‘Wonder Woman’ Star Gal Gadot Fires Back Over U.N. Backlash

Gal Gadot has never been shy about taking a stand for female empowerment, repeatedly telling the press that she hopes to be a voice for change and a positive influence on her daughter, Alma. Getting the chance to play Wonder Woman was perfectly inline with Gadot’s views, so bringing the DC heroine to the United Nations as a force for change seemed like an unexpected and exciting opportunity. Joining Lynda Carter, Gal jumped at the chance to stand up for women as live action Wonder Woman actresses, only to be told that their participation as the superhero was inappropriate. The U.N. dropped Wonder Woman like a hot potato.

Gal Gadot Fires Back Over U.N. Criticism Of “Overtly Sexualized” Wonder Woman

In crafting an in-depth look at Wonder Woman, Time took an opportunity to reach out to Gal Gadot, who plays the character on the big screen in the previously released Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the upcoming Justice League and solo Wonder Woman films. Ms. Gadot expressed feeling personally offended and outraged by the United Nations’ decision to drop Wonder Woman as an ambassador, due to her revealing superhero garb.

“There are so many horrible things that are going on in the world, and this is what you’re protesting, seriously?” Israeli-born Gal Gadot said. “When people argue that Wonder Woman should ‘cover up,’ I don’t quite get it. They say, ‘If she’s smart and strong, she can’t also be sexy.’ That’s not fair. Why can’t she be all of the above?”

A petition, signed by 45,000 people and thought to be the deciding factor in the removal of Wonder Woman as a feminist role model, called for a real feminist to be appointed to the U.N. ambassadorship position. Gadot takes exception to the use of feminism as a means of assaulting Wonder Woman, reminding both critics and fans that she strongly supports feminism.

Gadot adds that the face of feminism has changed in the modern era.

“I think people take it the wrong way when I say I’m a feminist,” Gadot said in the TIME interview. “Feminism is not about burning bras and hating men. It’s about gender equality. Whoever is not a feminist is a chauvinist.”

Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman Joins Batman And The Flash In New Justice League Poster

DC Entertainment has teased fans with an unlikely alliance here and there, among the heroes and the villains, but, as Entertainment Weekly points out, those presentations have just been teasers leading up to the main attraction. What fans really want to see is the entire Justice League assembled and working together to save the world. Zack Snyder (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) is working to do just that and, even at this early stage, he says his “league of justice doers” have already developed undeniable chemistry.

Even so, Justice League will explore the difficulty of coming together as a group, putting the focus on how egos interfere with the working dynamic of Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, and the others.

Ezra Miller, who plays The Flash in Justice League, says his character annoys the other heroes, but adds that he’s laid back enough that he doesn’t really get into a big feud with the others.

“Uncle Fish Curry [Aquaman] is very grumpy. Dad [Batman] gets grumpy too. (He’s had a long life of fighting crime.) ­Wonder Woman is very considerate, so even though she’s annoyed with the Flash, she’s still very compassionate,” says Miller.

Ezra can be seen with Gadot and Ben Affleck in a new teaser poster for Justice League. The poster shows just The Flash, Wonder Woman, and Batman, but posters featuring the other heroes may follow soon.

Justice League is set to hit theaters on November 17, 2017.

[Featured Image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images]