WONDER wOMAN

While working on a series of images of toys, I noticed something peculiar—the representation of female figures had changed in a striking way. Wonder Woman, one of the most enduring female action figures, became the perfect subject for examining this shift. As a character, she has always carried complex cultural weight. Created in 1941 by William Moulton Marston, she was envisioned as a feminist icon—strong, independent, and equal to her male counterparts. Over the decades, her image evolved, shaped by shifting social attitudes, marketing trends, and the demands of mass media.

Looking at her action figures, the changes are just as revealing. The earliest figure in this series, from 1974, presents Wonder Woman in a childlike, almost androgynous way. Her form is simplified, her bare skin suggested rather than emphasized by a bright, cartoonish bodysuit. By 2018 (see slide 8), the transformation is undeniable. The figure’s proportions are exaggerated—an impossibly small waist, dramatically elongated legs, and an amplified bust. Her once practical stance has been replaced with a hyper-feminine posture, hips tilted, chest thrust forward. The shift from a childlike and neutral neutral form to an overtly sexualized one is impossible to ignore.

What struck me most was how these figures seemed to “grow up” alongside me, not just reflecting but actively shaping ideas of femininity, power, and desirability. Who are these figures for, are they still for children?