Happy National Women’s History Month! Here at Her Campus at UCLA, we love to thank our mothers, mentors and friends who inspire us every day to become great women. This month, we want to give a special thanks to Hermione Granger, a wonderful first role model for young girls. The Harry Potter character is initially seen as snobbish, frizzy-haired and ultimately too booky, but throughout the series she convinces readers and fellow characters that determination, confidence and intelligence are not qualities that women should shy away from, but embrace.
The Harry Potter books were the first series I really took pleasure in reading, especially at a stage when I was in between small chapter books and full on young adult novels. Barbie is all about her curves. Hermione is the true feminist character – she often leads the boys into battle, teaches them curses and remains a constant force of support and endless knowledge.
What’s more, Emma Watson has almost come to embody what Hermione represents, as she lobbies for the He for She campaign for gender equality, as well as in the United Nations as an ambassador.
So during this month, we’d like to say thank you, Hermione, for giving little bookworms courage to grow up into smart collegiettes. Who says girls have to play dumb?