'Wonder Woman's' director tweeted the best thank-you note from a kindergarten teacher.
"Wonder Woman" is shattering box office records, but the effect the movie is having on one kindergarten class might be an even bigger victory.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
On Sunday, "Wonder Woman" director Patty Jenkins tweeted a note her producer received from an elementary school teacher detailing 11 ways the movie has already created a new culture in the classroom.
It. Is. Glorious.
Some of the highlights include:
- "On Monday, a boy who was obsessed with Iron Man told me he had asked his parents for a new Wonder Woman lunchbox."
- "A little girl said 'When I grow up I want to speak hundreds of languages like Diana.'"
- "Seven girls playing together during recess ... [said] that since they all wanted to be Wonder Woman, they had agreed to be Amazons and not fight but work together to defeat evil."
- "On Wednesday, a girl came with a printed list of every single female superhero and her powers, to avoid any trouble when deciding roles at recess."
- "A boy threw his candy wrapping [on] the floor and a 5-year-old girl screamed, 'DON'T POLLUTE YOU IDIOT, THAT IS WHY THERE ARE NO MEN IN TEMYSCIRA.'"
And this is just from one kindergarten classroom.
Predictably, people on Twitter were pretty charmed and inspired by the kindergarten classroom's adoration of the movie.
The note put many in touch with their inner superhero-loving child.
Others confirmed that the movie has been a smash — with children of all genders.
"Wonder Woman" gave the kindergarten girls a crash course in collaborative leadership — and that's not an accident.
While some studies have shown that superhero movies increase aggression among children, other experts have found that creative superhero play can teach kids to handle adversity without resorting to violence as well as critical negotiation skills.
Meanwhile, the film teaches boys a critical lesson about empathy.
Various studies have shown that consuming media that encourages viewers to identify with members of groups unlike themselves can lead viewers to develop empathy for those groups.
The movie's incredible symbolic value is becoming clear — and not to just young children.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.
Earlier this month, the Legion of Women Writers launched a fundraising campaign to send 70 high school-age girls to see the film.
In May, Austin's Alamo Drafthouse announced it would be holding women-only screenings of "Wonder Woman," and after backlash — and backlash to the backlash that was joined by Austin's mayor, among others — they decided to expand the screenings nationwide.
"Wonder Woman" is already changing the way American kids think about the types of heroes women can be and the spaces women can take up — and that's a good thing.
It might only be evident in one classroom for now, but there are classrooms just like it across the country and around the world.
And when the generation raised on Patty Jenkins' film grow up, what started out as a trickle could become a wave.
Like the Amazon warrior herself, there might be no stopping it.
A Brooklyn resident named Don Phelps added this lovely touch to the Fearless Girl of Wall Street.--via Alan Kistler https://twitter.com/SizzlerKistler
Posted by Heroic Girls on Sunday, June 11, 2017
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An actual beaver dam on the now-thriving Price River
Not just coworkers—family, friends, strangers, kids…
Imagine having to go so badly but being out of euros. 
Anything hobbit-esque can't be wrong. 
But what if you need pain meds AND mascara?!
Imagine how this would affect childcare.
Honestly…where's the lie?
A brown buddha statue sits near a green mountain. Photo by 
Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️
Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: 
Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: 
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."