Women are amazing, even the made-up ones. Below are six female characters I either see myself in or hope to be more like.
Sabrina Spellman
I grew up watching Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and as a high schooler, I adored The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Every version of her is clever, outspoken, and willing to do anything for the people she cares about. She is never afraid to make herself heard in male-dominated spaces, and she never makes herself smaller so that her love interests feel better about themselves.
Sister Carrie (Caroline Meeber)
I love Caroline Meeber from Theodore Dreiser’s Sister Carrie. I know she is meant to be a pitiful character who is always seeking happiness and can never find it, but she, to me, represents the modern woman in many ways. She uses her resources to get what she wants and becomes a successful woman in a time when women had hardly any options. She achieves a life of freedom and wealth but is not quite satisfied. She reminds me of the Olivia Rodrigo lyric, “I got the things I wanted, it’s just not what I imagined,” from her song “making the bed.”
Prue Halliwell
I love all of the sisters from Charmed, but Prue Halliwell was my idol growing up. She is beautiful, smart, caring, and brave. She does everything for everyone, but because she is not affectionate, people think she does not care. As a big sister, her role as the oldest daughter always resonated with me. She would give up anything for her sisters, even her life.
Olivia Pope
Who run the world? Not girls, just Olivia Pope. I felt like her this week after getting the election results I voted for. She is so smart and confident; she literally had men going to war for her.
Lucy MacLean
Lucy MacLean from Fallout showed me that being naive does not make you stupid or a bad person. Trusting other people can get you hurt, but that does not mean you should harden your heart and think the worst of the world. She is the perfect example of someone who is strong and kind at the same time.
Queen Maeve
I think every woman who has ever watched The Boys is obsessed with Queen Maeve. She is cynical but not completely disillusioned. She does not give up even when that would be the sensible thing to do. She is impossible not to love; she is a bisexual superhero after all.
Mary, Queen of Scots
Yes, Mary, Queen of Scots was a real person, but I am referring to her character in the show Reign. Her portrayal in this show is likely not historically accurate, but it paints her in an amazing light, in my opinion. She is witty and charming. She has the power to command armies, but she still extends grace to people who do not always deserve it. Grace and strength are two of the traits that I admire most (and I most often see them in women).