Comparing Lynda Carter’s TV Wonder Woman (1970s) to Gal Gadot’s Film Version (2017)

Wonder Woman, a DC Comics superheroine, has been a symbol of feminism in media since 1941. I have chosen to compare two versions of Wonder Woman separated by time – the 1970s television Wonder Woman (played by Lynda Carter) and the recent blockbuster film, Wonder Woman (starring Gal Gadot).

Femininity and masculinity are abstract concepts made up of multiple traits, rather than directly observable characteristics (Watzlawik 2009). They represent societal beliefs about how men and women should behave, rather than how they actually behave (Watzlawik 2009). My analysis of the two portrayals of Wonder Woman will explore how she is constructed as both masculine and feminine in the media. Although both depictions of Wonder Woman embody a mix of the constructed masculine and the constructed feminine, the Wonder Woman of the 1970s was more strictly confined by traditional gender roles. People are often quick to critique the 2017 Wonder Woman film because it features a scantily-clad Gal Gadot, but it is actually a well-rounded depiction of a woman character. Gadot’s Wonder Woman exhibits aspects of the constructed masculine but also embraces her femininity.

Lynda Carter’s version of Wonder Woman ran for three seasons on CBS between 1976 and 1979. This version of Wonder Woman conformed to traditional articulations of gender (Cocca 2014). She was constructed as hyperfeminine, particularly via her physical appearance. Wonder Woman is supposed to have godlike strength and speed, near invulnerability to physical harm, and formidable combat prowess (Mangels 2023). But on the screen, she was small, dainty, and thin. So, where was Wonder Woman’s muscle mass in the 1970s? Lynda Carter’s physique did not align with Wonder Woman’s superpowers.

Further, the 1970s Wonder Woman had prominent female secondary sex characteristics — a low waist-to-hip ratio and large breasts. The makers of the Wonder Woman television show intentionally emphasized these characteristics through wardrobe choices. By dressing Lynda Carter in a low-cut strapless corset top, her feminine figure is accentuated. Overall, a trend in the 1970s depiction of Wonder Woman is a strong emphasis on what she looks like. Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman is hyperfeminine and sexualized.

Nonetheless, many scholars argue that even early iterations of Wonder Woman disrupted traditional gender roles. Lynda Carter’s Wonder Woman may have been stereotypically feminine in her appearance, but she was also a “determined, astute, and formidable warrior” – these are traits typically associated with masculinity (Cocca 2014). This portrayal challenged this binary view and showcased the complexity of femininity and masculinity.

This trend of disrupting gender roles continued in the 2017 Wonder Woman movie starring Gal Gadot. Gadot’s Wonder Woman exhibits some masculine traits – she is powerful, active, self-confident, and rational (Smiler 2004). Wonder Woman also went through a physical change – her superhero body looks strong but attainable (Schubart 2019). Even her outfit is more realistic; the original red, yellow, and blue costume takes on a more muted tone in the 2017 film, becoming less comic-book-like (Schubart 2019). Gadot weight-trained extensively to achieve a muscular physique for the film. According to Schubart, male weightlifting aligns with dominant conceptions of masculinity and heterosexuality, while female weightlifting tends to bring their femininity and heterosexuality into question (Schubart 2019). 2017 Wonder Woman’s muscularity conflicts with the constructed schema of femininity, which is one of weakness and beauty. Here, the 2017 film subverts traditional gender roles.

At the same time, the 2017 Wonder Woman embodies feminine ideals. “In Gadot’s embodiment of Wonder Woman, feminism is interpreted as compassion, love, and the character’s good heart and passion for peace for all mankind.” (Schubart 2019). She is simultaneously fierce and nurturing, emboldened to take down Ares but motivated by her desire to protect children. Gal Gadot’s version of Wonder Woman in the 2017 film embraces strength and beauty, aggression and kindness. She does not hide her femininity.

The ways that films construct gender can deeply impact viewers. Particularly, I believe that the 1970s depiction of Wonder Woman set unrealistic expectations for women and girls when it came to their bodies. Not every consumer of the Wonder Woman series could look like Lynda Carter. Gal Gadot’s physique looked slightly more attainable, but even then, she is a former Miss Israel supermodel who trained for months to become Wonder Woman. Even empowering films like Wonder Woman (2017) can be harmful because they operate under the societal framework that privileges thinness, youth, and conventional attractiveness in women. Strides must be taken to improve representation in film.

Bibliography

Cocca, Carolyn. 2014. “Negotiating the Third Wave of Feminism in Wonder Woman.” PS: Political Science & Politics 47, no. 1: 98-108. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1049096513001662 .

Mangels, Andy. “Wonder Woman.” Encyclopedia Britannica, November 26, 2023. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Wonder-Woman

Schubart, Rikke. 2019. “Bulk, breast, and beauty: negotiating the superhero body in Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman.” Continuum: Journal of Media & Cultural Studies 33, no. 2: 160-172. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2019.1569382

Smiler, Andrew P. 2004. “Thirty Years After the Discovery of Gender: Psychological Concepts and Measures of Masculinity.” Sex Roles 50, no. 1: 15-16. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:SERS.0000011069.02279.4c

Watzlawik, Meike. 2009. “When a Man Thinks He Has Female Traits Constructing Feminity and Masculinity: Methodological Potentials and Limitations.” Integrative Psychological and Behavioral Science 43, no. 2: 126-137. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12124-008-9085-4