Emma Watson, Taylor Swift, Karlie Kloss, Lena Dunham; these are just a few successful women who are advocates for feminism. Many young girls look up to these celebrities for guidance, and meaning, for what it truly means to be a woman.

Feminism almost seems to be trendy nowadays. Especially for college students who are looking for something to be a part of; a place to belong. However, there is a dark side to it. You’re either one or you’re not and if you’re the latter then you are obviously for women oppression right?

As a Christian woman, I, myself do not label myself as a modern day feminist. However, before anyone starts shouting profanities, I do support women and am grateful that we can vote, work, and do basically anything a man has rights to do. But, whenever anyone hears I am a not a feminist and identify as Christian, they put me in that box. The box of ideals that Christians think women are made for making babies, staying home, and cooking and cleaning.

Hannah Anderson writes, “Some will quickly counter that Christianity itself has been used to oppress women and therefore doesn't speak clearly enough to the issues women face… I'm much more concerned with Christ being represented well than with feminism being represented well.”

That being said, Christianity is one the places where you can find the most influential, beautiful, and strong, women. The Bible holds so many accounts of incredible women of God doing things in His name. One, in particular, named Esther.

If you don’t already know the story, it starts with King Ahasuerus choosing a new queen (his old queen disobeyed him and didn’t come when he asked (cue the rolling of the eyes. Men!) and so he decided to find a different one). This new queen was named Esther, an orphan and a Jew. Her uncle, Mordecai, was the leader of the Jews and encouraged Esther to hide her faith from the King and advisors.

A man named Haman, a powerful Prime Minister of Persia, wanted everyone to bow down to him because he was the equivalent of Gaston from "Beauty and the Beast" (Maybe even the big muscles too). So when Mordecai refused, Haman got angry and asked the King to get rid of the Jews.

Now, here is where Esther, comes into play. Mordecai told Esther about the plans the King had made and asked her to talk to the King since she was his wife, representing the Jews. Though she was afraid, terrified even, she braved it and went to see the King. After a few dinners and visiting, she begged the King to spare the Jews; all the while professing her faith and admitting to being a Jew.

In the end, an entire race was saved. All thanks to Esther.

Could you imagine how Esther must have felt in those moments? She was no doubt terrified. One couldn’t just see the King without being called for, not even the Queen, without being punished. Yet, she knew what she had to do. The courage of Christ compelled her and she went with the plan. Without her strong stance and beliefs, she may not have saved her people. But she did. Every little event was orchestrated by God so she could help save the Jews. With Him, there are no coincidences.

Esther represents a strong woman that every little girl should look up to. What she did is what true feminism represents: standing up for your beliefs and representing God’s love. She knew He had her back. He held her and led her to complete her destiny and save the Jews.

Instead of looking up to these celebrities in the magazines and on TV, we should be looking for strong women in Bible. Those girls truly represent what it means to be a woman and what we should identify with: God. So instead of wishing you could be intelligent like Emma Watson, and outspoken like Taylor Swift, strive to be brave like Esther.

Be a queen. Who knows, perhaps you were born for such a time as this.