10 Fictional Female Characters Who Defied Societal Expectations
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10 Fictional Female Characters Who Defied Societal Expectations

These women define what it means to be empowered.

Jen Lambert
Sep 02, 2019
Villanova University
148
10 Fictional Female Characters Who Defied Societal Expectations
https://www.pinterest.com/bonilla8040/

Representation of strong women in media is crucial in helping women visualize their capabilities.

1. Rachel Green from "Friends"

We first meet Rachel Green as a bride who has just left her groom at the altar and is about to re-invent her life by living on her own in New York City. Over the course of the show, she evolves from a naive 20-something who struggles after cutting herself off financially from her parents to an empowered single-mother with a stable career in fashion merchandising. She proves her family and old friends wrong by succeeding on her own in New York City. Of course, she leans on her friends along the way.

2. Mindy Lahiri from "The Mindy Project"

Dr. Mindy Lahiri is a Princeton and Columbia-educated OBGYN who is also a first-generation Indian-American. Mindy is a hopeless romantic who is a little too obsessed with celebrity culture but nevertheless is a great doctor. She is mostly unlucky in love but surrounds herself with great friends who she is unabashedly herself around. Mindy is not afraid to be honest with people, sometimes to a fault, but is generally unconcerned with the societal expectations regarding her behavior in relation to her gender.

3. CJ Cregg from "The West Wing"

CJ Cregg is the most prominent female staffer in the Bartlet administration in her role as the White House Press Secretary. She in no way allows people to waste her time, talk down to her, or insult her. She commands the most daunting podium in the entire world with intelligence and poise, and is so valued in the administration that she (spoiler) eventually becomes the Chief of Staff to the President.

4. Elle Woods from "Legally Blonde"

Elle Woods is the OG role model for college students. She got into Harvard Law School and worked her butt off so that she could graduate at the top of her class. While everyone assumed she was just a dumb blonde, Elle worked hard to prove them wrong. She was unafraid to embrace her femininity while trying to make headway in a traditionally male-dominated environment, she was even able to use her "girly" identity to her advantage. Elle shows that women can both be themselves and be successful.

5. Sansa Stark from "Game of Thrones

Sansa's character development may have been the most dramatic in all of "Game of Thrones" as she transforms from a subservient young girl to the Queen in the North. While she originally intended to become Joffrey's Queen, Sansa soon found herself the victim of physical and emotional abuse by House Lannister and eventually, Ramsey Bolton, having been manipulated by Littlefinger. She survives all of these traumatic events and emerges as a strong, independent woman who is crowned the Queen of the newly-independent North, without a king.

6. Jacqueline Carlyle from "The Bold Type"

Based on the real-life former Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, Joanna Coles, the character of Jacqueline Carlyle completely subverts the typical "female boss" character that is represented in TV and film. Jacqueline treats her employees with compassion and respect while being there for them as a boss, mother figure, and mentor. She fights for justice and is unafraid of the male-dominated board that oversees the publication of Scarlet Magazine, constantly going to bat for the print edition in an increasingly digital world. Jacqueline is well-respected by her colleagues and employees alike, showing them what an empowered woman is capable of accomplishing in the world of publishing.

7. Princess Leia from "Star Wars"

Princess Leia of Alderaan is now also known as General Leia. Throughout the "Star Wars" franchise, she leads the fight against both the Galactic Empire and the First Order as a member of the Rebel Alliance, and eventually as the leader of the Resistance. Leia Organa has long been regarded as a feminist icon and as a character who forever changed the way women are represented on screen. Her intelligence, bravery, and political ambitions make her a truly well-rounded female character who was way ahead of her time when "Star Wars" debuted.

8. Elizabeth Bennet from "Pride and Prejudice"

Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most famous female protagonists of all time and is widely regarded as the most empowered of Jane Austen's female characters. She defies the expectations her mother has placed on her to marry any rich man who offers his hand in marriage, only willing to marry if she finds true love. Her rejection of two marriage proposals from men with superior social status is almost unheard of for the time but shows her willingness to subvert those sexist societal expectations. Elizabeth does end up finding true love but does not lose her strong sense of self in the process.

9. Jo March from "Little Women"

Jo March is the central character in "Little Women" and another leading woman who subverts the societal expectations placed on her because of her gender. She grows up a tom-boy, lamenting that she was not born a man. Jo eventually accepts her gender but does not allow it to get in the way of her hopes and dreams. She is not afraid to stand up to men, even refusing the advances of a man who is seemingly perfect for her, and eventually becomes a mentor to many young boys.

10. Peggy Olson from "Mad Men"

In the male-dominated field of Advertising in New York City in the 1960s, Peggy Olson climbs up the ladder at Sterling Cooper. Making her way from Secretary all the way up to Copy Chief by the end of the series. Often the only woman in the room, Peggy is confident enough in her skills that she is not afraid to share her ideas. Her tenacious spirit eventually allows her to command respect from her male colleagues.

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