Ah, fictional characters. Sometimes you might argue I'm a little too invested in my favourite fictional people from the world of pop culture, but when you're a teenager* and looking for someone to look up to and remind you that 'everything's going to be okay' sometimes a feisty female from your favourite tv show feels more appropriate than someone you know in real life.
*And I say teenager, but some of these fabulous fictional ladies only came into my life in my 20s. I'll never stop being a fangirl. Without anymore of an introduction...
Willow
Buffy has many a tear jerker moments. For me, one of those were in the final minutes when Willow went all white-haired and channelled the power of the original slayer into all the potential slayers. Because, wow. From bookworm with a crush on her best friend, to dating a warewolf, to iconic LGBT character to evil willow full of grief to bad-ass saviour of the world. Let's salute.
Storm
I'll be honest why I like Storm:
1. She commands attention
2. She can change the weather. That's a cool and unique superpower. Telekinesis is so common and mainstream.
I'll be honest why I like Storm:
1. She commands attention
2. She can change the weather. That's a cool and unique superpower. Telekinesis is so common and mainstream.
Batgirl/Barbara Gordon
When I started to get into comics last year from a feminist lens, the females I wanted to concentrate on from the DC Universe were the big ones: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman. I only picked up a Batgirl comic by chance at a con and within it's pages I discovered the kind of heroine my former teenage self would have looked up to. Intelligent, a bit bookish, redheaded and also a crime fighter! I'd almost say she's the Hermoine Granger of the superhero world, book-smart like a Ravenclaw but definitely a brave Griffindor through and through. Proving you can be a good student but also a bad-ass at the same time.
But pssshhhhttt: I've only read the 52 collection. I'm yet to immerse myself in he world of Oracle or the alternative Batgirls. Sorry, I know, I'm clearly a #fakegirlgeek. *slaps self on wrists*
When I started to get into comics last year from a feminist lens, the females I wanted to concentrate on from the DC Universe were the big ones: Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Catwoman. I only picked up a Batgirl comic by chance at a con and within it's pages I discovered the kind of heroine my former teenage self would have looked up to. Intelligent, a bit bookish, redheaded and also a crime fighter! I'd almost say she's the Hermoine Granger of the superhero world, book-smart like a Ravenclaw but definitely a brave Griffindor through and through. Proving you can be a good student but also a bad-ass at the same time.
But pssshhhhttt: I've only read the 52 collection. I'm yet to immerse myself in he world of Oracle or the alternative Batgirls. Sorry, I know, I'm clearly a #fakegirlgeek. *slaps self on wrists*
Claudia Kishi
Let's roll back time to the Babysitters Club, from a time before I even walked this earth. While you would be forgiven for assuming my favourite character would be Dawn with her tofu-loving California cool ways, as a child I was all about Claudia. Art was my favourite subject as a Babysitters Club reading pre-teen so Claudia was the natural shoe-in. As an adult my critical social justice warrior lens also praises the characters inclusion in the series as an example of a non-white character portrayed in a non-stereotypical way (this was a Asian-American who got bad grades, really bad grades).
Kat Stratford
When I was watching 10 Things I Hate About You circa 2004, Kas was issuing out one of her eloquent but angsty rants to Bianca, and my dad turned to me and said "gosh, she sound like you". At the time I was proud of this (cringe) but when it comes to teenage characters I could have been compared to I'd much rather have been compared to Kat than many others. I've let go of my hormonal angst but I have no regrets. And I'm not the only one who thinks she's awesome.
Who are you five favourite fictional females?
