A source of joy and strength to see the power each of us holds
From TV shows to podcasts to books, girl power in the media has become a celebration of women being unapologetically themselves. Women are represented as fearless, gentle, friendly, unapologetic, and everything in between. Here are a few of my favorite things to watch and read that really capture the beauty and magic of being a girl!
1. Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu – also a Netflix movie!
This YA book, also adapted into a movie in 2021, follows a 16 year old girl who creates an anonymous feminist zine calling out bullying and sexual harassment at her school. She and her friends grapple with the reality of being a girl, but they’re able to reclaim their power through art and community. The film features a lot of popular celebs and TBH I would say is a rare case of the movie being better than the book. It’s sad and scary and at times very enraging, but also incredibly and beautifully powerful.
2. Gilmore Girls
Obviously this is a classic, but what we don’t often think about is how it’s a story fully centered around growing and changing as women. Both of the main characters are female and the show follows their lives as they support each other, try new things, struggle in relationships, and make mistakes. Gilmore Girls shows us the messy and imperfect yet empowering reality of constantly growing into ourselves as we are challenged by new experiences. I love that we get such a realistic portrayal of women making mistakes and still being worthy of love and success, because that affirmation was missing from the media for a long time.
3. Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
This series is one of my absolute favorites, everything about it is beautiful and meaningful. One aspect of the story I love is that the main character is very strong, powerful and at times stuck up, something I rarely see from female characters. It’s refreshing to see that a likeable heroine can still be fierce and rooted in her own sense of self. This is a lesson I try to translate into my daily life as well. The rise of characters like this one helps us see that being particular or self-sufficient is not something to be ashamed of but in fact something that makes us strong.
4. Rules for Being a Girl by Candace Bushnell and Katie Cotugno
This novel was co-authored by the author of Sex and the City and is a heartbreaking yet powerful depiction of sexual norms that are unfortunately common in society. It follows a high school student who is manipulated and pressured by a teacher, and all the complex feelings she has. She has to grapple with the fact that no one in power believes her and fight to make her voice heard. This book is a powerful commentary on the sexist power structures that allow violence and harassment against women, and it made me think a lot about what it means to be an upstander.
In general, it makes me so happy to see the constantly widening depictions of girl power in the media. Getting to grow up with such strong role models has taught me to see my own value, despite my imperfections and fears. It has shown me that being a woman is not about fitting into a mold, but about embracing who we are, growing through our challenges and celebrating the unique strength and beauty each of us holds. These stories have inspired me to be unapologetically myself and to keep striving for the life and love I deserve.