Listen this is so wildly self indulgent but I was thinking about this today and sure enough it wanted to be written down

Books

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood – a harrowing dystopian look at why reproductive rights are women’s rights. Atwood might actually be God, the verdict’s not out yet

The Power by Naomi Alderman – probably best on the heels of Handmaid’s Tale, after which you’ll be thinking fuck men, this book reminds you gently that no, fuck the abuse of power, it’s just that women have had fewer opportunities for that (until…) I would have loved this book solely for the change in the newscaster dynamic tbh

The Protector of the Small series by Tamora Pierce (link to first in quartet) – this is a young adult fantasy series about the first girl openly training to be a knight. Reminds us that to be a strong woman you have to both overcome prejudice and put in the work. Kel has been so important to me ever since I was ten and cut all my hair off and pedaled around the neighborhood with a plastic lightsaber pretending to joust

Movies

Mona Lisa Smile – this doesn’t end at all the way you think it will, for any character, and yet it’s the perfect ending. This has been my favorite movie for like 10+ years honestly

Ever After – Cinderella retelling that gives the princess agency. Don’t lie to yourself, you need this in your life. Also Leonardo da Vinci is the fairy godmother; don’t pretend that isn’t peak art

TV

Fleabag (Amazon Prime) – the lead is extremely warped and yet extremely relatable. Watching this feels like getting permission to be hugely flawed honestly. Mind the warnings.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Hulu) – you do not have to renounce any aspect of femininity. You can do your makeup and paint your nails and go out and slay monsters. Who needs girl superheroes when we have Buffy honestly?

Theater

Wicked – name me one other piece of media this celebrated where the centerpiece is the friendship between two women. I’ll wait. You can’t

A Doll’s House – “Before all else you are a wife and a mother!” “Before all else I am a human being!” This wrecked 19th century Europe for a reason

Music

Short Skirt Long Jacket by Cake – don’t we all strive to be a girl with a mind like a diamond

The Man by Taylor Swift – listen this is a bop

Run the World (Girls) by Beyonce – did you think I wouldn’t include this? You were wrong

tumblr disclaimer: All of these, like any media, could probably be claimed to be problematic in some way honestly. But I think they’ve all massively impacted how I think about feminism.