If This, Then That: Learning From The Past To Find A New Message In The Present

I admire women. In my personal life, women had been a great influence in my development as a person and an inspiration to value myself.

That admiration translates to my love of movies and video games. I love strong female characters on both genres since I believe that, if done right, they can have more depth and be more interesting than their male counterparts.

Case in point, there are two movies that couldn't be more different from each other, and yet, both are so similar and equally powerful in its message and impact.

If you guys cheered for Wonder Woman then you will root for the women in A League of Their Own.

These two movies teach us that our mothers, sisters, friends are real-life wonder women.

Wonder Woman and A League of Their Own biggest accomplishment is that, although both great, they are not aimed at a specific audience. I know that one is a comic book film and the other one is a sports film, but both have been enjoyed by people that aren't necessarily into either genre since both are relatable.

When I watched A League of Their Own for the first time, I was confused of what I was watching. Is it a sports movie? Is it a comedy? Why are they crying? Is that Tom Hanks? My fascination with this movie started when I was 12 years old and one thing was for sure, I had a blast every time it was on T.V.

Growing up loving the movie, little by little I started to be more aware of its message and how the strong performances were needed to convey this. This movie, although centered on the struggle of women trying to find their place in a world "exclusively" tailored to men, becomes an interesting social study using baseball as a platform.

Tom Hanks and Geena Davis are outstanding every time they interact with each other, and they encapsulate the conflict at heart. David Strathairn as Ira Lowenstein, the man in charge of the Women's Baseball League and the man that supported them all the way being an ally through it all. Jon Lovitz as Ernie Capadino, the league's recruiter, showing that he doesn't care if you are a girl or a boy. If you can throw the ball, you are in.

And of course the stars of the movie, the Rockford Peaches: Betty Spaghetti, Ellen Sue (I still have a crush on her!), Mae & Doris, Marla Hooch (Hooch!), Evelyn & her son Stillwell Angel. Well, every character has its moment and, man, they make it count.

The best thing about A League of Their Own is that it never tried to force a narrative. A woman is already defined by what she is: a human being. The World War II setting proved that both men and women had a battle to fight. This movie showcased the battle at home. Men were in charge of keeping this nation safe, and women were in charge to keep this nation united and in one piece.

Funny, motivational, highly quotable, full of heart. This movie has it all. And every time I watch the movie, I feel like it's always the first time I do.

Wonder Woman is an accomplishment for many reasons: it's one of the best super hero movies in modern cinema, it's the first time we see the character appear in the big screen with outstanding results, and its director (Patty Jenkins) became the most successful female director of all time. With the international box office gross for the film having surpassed $615 million, Jenkins's film is the highest-grossing live-action film ever to be directed by a woman.

People love sports films because, more often than not, we all rally behind the story of an underdog. However, the underdog in A League of Their Own is a whole gender, and we end up rooting for sisters, daughters, mothers, wives and athletes to succeed.

People love comic book movies because it's the perfect vehicle to escape one's reality, and dive into a world of imagination. In Wonder Woman, we end up rooting for her because she represents the goodness that humankind desires to achieve but is afraid to show. Wonder Woman might seem naïve to our cynical eyes, but it's her drive, courage and faith in humans that force us to rally behind her, and in a way, we come up with the realization that we do not deserve someone like Diana.

Why do I compare these two films?

Easy. Years ago, A League of Their Own managed to do exactly what Wonder Woman has done in the modern era, but after its resounding success, the onscreen diversity issues persisted for years, signaling not much had changed. Geena Davis, who played Dottie Hinson in the film, said it best in this interview:

"It was quite a one-two punch as far as really making me so hyper aware of how few opportunities there were for women to come out of movies feeling excited and inspired by the female characters. The same predictions were made about ('Thelma and Louise'): 'This changes everything. We're going to see so many more movies starring women about women in road pictures or female empowerment movies' — and that didn't happen either"

The same went for the film's director: Penny Marshall. Immediately after her hit comedy Big, starring Tom Hanks, Penny managed to hit a literal home-run with A League of Their Own. The movie became not only one of the best sports films of all time, but it was considered a victory for female empowerment.

So, what happened then?

After the success of A League of Their Own, people decided to ignore the talent and strength that women can bring to the table, and moved on. Every single accomplishment that movie made, was somehow minimized and pushed aside.

After all these years, there are still several hurdles to overcome for women to be considered truly equal (salary gaps for example), but there have been improvements and steps towards achieving that ultimate goal. That's why it is imperative that people consider successes like A League of Their Own and Wonder Woman as their own.

These two movies teach us to become allies in the same fight. Even if we are not actors or Hollywood executives, it falls on us to keep that voice loud and clear. Wonder Woman has open the ears of the powers that be, and it is our duty to make that voice heard. We today's tools at our disposal, we should become allies and supporters. There is no excuse.

Thanks to A League of Their Own, I understand this message.