Often at the forefront of conversations surrounding Women’s History Month are historical pioneers of the twentieth century and prior. Fictional and literal, this list compiles the female figures who have been most influential in my lifetime and in shaping the person I am today, here are just a few of many women I’m celebrating this month.
- Greta GerwigÂ
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Arguably the most prominent female director of the twenty-first century, Greta Gerwig is best known for her films Barbie, Little Women and Lady Bird. All three of these movies easily fall under my top fifty favorite movies of all time, and rank even higher in reference to some of the best feminist films ever made. Gerwig’s modern understanding and authentic representation of the female mind is something male directors aren’t able to replicate as authentically in their filmmaking. Crafting complex characters like Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson or bringing others like Jo March to life through her work, Gerwig has produced nuanced and relatable female characters that help women everywhere to resonate with their individual struggles, simultaneously representing through film that at heart, we are all just girls still trying to figure it out.
- Kat Stratford
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The majority of my angst and opposition towards authority can be attributed to the original non-conformist, Kat Stratford in 10 Things I Hate About You. Portrayed by Julia Stiles, Kat plays the older of the two Stratford sisters growing up with their single father in the 90’s. Kat Stratford is the very first character I ever truly looked up to, her blunt tongue and outward feminist opinions are something I had never before resonated with on the TV. I remember watching her flash her coach and thinking, damn, she’s badass. While I’m sure I would be just as opinionated today if I was never introduced to the movie, it is no doubt that Julia Stiles put the feisty woman on the map for little girls everywhere. Especially during a time when film, rom-coms especially, were hyper-actively catering to the male gaze. Beyond this, up until this point female leads were either depicted as intelligent goody two shoes or rebellious burnouts, but rarely both. Kat Stratford was one of my first exposures to a woman that was equally as outspoken as she was intelligent, she taught me that someone could be equally admired and feared.
- Blanche DuBoisÂ
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My favorite piece of literature of all time and a story far ahead of its time is the play A Streetcar Named Desire written by Tennessee Williams. One of the characters in the play is Blanche Dubois, rigid older sister (are we sensing a theme here) of Stella Kowalski. The play takes place in New Orleans during the summer of 1947 and depicts the domestic struggle between Blanche, Stella and Stella’s Husband, Stanley. The storyline highlights the power struggle between Blanche, an affluent and delicate aristocrat and Stanley, a rough working-class Polish immigrant. While critics and reviewers share a wide range of opinions over this piece, its message is strikingly clear to me. The play walks the audience through the domestic competition that unfolds between Blanche and Stanley and the increasing loss of autonomy and respect Blanche is faced with the more she expresses concerns for her safety, which as the play unfolds you better understand she was right to be fearful for. The play shines light on perceptions of mental health during this era and the concept of female hysteria used to justify lobotomization and violence. While I’m sure this wealthy Southern Belle was not the picture of equity, Blanche’s character is extremely symbolic towards my understanding of this time period, and she stands as a reminder for all the women who did (and continue to) suffer at the hand of male violence and the patriarchy.Â
- Santana Lopez
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As a long time Gleek, my middle school persona was largely shaped by the icon that is Santana Lopez. Played by the late Naya Rivera, Santana is a witty and bold cheerleader. In the show, not only is Rivera arguably one of the best vocalists but she is undeniably the funniest character. Aside from her humor, Santana can be appreciated for the political and social nuance she brings into Glee. Portraying the head cheerleader as a closeted Latina Lesbian was a bold move by Ryan Murphy, and an extremely influential one. Santana’s character breaks so many barriers that had yet to be emphasized on screen before. From getting outed at a conservative high school in rural Ohio during the 2010s to navigating conversations with her Catholic abuela surrounding her sexuality, Santana’s story normalized conversations of feminine queerness in media that became even more prevalent after Glee. Santana is a pioneer for bold women everywhere and remains a strong influence for young girls stumbling upon Glee for the first time.Â
- Samantha Jones
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Hands down the best and least problematic Sex and the City character is Samantha Jones played by actress Kim Cattrall. As a recent subscriber to the SATC bandwagon, I can’t say that Samantha has been an influential personnel to myself until as of late. That being said, I think Samantha Jones is yet another character that came before her time on television, debunking and normalizing women’s sexuality in the 90’s: a concept that we still see major holdout against today. As the only non-biphobe and the most open minded of the four women, Samantha holds no reservations and absolutely zero judgements, something I think all women could use a little of in their lives. While misogynists cast her off as non-committal, Samantha is a successful, driven, open-minded and passionate woman. A girl’s girl who values the friendship of women, Samantha is content finding her soulmates amongst her girlfriends while looking for her orgasms elsewhere, and that is a woman I respect.