For the last week, I’ve been struggling to articulate my feelings about the cover of the February 2008 Playboy (Link probably NSFW). I know that I am very, very upset; I know that I feel deeply violated and profoundly hurt. I am angry appalled and disgusted.
It’s taken me longer to figure out why.
It’s not the nudity. It has nothing to do with comics, or with the general sexualization of female superheroes the Valerie Perrine Supergirl cover doesn’t push any of those buttons. And while I have the utmost respect for Lynda Carter, and the comparison between her and Fallon seems tenuous at best, that’s not it, either.
It’s because it’s Wonder Woman.
And I don’t even follow her comic.
But the, for me, this isn’t about comics or comics culture. My sexism-in-comics radar is pretty highly honed Hell, it’s part of my job. But this hit me from a completely different angle, in a totally separate and much deeper part of my gut.
There’s no denying that Wonder Woman has been the subject of some pretty horrid sexism in comics just check out the magical disappearing wonder thong.
This is different. This is bigger.
This is the first in a multi-part series in response to the February 2008 Playboy cover, because in the process of trying to articulate my own reaction, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s far too complex an issue to cover in one column. In the following posts, I’m going examine the cultural and personal significance of Wonder Woman and look at a lot of issues and perspectives associated with Wonder Woman, pornography, and feminism.
Bonus Question: What does Wonder Woman mean to you, and why?
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