7 Times A Female Character Taught Me How To Be Strong

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Leslie Knope – Parks and Recreation: Season 4, Episode 20 ("The Debate")
Leslie Knope, my favorite TV feminist — a "beautiful, talented, brilliant, powerful musk-ox," in her own right, has always been a role model to many, including me. Her strength is special because it's rooted in love and persistence. She doesn't need to be loud or intimidating to be heard. Throughout Parks and Rec, Leslie shows that strength can come from caring deeply, working hard, and never backing down from your values. In "The Debate,' she wins not by being flashy, making empty promises, or even threatening like her opponents, but by being honest and passionate. Towards the end of the debate, she says, 'If I seem too passionate, it's because I care. If I come on strong, it's because I feel strongly. And if I push too hard, it's because things aren't moving fast enough.' Leslie doesn't fight for power — she fights with her heart, and that's what makes her so strong.
Santana Lopez – Glee: Season 3, Episode 7 ("I Kissed a Girl")
Santana Lopez was, from the start, introduced as a strong, outspoken, and confident character, with talent to match. She was constantly, courageously making space for herself in rooms as a Hispanic queer character — in spaces where representation was deeply lacking.But I think the bravest — and strongest — she ever was, was when she came out to her abuela. Although she was met with anger and rejection in that moment, it took so much courage to be that honest and vulnerable. In that powerful scene, she tells her abuela:'I walk around so mad at the world, but I'm really just fighting with myself. I don't want to fight anymore. I'm just too tired. I have to just be me…' Being seen — and truly vulnerable — takes more strength than most people think.
Anne Shirley – Anne with an E: Season 3, Episode 2 ("There is something at work in my soul, which I do not understand")
Anne Shirley from Anne of Green Gables and the series Anne with an E is a sensitive, imaginative, and bold character. She constantly stands up for herself and those around her, always seeking adventure and meaning. One scene that stayed with me is when Anne and her friend Cole visit the orphanage to learn about her parents. Anne, unfortunately, discovers nothing about them and finds that the stories she had written were all fantasy, and realizes she's been using imagination to escape a painful reality. She feels angry and ashamed for deluding herself and holding onto so much hope. But Cole reminds her: 'It saved you... Your reality is effervescent. Beautiful... It made you who you are... And selfishly, I'm thankful for it all. Because you were able to understand and accept me. That saved my life.' Anne's strength was in her ability to hope, even when life gave her little reason to — and that hope inspired others, too.
Elle Woods – Legally Blonde
Elle Woods has been celebrated for years — and I'm sure she'll continue to be. She's constantly underestimated because of how she looks and the things she loves, which is a story so many women understand. Her strength comes from continuing to show up, even when the world tries to dismiss her. There are many moments of strength in Legally Blonde, but one that always stands out to me the most is when she decides to quit Harvard. After a professor makes an inappropriate advance, Elle feels like she'll never be taken seriously, no matter how hard she tries. While saying goodbye to a friend and admitting her dreams may have been a delusion, a respected female professor overhears and says, 'If you're going to let one stupid prick ruin your life… then you're not the girl I thought you were.' That moment reignites Elle's passion. She returns to school in full pink and wins the case by being exactly who she is.For me, that was her real moment of strength: realizing she didn't need to change to be taken seriously. She just had to believe in herself again — and trust that she was right about who she is all along.
Samantha Jones – Sex and The City: Season 5, Episode 3 ("Luck Be an Old Lady")
Samantha Jones, the unapologetic, sexually free, and wildly successful queen of Sex and the City, has countless scenes where her strength and ambition shine. But one of my favorite moments comes from the episode "Luck Be an Old Lady." Samantha and her boyfriend invite the girls to Atlantic City to celebrate Charlotte's 36th birthday. But during the trip, Samantha rushes back to their shared suite after her suspicions are triggered, trying to catch her boyfriend in the act, suspecting he's cheating again. That trust, already on thin ice, finally breaks. Even if he wasn't cheating that day, she knows deep down that he will eventually — and more importantly, she realizes she doesn't deserve that kind of relationship. It's beneath her. As she leaves him for the last time, she tells him, 'I love you too, Richard, but I love me more.' Later, she repeats this same quote when breaking up with another boyfriend, after realizing she'd been neglecting herself for his sake. Samantha knows her worth and unapologetically puts herself first in a world that tells women not to. Choosing yourself — especially when it isn't easy — takes real strength.
Rose Hsu Jordan – The Joy Luck Club (Movie)
The Joy Luck Club is one of my favorite books and movies. Any first-generation daughter can relate to the themes in this beautiful story: inherited trauma, finding your voice, and the complex relationships between Chinese-born mothers and their American-born daughters. One of my favorite stories is Rose's. For much of her marriage, she believes she needs to be submissive and agreeable to keep her husband happy. Over time, she loses her sense of self completely. When the marriage falls apart, it's clear how much this silence costs her. Her mother sees it too, and shares a heartbreaking story from her childhood in China — about Rose's grandmother, who became one of many wives to a cruel man. To break the cycle, she took her own life, hoping her daughter would gain the strength she didn't have. That strength, her mother says, was meant to be passed down. Even if it seems like it skipped a generation, it's not too late. Later, Rose sits outside in the rain, waiting for her soon-to-be ex-husband. When he arrives, she finally tells him, 'You're not taking my house. You're not taking my daughter. You're not taking any part of me, because you don't know who I am. I died sixty years ago… For my daughter's sake...Now get out of my house.' Rose finds her strength and worth in her mother's past — and in the women who came before her. She realizes the oppressor was never her husband — it was her belief that her worth was less than.
Celie – The Color Purple (Broadway Musical)
The Color Purple is another of my favorite books — and also one of my favorite movies and musicals. This powerful story about surviving trauma, racism, and misogyny — and reclaiming your voice — is filled with some of the strongest female characters I've ever known. Celie, the sensitive and quiet main character, has been silenced most of her life. She's endured more pain than anyone should — and yet, she survives. Some of my favorite moments come from the musical, where Celie slowly finds her voice in beautiful, unexpected ways: writing letters to her sister, building community, sewing with pride, and finally singing the masterpiece that is the song 'I'm Here.' The lyrics that always stay with me are: 'I don't need you to love me / I don't need you to love / I've got my sister…' 'But most of all, I'm thankful for loving who I really am / I'm beautiful / Yes, I'm beautiful / And I'm here.' In that moment, Celie realizes she is deserving of love and joy, and she doesn't need anyone else to believe it first. After years of being told otherwise, she finally sees herself as enough, as beautiful. She is her full self. She is here. A stunning display of strength and resilience. I still hear that song in my head all the time.