Hundreds of Wonder Woman fans have signed a petition urging the filmmakers behind this summer’s blockbuster hit to write what they say is superhero Diana Prince’s obvious bisexuality into the script for the upcoming sequel.
A Change.org petition titled “Make Wonder Woman Bisexual” was launched on Monday by one Gianna Collier-Pitts, who identifies as working for LGBT advocacy organization GLAAD.
The petition claims the global hit film starring actress Gal Gadot “was a success for everyone… except the bisexual community.”
“The likelihood of Wonder Woman being bisexual has been alluded to over the years, primarily in comics,” the petition’s author wrote on the campaign page. “Wonder Woman’s Diana Prince hails from Themyscira, land of the Amazons and inhabited exclusively by women. This alone should serve as reason enough to confirm her sexuality, since any close relationship she could have had prior to her romantic storyline with Steve Trevor would have had to have been with another woman.”
Israeli actress Gal Gadot played Diana Prince/Wonder Woman in this summer’s smash hit film. (Warner Bros.)
Actor Chris Pine played Wonder Woman’s love interest, Steve Trevor, in the first film. (Warner Bros.)
Indeed, DC Comics author Greg Rucka said much the same thing in an interview with a comics outlet last year, telling Comicosity that the concept of being gay or lesbian “doesn’t exist” in the all-female paradise of Themyscira, Diana’s home world, because the only options on the island are other women.
“Making Wonder Woman canonically bisexual on the big screen would make her the first openly LGBTQ superhero of any gender from either DC or Marvel’s cinematic universes, and would solidify her place as a true role model for women of all ages and identities,” the petition’s author wrote.
As of Thursday evening, it had collected 1,945 signatures, just short of its 2,500-signature goal.
“All I ask is that Warner Bros. directly acknowledge Diana Prince for who she is, who she has always been (regardless of her current love interest), and what her character could potentially represent for millions of people,” the petition concludes.
The Wonder Woman petition joins several other Change.org petitions that have been launched in recent months with the hope of confirming or introducing a film character’s sexual orientation in upcoming movies.
In May of last year, Marvel fans created the hashtag #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend in a bid to have the filmmakers include a gay love interest for the iconic superhero, played in the current “Marvel Cinematic Universe” by actor Chris Evans. A popular option for a potential love interest for Captain America among the petitioners was Bucky Barnes, aka The Winter Soldier, played opposite Evans in the films by actor Sebastian Stan.
That petition followed another just a few weeks early, when fans of the Disney animated film Frozen petitioned the filmmakers to include a female love interest for Elsa, played by Idina Menzel, in the sequel.
Both Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins and star Gadot will be back for the second installment, slated to be released in 2019. The first Wonder Woman grossed just under $820 million at the global box office, making it one of the most successful releases in Warner Bros. history.
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum