Wonder Woman named a special UN ambassador, despite protests

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations celebrated Wonder Woman's 75th birthday on Friday by naming the comic book character as its new Honorary Ambassador for the Empowerment of Woman and Girls, despite frustration from both inside and outside the world organization that the spot should go to a real — and less sexualized — woman.

The carefully choreographed ceremony was marred by some 50 U.N. staffers protesting by the visitor's entrance to the U.N. who then went inside the Economic and Social Council chamber and silently turned their back to the stage during the opening speech, some with their fists in the air.

U.N. staffer Cass Durant, who held a sign saying "Real Women Deserve a Real Ambassador" said the protesters "don't think that a fictitious comic book characters wearing basically what looks like a Playboy-type bunny outfit is really the right message we need to send to girls or even boys for that matter."

The super heroine's image will be used by the U.N. on social media platforms to promote women's empowerment, including on gender-based violence and the fuller participation of women in public life (using the hashtag WithWonderWoman).

The Friday event brought together actress Lynda Carter, who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s TV series, and Gal Gadot, who has taken on the role in the forthcoming "Wonder Woman" film, as well as Girl Scouts in Wonder Woman T-shirts and U.N. staffers' kids who skipped school, with one girl wearing a full Wonder Woman costume, complete with head piece.