Lynda Carter Defends Wonder Woman's Breasts In Response To UN Controversy

05/01/2017 07:28 pm EDT

Last October, to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the DC heroine who has stood for peace, justice and equality, the United Nations declared October 21 officially Wonder Woman Day and appointed the Amazonian princess as the Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. A special ceremony was held and attended by Lynda Carter, who portrayed the character on the '70s live-action television series, and Gal Gadot, who portrays Wonder Woman in the DCEU.

It was huge step forward for female empowerment and gender equality; however, only two months later, Wonder Woman was stripped of her honorary ambassadorship. Why? Because over forty-thousand people signed a petition, which was presented to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, protesting her appointment. They felt as though "the character's current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions, scantily clad in a shimmery, thigh-baring body suit."

In a recent interview, Carter issued a no-holds-barred response to the controversy. She began by defending the size of Wonder Woman's breasts. "Well, excuse me, women have breasts!" the 65-year-old actress/jazz singer exclaimed to The Daily Telegraph. "Superman has got a big pouch in his crotch, so does Spider-Man and Green Lantern and their muscles are bulging — no one has a problem with that If they have a problem with a female who is strong, they're missing the entire point; it's the ultimate sexism to say because she has big breasts and a costume on, that is what you think represents her and who she is. Women do have breasts and women can defend themselves and fight back. Wonder Woman is about telling the truth."

As for the protesters complaining about Wonder Woman being a "white woman," Carter pointed out how silly that rationale is: "I'm half Hispanic and [Gal Gadot] is Israeli."

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Before she was Wonder Woman, she was Diana, princess of the Amazons, trained to be an unconquerable warrior. Raised on a sheltered island paradise, when an American pilot crashes on their shores and tells of a massive conflict raging in the outside world, Diana leaves her home, convinced she can stop the threat. Fighting alongside man in a war to end all wars, Diana will discover her full powers…and her true destiny.

Joining Gadot in the international cast are Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen, Robin Wright, David Thewlis, Danny Huston, Elena Anaya, Ewen Bremner and Saïd Taghmaoui. Patty Jenkins directs the film from a screenplay by Allan Heinberg and Geoff Johns, story by Zack Snyder and Allan Heinberg, based on characters from DC Entertainment. Wonder Woman was created by William Moulton Marston.

The film is produced by Charles Roven, Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder and Richard Suckle, with Rebecca Roven, Stephen Jones, Wesley Coller and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. Pictures presents, in association with RatPac-Dune Entertainment, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, Wonder Woman.

The film will be released on June 2, 2017.

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