A good role model
Personally, I couldn’t be happier that there is finally a female superhero that Pakistani girls can closely relate to (“‘Pakistan Girl’ takes aim at corrupt cops and domestic abuse!”, Gulf News, September 20). The instant you lay eyes on ‘Pakistan Girl’ there’s a familiarity triggered by her costume; it’s evident that she takes pride in her cultural attire and is not glamorised or objectified like other female superheroes. The focus is entirely on her mission! What’s real about ‘Pakistan Girl’ is that her story isn’t over the top and is very realistic in relation to Pakistan’s society. She experiences a traumatic terrorist attack and comes back as an individual who has ‘awakened’ with a passion to stand up against injustices. There are numerous Pakistani women in Pakistan and overseas who are most definitely superheroes. ‘Pakistan Girl’ is the personification of all those girls and women out there!
From Ms Hira Hyder
Canada
A long way to go
While we want to believe that the world we live in is unbiased and provides a fair opportunity to all, the reality is far from this utopia. We do occasionally find that women rule box offices and feature in books, but far too many are side-lined or completely left out. While characters like DC’s Wonder Woman and Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games are challenging stereotypes and changing our way of thought, there is still a long way to go. The representation of women in stereotypical roles unfortunately narrows our outlook on their standing in society or otherwise. When we ask a child to name a superhero, we almost always hear the names Batman and Superman. Their women counterparts are almost forgotten. However, things are certainly changing in a positive sense, and the identity of a girl has become an increasingly diverse, and sometimes contradictory display of identities. I believe that the sun will come out tomorrow – but this time so will the daughter.
From Ms Shreya Prakash
Dubai
Facebook comment
Women can find more than love
I think there are definitely very few female superheroes. There are more princesses and themes based around “true love” and a “happily ever after”. There are an infinite number of male superheroes ranging from Superman to Aqua Man but there is only one main female superhero, Wonder Woman. Young girls look up to having hair like Princess Ariel and waiting for their Prince Charming like Princess Aurora. But they lack a role model who has the strength of a superhero or the ability to save the world from evil. Recently, movies like Frozen and Moana have proven all of these stereotypes wrong by promoting independence and strength, highlighting that a woman has the ability to find more than just “true love”.
From Ms Ananya Krishna
Dubai
Always look brand new
I am a regular commuter on the Roads and Transport Authority buses (“RTA saves 1.6m litres of water a month through recycling”, Gulf News, September 20). Every day I see that all the buses are always neat and clean. They look brand new. Nobody can find any dust on the bus, and I’ve never had any stains on my clothes. It is well maintained and I feel like I am traveling in my own car. I salute the people who clean them.
From Mr Sohaib Mohammad
UAE
Facebook comment
No win-win situation
Over time, most presidents have tried to tackle this issue and have then chosen to leave it to the next administration (“Why Trump’s threat to ‘totally destroy’ North Korea is extraordinary - even for him”, Gulf News, September 20). However, the threat has escalated. Russia uses the people for labour and China has enjoyed their exports. They have been enabling this, although I’d argue past presidents here have been spineless to let it get to this point. Trump has refused to give gifts to placate North Korea. It’s difficult to agree with Trump on anything, but I’ll try. It’s scary for everyone, but I feel the worst for the North Korean people. No matter what happens, they lose.
From Ms Jasmine Williams
UAE
Facebook comment
Lost faith in the message
I used to respect the United Nations but they have become corrupt like most organisations (“The United Nations explained”, Gulf News, September 18). I rejected an internship with them because I stopped believing they were on the right side of peace. Hopefully the delegates will truly understand the plight of others. Their lack of response regarding the refugee situation was abyssmal. It’s easy to sit in a nice conference hall and say you ‘condemn’ the bad things happening in the world. Too many people are suffering. How long are they going to just keep discussing matters instead of acting on them?
From Ms Shipra Roma
Dubai
Facebook comment
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