Wonder Woman

The film shows an all-female warrior society on the island of Themyscira, which includes some racial diversity. The main human supporting characters also include an Arab actor and a native American actor. One character briefly mentions not being able to act because of the color of his skin. These casting choices are visible to the audience but are integrated naturally into the historical setting of World War I. There is no LGBTQ+ casting or representation in the movie.

The movie contains a few lines of light feminist dialogue. Diana says that men are not necessary for pleasure according to her books. Another character, Etta Candy, explains that she works as a secretary and wants to win the right to vote, which Diana compares to slavery. These lines stand out to some viewers but they are minor and do not turn into long political lectures.

The main themes of the film focus on female strength, independence, and classic heroism. While the movie highlights a female lead who can fight as well as any man, the story avoids modern identity politics. Diana's ultimate strength comes from her love and grief for a man, Steve Trevor. The main story is a classic battle of good versus evil without any LGBTQ+ themes.

The film shows Diana clashing with the traditional, male-dominated British war council of the 1910s. Men in power look down on her because she is a woman. The movie critiques the cruelty of World War I, but it frames this as the work of a bad god rather than a modern activist attack on Western culture or systems.

Some commentators worried the movie would have preachy feminist messages before it came out, but these fears went away when the film actually released. The main controversy was about the film's marketing, where movie theaters held special women-only screenings. Men complained that these screenings were discriminatory, and some filed successful legal complaints.

The key creators have a mixed history. Screenwriter Allan Heinberg is a queer writer who supports LGBTQ+ visibility, though his script for this film does not feature it. Director Patty Jenkins champions women's power in Hollywood but rejects aggressive feminist critiques. Original creator William Moulton Marston was a historical feminist, while the rest of the crew scores low.