When I was younger, I would have never given a second thought to how female characters are portrayed in the media I consume. But as I got older, I realized a lot of negative and questionable ways in which female characters were portrayed in the media. However, I've come to grow fond of many female characters who managed to break the mold of what the typical portrayal of their characters were like. Here are a few qualities they have:
Strong
While I do love seeing women in action movies and shows beat up bad guys and shoot stuff just as much as the next person, I've realized that physical strength is not the only thing that qualifies a character as a "strong" female character. Strength comes in many different forms. Physical strength is admirable to many, but I agree with the idea that emotional and mental strength should be more appreciated as well. The kind of strength I like to see in these characters isn't always brute strength, but determination, a strong will, kindness or being able to come out on top no matter who or what tries to stop them.
Has Flaws
This may seem out of place right after the previous topic, but with nearly every character, there needs to be balance; and that balance is having both strengths and flaws. Unfortunately, flaws in female characters often seem to be more heavily scrutinized than other characters. But flaws can make more characters relatable than someone with no flaws at all. So instead of unfairly criticizing a character for having flaws, let's acknowledge that human beings have flaws; and there's no changing that.
They're Their Own Person
I love romance in a story, but not at the expense of another character's relevance. I feel pretty disappointed whenever I see a female character introduced only to serve as the love-interest for the protagonist and nothing more. I see it as a huge waste of potential when a character's relevance is completely reliant on the existence of another. So whenever I see female characters, especially those in the romance genre, being their own person outside of their relationships and maintaining relevance, it makes me really happy.
Have a Positive Impact
I understand that not every character is gonna be "role-model" material, but this is a very important factor to me. I'll never get tired of seeing female characters who are bold, courageous, hard-working and not afraid to stand up for what they believes in. This sends such a positive message to the female audience; young girls especially. These characters have the potential to show them that they're capable of great things; no matter what society and negative stereotypes may do or say to deter them.
Female characters can and should carry just as much weight in a story as male characters. Sadly, they've often been either thrown to the side or given little relevance to the plot as a whole. Like people in real life, each character has the potential to shine and no character should be belittled or cast aside on the basis of their gender; That's just not fair.
