The importance of good quality media in a world where everyone is glued to their screens has never been more important. Children grow up watching all kinds of television, TV programs, and even YouTube videos all day, every day. While it would be preferable to have their screen time lessened, focusing instead on their interpersonal relationships in real life, it is inevitable that they will be consumed by some form of media at some point in their lives. And while there is no shortage of strong male characters for little boys to look up to, sometimes the portrayal of females in media is not always highlighted in a way that’s good to look up to.Â
Female characters can sometimes be portrayed as shallow, self-absorbed, and sometimes even nothing without the presence of the male lead in media outlets. Examples of these include Bella Swan from Twilight, who has no character development that does not include Edward or Jacob, or Regina George from Mean Girls who is not much more than a condescending bully at the end of the day. The presence of characters like these make it all the more important to encourage strong female leads in media, worthy of being role models to young girls growing up in the world today.Â
Examples of these strong role models include Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series, who is described as strong, independent, and fiercely intelligent. One of my personal role models growing up, Hermione is completely self-sufficient and does not fall prey to the stereotype of needing to be saved by a man, in fact, she’s often the one who saves Harry and Ron from the various dilemmas that they find themselves in. Another example of this is Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games who sacrifices everything for the well being of her friends and family, volunteering for the games in place of her younger sister. She is talented, strong, and capable with her many survival skills, often assisting and saving other tributes in the arena including Rue and Peeta. She exemplifies the older sister relationship that many young girls (including myself) look up to.Â
Other examples of important female characters in the media include Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson series, another character who exemplifies strong, intelligent, and caring characteristics. Lara Croft, from the Tomb Raider video games, is also an important character to look up to, and who doesn’t need a man to save her from the dangers that she finds herself in. Ellie Williams and Abby Anderson from The Last of Us video games also showcase strong independent female characters, and especially those that are not sexualized by the media itself.Â
Characters like these are so important to have accessible for little girls, as they become so important for them to look up to at a young impressionable age. It’s important for them to see that girls are strong, intelligent, self-sufficient, and are still capable of friendships, love, and great familial bonds. The presence of stereotypes such as “girls aren’t strong,” “girls are too emotional,” or even simpler ones such as “all girls love the color pink” make it so important to have representation in the media about how strong, capable, and intelligent girls can be.Â
Hopefully the presence of these influential characters in the media will encourage young girls to be outgoing, and take risks, and explore things that they enjoy doing. There are so many sources telling girls that they are too much, not enough, and everything in between. Let’s make sure that the representation of female characters does not contribute to this overarching theme that girls find themselves struggling with as they grow up in the world today. Strong role models in the media don’t just inspire little girls, they create a generation of strong women ready to take on the world.