The superhero had only just been announced as the Honorary Ambassador of the United Nations for the Empowerment of Women and Girls. Protesters immediately demanded she was removed and started a petition agains the UN being represented by "a large-breasted white woman of impossible proportions." Gadot released the following statement: "There are so many horrible things that are going on in the world, and this is what you're protesting, seriously? "When people argue that Wonder Woman should 'cover up,' I don't quite get it. They say, 'If she's smart and strong, she can't also be sexy.' That's not fair. Why can't she be all of the above?"

DC/GETTY Wonder Woman has been dropped by the UN and Gal Gadot is not happy

It seems ironic that the Israeli former beauty-queen should have to fight this particular battle, since early fan criticism of her casting centered on complaints that Gadot's own breasts were too small for Wonder Woman. When the position was announced in October at a grand ceremony at the United Nations in New York, Diane Nelson, the president of DC Entertainment, promised a series of initiatives “over the course of the next year.” Weeks later, Wonder Woman is suddenly no longer officially part of the UN.

Wonder Woman Gal Gadot's sexiest pictures Mon, March 28, 2016 Soldier, beauty queen, movie star: Gal Gadot is a real-life Wonder Woman Play slideshow Instagram 1 of 16 Gal Gadot

The protests had highlighted the history of portraying Wonder Woman in scanty, revealing costumes – often with exaggerated breasts. They also took issue with her close associations with the US, claiming this would be "culturally insensitive" to many parts of the world. More than 44,000 people signed the petition. Jeffrey Brez, the UN’s chief of NGO relations and advocacy, explained: “From the UN’s side, there was no plan for it to be much longer than this.”

Wonder Woman's UN role was part of the character's 75th birthday celebrations. At the live Q&A to announce Wonder Woman's new United Nations role, Gadot hit back at comments on her looks that said: "If a woman is beautiful she is probably not so smart. There's no boundaries. You can be beautiful and sexy and smart and successful and confident but still you can be vulnerable." She also explained how Wonder Woman was a universal symbol for all genders and peopls in any circumstances.

Wonder Woman: Gal Gadot as the Amazonian princess Fri, November 4, 2016 Gal Gadot as the Amazonian princess in the much anticipated Wonder Woman film. Play slideshow Clay Enos 1 of 13 Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman