Gal Gadot is not Wonder Woman: She Is Just the Actor That Portrays Her

I am getting tired of the mainstream media making everything about politics. I’m tired if men saying Wonder Woman as a film is a waste of time because women can’t be heroes or that the movies they star in are not worth the film used to capture the story. Now, I have to put up with people turning Wonder Woman into a white zionist because Gal Gadot happens to be Israeli? WTF!

Wonder Woman is a symbol of justice, truth and love. She was born on a fictional island called Thermyscira because her author, Dr William Moulton Marston, a psychologist, realized that no woman of this earth could be sold as a superhero to the men of the 1930s. Why? These men of power viewed women as weak, inferior and not worth the right to vote; things to be controlled and cared for. In a way, his duplicity worked out and after 75 years she is still an icon and one of the most popular and successful characters in DC/comic book history.  Diana Prince stands for more than whatever Gal Gadot, Lynda Carter and Patty Jenkins stand for or have achieved. The Queen of the Amazons was designed to save the world and serve as an example of what women can accomplish if they are given the power and space to perform.

When they announced Gal Gadot was cast, I didn’t like the decision because she was of Fast and the Furious Fame. Her acting wasn’t atrocious but it didn’t draw me in. She was too skinny, etc. Ironically, the fact that she was an ex-soldier for the Israeli army was the only plus to me as this meant she had combat skills and first hand experience of courage under fire. Soldiers are loyal, and execute orders BUT they are also trained to use judgement and to avoid conflict. Just like Wonder Woman.

Yes, Gal participated in the war against Palestine in which men, women and children died. My parents and cousins fought battles against enemies foreign and domestic too. I bet she has no qualms about having represented their country, regardless of the blood spilt. So did my family.  Yes, they all regret the loss but they did the wrong thing, according to those who oppose war, for the right reasons. The victors will write history and in 200 years we will see how well we will be judged, when the dust has settled. For now, all these people live daily with the consequences of their actions and have moved on from the events in question to a more promising future.

The movie itself is not about the Holocaust or has zionist undertones. It attempts to paint the first world war as the horrifying event in history it was, and to pay homage to the lives lost by asking the viewers to reconsider bigotry, racism and blind patriotism. Regardless of who plays Wonder Woman the message would have been the same and just as powerful, until some critic with a dissenting opinion decided to make it about Ms Jenkins, the studio or any of the cast members.

It always happens. An agenda comes in politics and startegists decide it is best to smash and bad mouth the intention of the plot or backers to devalue the content. Where were these detractors when white actors were cast as black heroes? When asians were poorly portrayed as illiterate buffoons or martial artists? When where they when Italians played Latinos and Latinos played the bad guys? Don’t get me started on the portrayal of Arabs and Muslims as agents of evil. Doesn’t surprise me we are making this about Gal Gadot and not about the character. She is Israeli so she must be evil, and therefore Wonder Woman’s portrayal is tarnished by this happenstance. Give me a break people!

I’m a Wonder Woman fan well versed in her character, deeds and lore. Her origin story and her achievements are out of this world, and live in the annals of comic book history. If liking this movie and Gal make me a Semitic supporter and person to be hated so be it. I refuse to make this superhero about the people behind her cinematic portrayal. I love Steve Trevor and I dislike Chris Pine. In my world, that would be more of a valid reason to boycott. To each their own, except in this case. Step away from my feminist idiol. You definitely don’t deserve her.