Although Netflix has recently released the third season of its original series "Orange is the New Black," you may find yourself in need of a small break to temporarily reduce your binge-watching frenzy. Fortunately, Netflix has several inspiring documentaries, many of which convey what it's truly like to be a minority despite our increasingly tolerant society. Some focus on racial prejudices within a specific ethnic group, while others recognize the global war on women, but all seek to inform their audiences and empower them to affect real change.

7. "Hot Girls Wanted"

Premiering in the Sundance Film Festival in 2015, "Hot Girls Wanted" is a documentary that follows five girls who have made their way to Miami, a city that has relatively limited laws regarding porn and its respective trade. This documentary is specifically orientated to tell the story of the young women who have just entered the industry and their attempt to return to a normal life after their careers end.

6. "It's a Girl"

In many cultures, it is common for mothers to kill their newborn daughters, because women are often viewed as a burden to their families. "It's a Girl" is an eye-opening film that documents the gendercide that occurs specifically in India and China, where more girls are killed or abandoned than are born in the United States each year.

5. "Love No Matter What"

Netflix recently released a series of TED Talks centered around the fundamental theme that one should "love no matter what," because a person is not the product of his or her circumstance. Although there are seven talks in this particular conference, the most notable is that of Andrew Solomon, a political writer who translates the tendencies behind one's affinity and conveys the belief that we should appreciate others for their identities and not in spite of them.

4. "Dark Girls"

"Dark Girls" is a film that focuses on the discrimination found within ethnic groups against their own people known as "colorism." While this documentary recognizes this form of discrimination occurs worldwide and in multiple cultures, it specifically investigates this deep-seated bias against the black community and how western beauty ideals effect the prejudice that has cultivated in America.

3. "Girl Rising"

This profound documentary consists of nine girls' stories and their valiant efforts to rise above their respective gender roles and seek out an education. Their stories are written by nine authors (each one belonging to the corresponding girl's homeland) and narrated by several prominent actresses (including Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and Selma Hayek). Against all odds, these young girls have not only rejected the limitations allocated by society, but have also endeavored to obtain the education that ultimately gives them their independence.

2. "Miss Representation"

Written and produced by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, this documentary premiered in the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and follows the portrayal of women in an era when the mainstream media contributes to their lowered self-esteem. This film features Katie Couric, Lisa Ling, Condoleezza Rice, and many other influential women who explore this correlation between social media and its debilitating effects on our generation of women.

1. "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide"

Women around the world are victims of sex trafficking and sexual slavery, maternal mortality, and gender-based violence. They're also denied the basic rights to education, economic opportunity, and a political voice; however this documentary, based on the book written by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, follows the lives of several women around the world and instills in them the notion that "women are not the problem, they're the solution."

What are your favorite documentaries? Share your thoughts in the comments section!