Lotusflower70]

14. Screw the haters

Seriously? Talk about a bunch of fucking snowflakes whining about a strong and intelligent woman. Their fragile little egos and insecurities about female intelligence and strength might be damaged in some way. Kiss my ass! The women only showings are not catering to dumb and dumber. It's empowering. And as if there haven't been any men only things before. The attempts to minimize The significance by assaulting and insulting looks, ethnicity, religion or sexuality are weak and pathetic but should be expected I suppose since we are talking about the neanderthals lurking among us. These guys are all look at me, look at me. I love superhero movies and if I get to go without the douchebag trying to rain on my parade, so be it. I am all in.

[Initech]

16. I think it's hilarious and the definition of irony.

The alpha male jackasses who rail about "social justice warriors" who are "snowflakes" that need their "hand held in safe spaces" are the very thing they claim to despise. I remember I made fun of these douchebags a lot when Ghostbusters was out last year, but I didn't realize how much they're like the people they claim to despise until Trump got elected.

[Lotusflower70]

18. Agreed

It is ridiculous and ironic that the right is whining about women only and strong women. They share a brain, so they can't attack with intelligence. They hate diversity and freak out about single moms and lgbt couples. Omg! And us multilingual folks, they can't handle it because they can't even master English. It is great to turn it back around on them though.

[Initech]

23. They think of diversity the same way Ron Burgundy does.

[grossproffit]

20. I'm gonna see it twice now.

[Behind the Aegis]

44. Me too!

TODAY!!!

[rollin74]

25. I wasn't even planning to see the movie but now...

I definitely will

screw the haters and anti-semites

[lovemydogs]

26. this is just so sad

My granddaughter just had her 5th birthday and she got WW stuff and a costume she wore for 3 days! She would not take it off.
She is a very girly girl but, loves the strong, clever powerful women and characters that are out today.
Her 7 year old sister is not as much into this but, she is a strong, smart and opinionated, curious girl in her own right.
Men who cannot handle characters in movies where there is a strong, smart women, especially leading, are not men. They are wimps. Scared little boys. Because real men like strong women

[Warren DeMontague]

28. My only problem with it is the fact that every other fucking movie is about comic books/superheroes.

I mean, enough already. Apparently there is no other well from which Hollywood can draw ideas, the short-lived trend of turning 1970s kids games ("Battleship&quot into full length features having ended with the "Hungry Hungry Hippos" starring F. Murray Abraham debacle.

[wyldwolf]

29. well, not really...

There are the movies based on video games, movies based on theme park rides, and TV show remakes.

[panader0]

31. I gave up on comic books when I was a kid. In the fifties.

Then I came back for Zap Comix and the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers.
Late 60's. I don't get the super-hero movies. I'll take an old Robert Mitchum
film noir anyday.

[Warren DeMontague]

32. I never liked comics and superheroes, etc.

Now, sure, Zap, Crumb, Fabulous Furry Freak Bros... totally different story, different genre. When I was older, and after I had discovered weed..

But Superman, Spider-man, Batman, all bored the everloving shit out of me as a kid. I enjoyed reading science fiction and was otherwise fully geeked out, but I just missed that boat entirely.

[TeamPooka]

30. National Review clearly wants to hit from the women's tee next time they play golf. nt

[alarimer]

34. They really are special snowflakes, aren't they?

Got their little feelings hurt? Well GOOD.

[kwassa]

35. Why are comic books ever considered important? We aim so low.

The dumbing down of America.

I went to see the screening of "Superman" in 1978 with my fellow film school graduates. When we walked out afterwords, somewhat depressed, one of my friends said glumly that this might be the future of American film-making. He was so right.

I left the industry a few years later.

This is not art. Comics are not literature, at least the superhero ones. It is not important.

[wyldwolf]

36. Austin, TX Mayor Steve Adler's perfect response to misogynist Wonder Woman email.

Mayor Steve Adler's office released a response Wednesday evening to an email bashing Austin and women after the Alamo Drafthouse scheduled all female screenings of 'Wonder Woman.'

Adler's office said he received the following email on Friday, May 26:

"I hope every man will boycott Austin and do what he can to diminish Austin and to cause damage to the city’s image. The theater that pandered to the sexism typical of women will, I hope, regret it’s decision. The notion of a woman hero is a fine example of women’s eagerness to accept the appearance of achievement without actual achievement. Women learn from an early age to value make-up, that it’s OK to pretend that you are greater than you actually are. Women pretend they do not know that only men serve in combat because they are content to have an easier ride. Women gladly accept gold medals at the Olympics for coming in 10th and competing only against the second class of athletes. Name something invented by a woman! Achievements by the second rate gender pale in comparison to virtually everything great in human history was accomplished by men, not women. If Austin does not host a men only counter event, I will never visit Austin and will welcome it’s deteriorati on [sic]. And I will not forget that Austin is best known for Charles Whitman. Does Austin stand for gender equality or for kissing up to women? Don’t bother to respond. I already know the answer. I do not hate women. I hate their rampant hypocrisy and the hypocrisy of the “women’s movement.” Women do not want gender equality; they want more for women. Don’t bother to respond because I am sure your cowardice will generate nothing worth reading.

Richard A. Ameduri"

On Wednesday, Adler's office said that he sent the following response:

"Dear Mr. Amenduri,

I am writing to alert you that your email account has been hacked by an unfortunate and unusually hostile individual. Please remedy your account’s security right away, lest this person’s uninformed and sexist rantings give you a bad name. After all, we men have to look out for each other!

Can you imagine if someone thought that you didn’t know women could serve in our combat units now without exclusion? What if someone thought you didn’t know that women invented medical syringes, life rafts, fire escapes, central and solar heating, a war-time communications system for radio-controlling torpedoes that laid the technological foundations for everything from Wi-Fi to GPS, and beer? And I hesitate to imagine how embarrassed you’d be if someone thought you were upset that a private business was realizing a business opportunity by reserving one screening this weekend for women to see a superhero movie.

You and I are serious men of substance with little time for the delicate sensitivities displayed by the pitiful creature who maligned your good name and sterling character by writing that abysmal email. I trust the news that your email account has been hacked does not cause you undue alarm and wish you well in securing your account. And in the future, should your travels take you to Austin, please know that everyone is welcome here, even people like those who wrote that email whose views are an embarrassment to modernity, decency, and common sense.

Yours sincerely,

Steve Adler"

[AngryAmish]

37. You realize this is all a work by the movie studio?

Ginning up outrage to sell tickets? Marketing 202.

[LanternWaste]

40. No doubt, Warner Brothers PR department called Hassan Nasrallah

No doubt, Warner Brothers PR department called Hassan Nasrallah one afternoon, and over cigarettes and fruit juice, asked him to make sure Hezbollah boycotted the film as well...

[Behind the Aegis]

41. Yup, I knew this was going to happen.

I saw the reactions when Gadot made her appearance as Wonder Woman. While some are purists, still waiting for Lynda Carter to come out of retirement, there were many who saw the new Wonder Woman as too "aggressive", which is often code for "strong woman". Given she is a Jew, as seen above, there are those bigots who will single her out for that, as well as her national identity, and hide by their own diseased version of "PC".

I look forward to watching it tonight in a special showing, then immediately heading into the 3-D version. I have been waiting for a Wonder Woman movie all my life and I sure as fuck intend to enjoy this!!

[oberliner]

48. Banned in Lebanon, Tunisia, etc.

Crazy.