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There’s an interesting discussion taking place on the LA Times website in response to the article Beyonce wants to lasso the role of Wonder Woman. It appears there aren’t very many people who agree with Beyonce’s assessment that a Black wonder woman would be a powerful thing and it’s time for a Black wonder woman. A majority of commenters are of the opinion that, in the first place, even if there were to be a Black wonder woman, it shouldn’t be Beyonce because Beyonce is not a very good actress. Most of the objection appears to be to the idea of Beyonce as wonder woman; but a few people have brought up the question of why must there be a Black wonder woman? If wonder woman wasn’t Black why should she be portrayed by a Black actress just because “it’s time”? Why is it time?

Perhaps Beyonce wasn’t meaning to suggest that there should be a  Black wonder woman. Perhaps what she meant was that if there was to be a wonder woman movie and a Black woman, herself for example, wanted to play the role, she shouldn’t get turned down for the part because she’s Black and wonder woman is not Black. Perhaps Beyonce simply meant that the role should be casted without consideration to color.

However, what Beyonce did say, regardless if it wasn’t exactly what she meant, does seem to give validity to some of the questions being asked by people posting to the LA Times site. Why would it be time for a Black Wonder Woman; and what would be so powerful about a Black Wonder Woman? What would having a Black Wonder Woman mean for the world? Does the character of Wonder Woman herself have any real impact on the world in the first place? Does she represent something so profound that it should be important that women of all races be able to see a Wonder Woman in their image and likeness? And if so, why a Black wonder woman before a  Hispanic Wonder Woman? Why a Black Wonder Woman before an Armenian Wonder who would of course be portrayed by Kim Kardashian?

Maybe this is one of those cases where it’s completely unnecessary to make something about race.

Image: Daquella manera