【1986 Archives】

Would that we lived in a world where the internet doesn't986 Archivesto explain why not to advertise Wonder Womanon diet products, but alas, we do! The Mary Suenoticed Wednesday that DC's big-screen feminist hero is being used to market thinkThin protein bars.

On its own, the tie-in isn't problematic -- protein bars are a common thing, and customizing them for women makes sense due to different nutritional requirements. But as The Mary Suepoints out, the mere fact that the brand is called thinkThin coupled with the criticism of Gal Gadot's body when she was cast makes this partnership a little... icky.

Perhaps the companies' hearts are in the right place. Women can do anything, and the same goes for our de facto hero. She can promote protein bars or doughnuts or shoes or toothpaste and that's a personal choice.

But the implication here is that customers can buy something calledthinkThinand become more like Wonder Woman. Princess Diana of Themyscira doesn't think thin, she thinks empowering, she thinks healthy -- whatever it is that makes your best self. The company surveyed consumers about their ideal superpowers, and none of the findings relate to health and body issues.

Tying Wonder Woman to hegemonic femininity feels like a step backward; imagine her cutout in a grocery store or nail salon or selling lipstick at Sephora -- these are all things that can empower women, but also perpetuate society's expectations of them.

For 2016's Batman v Superman, the titular heroes were a bit part of advertising for Jeep, because cars are for boys. In 2015, Gillette did a fake partnership with Stark Industries for Avengers razors, so putting Wonder Woman on a pack of Venus or Schick would have been a perfect dig between Marvel and DC. (Oh wait, except for that weird fixation everyone had with Diana's grooming habits.)

If Warner Bros. wanted to align the world's most iconic female superhero with explicitly feminine brands, why not really commit? Put her on a box of tampons for when women reallyneed to feel powerful.

Or maybe only put her on a diet bar if you're also going to put her on a Jeep, a coffee cup, a laptop -- products that are as universal as superheroes are supposed to be, regardless of their gender or race.

That may seem like a lot of pressure to put on a female superhero, but then you remember that she's the only one... so far.

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