Recent movements emphasizing the idea that the world still needs feminism as much as it did 50 years ago are taking social media by storm. The idea of girl power is just as relevant as it was when the term was originally coined. Because of these movements highlighting feminism and girl power, I thought it would be very apropos to highlight total girl power legends from my childhood.
1. Spice Girls
With lyrics like, “If you wanna be my lover, you gotta get with my friends. Make it last forever, friendship never ends,” and a movie that centers on how awesome friendship is, the Spice Girls were the definition of absolute girl power. Even today their power knows no bounds. Seventeen years after their debut single “Wannabe,” the Spice Girls came back hotter than ever with their performance at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
2. Hermione Granger
It may be the fact that I am a total Harry Potter freak or the fact that I have the same hair as her, but Hermione Granger was my complete idol as a child. She was the HBIC at Hogwarts, she ruled the Golden Trio, was the best in her class, and made no apologies for it. If you needed a legend that encouraged you to value your intelligence, Hermione freaking Granger was your girl.
3. Shakira
Shakira is a goddess first and foremost. She has dominated international pop charts and has paved the way for international artists to take over mainstream radio. With two Grammys, the theme song for the 2010 World Cup, and her own chair on The Voice, Shakira is the ultimate international pop star and an international representation of girl power (plus the fact that she can dance her a** off just makes her even cooler).
4. Britney Spears
Any woman that can survive something like the downward spiral Britney experienced in 2007 and still come back on top deserves to be on the official Legends of Girl Power list. So Britney has some issues — who doesn’t? Home-girl has been in the spotlight since she was a child and has now managed to take her shame spiral and turn it around completely. For that Britney, I give you a round of applause and a place on this official list.
5. Hilary Duff (aka Lizzie McGuire)
If Lizzie, Gordo, and Miranda didn’t teach you all about growing up, then I don’t know what did. From training bras to first crushes (Ethan Craft anyone???) I learned it all from Lizzie — even how important it is to not fall in love with random pop sensations (Paolo). Lizzie was there for support through all the ups and downs of being a girl, and for that I will always be eternally grateful…even though it took her 65 episodes and a movie to finally get with Gordo.
6. Beyoncé
Well, you can’t talk about Girl Power Legends without talking about Queen B herself — Beyoncé. Starting in Destiny’s Child, a pop girl group that rivaled the Spice Girls’ dominance, Beyoncé has been a legend since her teens. Whether she’s empowering women through numerous charities, kicking a** at the Super Bowl halftime show, or writing songs literally dedicated to women running the world, Beyoncé is the Girl Power ICON.