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Is Wonder Woman Too Skinny?

Dale Chong |
December 5, 2013 | 2:59 p.m. PST

Staff Reporter

Is Gal Gadot too thin to be Wonder Woman? (TwitPic)
Is Gal Gadot too thin to be Wonder Woman? (TwitPic)
It was recently announced that Gal Gadot was cast as Diana Prince - also known as Wonder Woman - alongside Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck for the "Man of Steel" sequel, "Batman vs. Superman."

However, it seems that the actress is being criticized for being "too skinny" to play the Amazonian warrior. 

DC Comic's Wonder Woman has typically been on the chestier side, with a smaller waist, which was depicted by Lynda Carter from the classic television show. 

Lots of fans of the female superhero believe Wonder Woman should be a powerhouse muscular woman, as shown in the comic books. They also feel that the hero is meant to be more curvy, with her body emphasizing the powers she has. 

Jennifer Sieble Newsom, CEO and Founder of The Representation Project, said to MTV that people spend too much time criticizing an actress for their body weight. The focus here should not be on the body weight of an actress playing a superhero.

"I think the larger issue here is that there aren't enough women protagonists in the lead positions in Hollywood entertainment," Newsom said.

Some say that Gadot will be great as Wonder Woman, but simply add that she needs to build her muscle mass. What people don't realize is that while the Israeli actress may have a thin physique, she is still capable of a powerful performance as Wonder Woman. 

"Gal, she's clearly athletic, she spent two years in the Israeli Army," Newsom added. Gadot's body criticisms are a clear indication that the society finds it hard to believe thin women can be strong. She may not have the muscular Amazonian body we've seen Wonder Woman to have, but she will definitely be able to show that same power through her performance on the screen.

Criticizing an actress for being too skinny to play a powerful part goes to show that society still defines people primarily by one thing: their body type. Once the majority of people begin to realize that people of all shapes and sizes are capable of just about anything, we will have taken a giant step towards breaking down social standards. 

As long as Gal Gadot is healthy in all aspects, she will show Wonder Woman is much more than physically strong.

Contact Staff Reporter Dale Chong here. Follow her on Twitter here.



 

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