Although one could say that female characters have only recently attempted to be empowering, I would argue that there has been a feminist icon lighting up our small screens since 1989: Marge Simpson. Some may dismiss Marge as nothing more than a devoted housewife, but she’s actually so much more than that. Marge is a patient, emotionally intelligent and highly-skilled woman. And with Mother’s Day coming up, I can’t think of a better time to celebrate this iconic cartoon mom.
Okay, there’s no question that Homer is a handful to be married to, and the Simpson kids, particularly Bart, aren’t a walk in the park either. But, Marge possesses an endless amount of patience for the antics of her family. Despite all the craziness that befalls the Simpson household on a weekly basis, Marge is always there to guide everyone through it with kindness and grace. Her patience is constantly tested and Marge does fly off the handle occasionally like any mother under stress does. But, most of the time Marge plows through all the adversity that strikes her family with good spirits. That’s strong as hell.
Marge is also emotionally intelligent and has been emotionally intelligent before that phrase entered our collective psyche. In the season one episode “Moaning Lisa,” which originally aired in 1990, Marge initially gives Lisa some horrible advice. She tells her daughter to hide her emotions and do whatever it takes to be popular. Lisa takes this advice and subsequently becomes miserable. Once Marge sees the impact of her words on her daughter, she realizes its perfectly okay, albeit necessary for her daughter to express her emotions openly because her family will be there for her no matter what. She even has an especially poignant line to Lisa, “From now on, I’ll do the smiling for both of us,” proving that in addition to being emotionally intelligent, she’s got a firm grasp on how to be a great mother.
Furthermore, Marge is also, like, the most talented bitch ever. Not only is she a skilled wife, mother, and homemaker–and yes all of these are valuable skills–she has succeeded at a wealth of jobs, including power plant employee, owner of an all-female gym, policewoman, and software developer. And, she’s excelled in ALL of these fields. I don’t know anyone else who has all those talents AND is an all-around gem with a blue beehive.
While Marge may not be an action heroine or outspoken activist, she is a TOTAL badass. She’s patient, kind, talented emotionally intelligent, and just an inspiration to women everywhere. If you are looking for a new feminist icon, look no further than America’s favorite mom, Marge Simpson.