I have not seen the recent Wonder Woman because I am not a fan of comic book superhero films. But it has been a huge hit and the fact that the superhero in this case is a woman acting alone rather than as a member of a team dominated by men has clearly resonated with a lot of people. So it was not a surprise when two young Sri Lankan women, inspired by the character, dressed up as her at a Comic Con event in that country, where they were photographed in costume.
Harmless fun, you will agree. But then those images were shared on social media and became memes and the two were widely mocked for their appearance with the usual objectification and body shaming that happens to women when they achieve even the slightest fame online.
The two women handled it well and fortunately others rallied round with expressions of support, including Gal Gadot, the actor who played Wonder Woman, and the film’s director Patty Jenkins.
I was surprised that Comic Con and cosplaying had spread to Sri Lanka. But what really mystifies me are people who seem to devote time and energy to harass random people on the internet. Haven’t they got anything better to do?
Of course not, their work is endless and vewwy vewwy important. Don’t you realise how critical it is to have the hierarchy of people types in exactly the right order?
/s
We should all, periodically, dress up funny and pretend we’re someone we’re not. It can be very instructive, especially about not taking oneself too seriously.
Haven’t they got anything better to do?
No. Life as a toxic mold in a dank basement gives one time to insult anyone perceived as superior in any way; if the person attacked is female, even better since attacking, with assumed impunity, some one you fear makes you feel even more a hero.
Are you kidding me? What on earth could they find to criticize about those two beautiful young women?
No one
who spends time making a costume that replicates a comic book character
and then
goes out in public to display said costume
should ever say bad things about someone else’s efforts to do the same
DonDueed @#5,
I don’t think it matters what they look like, these trolls will find something to criticize. The woman on the left was targeted for being too skinny. Another young woman who dressed up as Superwoman was targeted because she was a Muslim.
The young lady on the right has a great smile. She looks happy. What kind of fucked up hater hates seeing someone happy?
#5
It was the internet at large mocking them, not cosplayers in particular.
@Marcus Ranum #2
Where I’m from we have a tradition that is exactly that, for exactly that reason.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_in_the_Netherlands
@ Marcus Ranum, No. 2
I agree completely
They both look great!