Wonder Woman dropped from UN ambassador role after protests

Wonder Woman has been dropped from her role as an honorary ambassador for the UN working on behalf of women and girls.

The decision to drop the scantily clad, curvaceous comic book superhero within two months of her appointment came after nearly 45,000 people signed an online petition in protest at her appointment.  

The petition asked UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon to reconsider her selection as a way to help the fight for equality for women and girls worldwide during 2017. 

The petition said: "Although the original creators may have intended Wonder Woman to represent a strong and independent 'warrior' woman with a feminist message, the reality is that the character's current iteration is that of a large breasted, white woman of impossible proportions." 

A UN spokesman, who explained campaigns using fictional characters often went on for a few months only, said the character's role at the 193-member state organisation will now end on Friday.

Her tenure looked uncertain even on the day of her appointment in October  when dozens of UN employees protested against it at the UN Headquarters in New York.

DC Entertainment, which publishes DC Comics, said it was pleased that the UN had wanted to use Wonder Woman as a way of trying to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls by 2030.

"Wonder Woman stands for peace, justice and equality, and for 75 years she has been a motivating force for many and will continue to be long after the conclusion of her UN Honorary Ambassadorship," said Courtney Simmons, from DC Entertainment.

Wonder Woman first appeared in DC Comics in 1941 as a heroine fighting villains, rescuing victims and unearthing evil plots.

A full-length Wonder Woman film, unconnected with the UN campaign, is due out next year, with Israeli actress Gal Gadot in the starring role.