Originally Posted by
Guy_McNichts
Honestly, I think the sword and shield is to Wonder Woman what the glowing red eyes is becoming for Superman.
Yeah, Superman has had heat vision forever, but in recent years there has been an increase in the image of him with glowing red eyes. And what that is, pretty much, is an effort on the part of DC and creators to dispel the notion of Superman being a boring boy scout by making him look "bad-ass" with sinister red eyes.
It's a similar mentality with the sword and shield, which often comes across as an effort to present Wonder Woman as a "bad-ass" despite being "for girls" as she's perceived. The fact is Diana was deliberately created to be a celebration of feminine power in a way most other female characters aren't in a genre dominated by men that caters mainly to an audience of adolescent boys and men with the mentality of adolescent boys.
Yes, Wonder Woman has used swords in the past. But it was the New52 that made them a consistent and near constant part of her image, and it was also the New 52 that saw Diana portrayed as increasingly aggressive, violent, and lacking in empathy. What was that if not a misguided effort to appeal to male readers by making her "edgier" and "tougher"?
There is such a thing as benign sexism. Sexism also doesn't have to be a deliberate and conscious agenda. I'm sure most of the writers and artists emphasizing the sword & shield genuinely believe they're empowering Diana by presenting her as a hardcore "bad-ass" who's quick with a weapon and eager to kill, but it goes against what Wonder Woman intended to be.
It's, at the least, a very narrow-minded and unimaginative approach to the character. At worst, it reveals an insecure and somewhat sexist attitude toward feminine power.