Whether you’re rooting for Hillary for the 2016 candidacy or secretly hoping Leslie Knope materializes into an actual human being and runs against her, the media is undoubtedly filled with fierce, strong, and fabulous political women, both in the real world and in our beloved shows. Whether your favorite trailblazer is fictional or not, the lessons taught by these ladies are anything but fake.
1. Malala Yousafzai
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Born in just 1997, Malala is the infamous Pakistani schoolgirl who survived a bullet to the head by the Taliban after she campaigned for the right to education. Even after her remarkable survival, Malala continues to advocate for women’s rights and inspires teenage girls around the globe to be as brave and influential as she is.
2. Selina Meyer
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Teaching us to never settle for anything less than you deserve, Selena Meyer is a brutally honest and absolutely hysterical political female character on the acclaimed HBO series, and one of my all-time favorite shows, Veep. If she were running for office, she would have my vote.
3. Hillary Clinton
Photo by the New York Post
Graduating from Yale and serving as both an American attorney and first lady, Hillary has taken the ultimate plunge by becoming the first woman to run for the President of the United States. As established as she is, she still is down-to-earth and frequents Chipotle often. I wonder if she has to pay extra for guac…
4. Leslie Knope
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Leslie Knope… Where do I begin? If you have never seen her unforgettable character on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, it’s hard to truly define all that she stands for. Passionate, loving, professional, and resilient, Knope is a quintessential role model for females of all ages.
5. Michelle Obama
Lawyer. Writer. Princeton University and Harvard Law Grad. First Lady. Advocate for LGBT rights, poverty awareness, and health and nutrition. Fashion icon. Founder of the “Let’s Move!” campaign. Loving mother and supportive spouse. Chicago native. Starred in Jimmy Fallon’s “EW!” skit, proving you can be both silly and classy. AND she has the best arms of any woman and shows them off effortlessly.