Shift Of Female Positions In Pop Culture

2017 has showcased the faces of female empowerment on a global spectrum. Women all over the world have united to ensure their voices are heard for every aspect of life. Inequality is something women will no longer tolerate, and females have banded together.

Comics have shown booms during desperate times in America—readers like to indulge in fantasies of super hero’s that will save our world. Wonder Woman is the original powerful female in terms of modernity. As relevant today, as 70 years ago, she was the first time a female character was really introduced as an equal to her male counterparts. She serves as great pillar to showcase how far women have came, and how far we still have to go. Her character has always questioned why women are held back. Graphics over-sexualized her and unfortunately for a time, her looks seemed to silence her voice. The last time a female superhero graced our screens was the 1984 Supergirl. For 43 years, girls have grown up seeing only male heroes on our screens. The return and rise of Wonder Woman is exactly what we need.

The humanizing of females in pop culture has seen a massive shift in the last decade. Females can be powerful without being a sex symbol. Strength is no longer measured by a woman’s ability to look good in a catsuit, or kick-butt in heels. Instead, intelligence and Female characters are slowly beginning to emerge on the market presented as equals to men—not as supporting eye candy.

In the bestselling Mass Effect series, Shepard was originally a female. As in all Bioware games, you can shape the character entirely from looks to morals. Bioware made a bold and innovative move in demonstrating a hero can have the face of a female. This is so important.. Femshep is not a character sexualized for a male audience, she is a strong character that we can all learn from. Femshep bas become Bioware’s canon. 

Lara Croft, Tombraider’s leading lady has evolved from an outrageously sexual avatar to an actual person. Croft is now a character with a proportionate body, complex emotions paired with an inquisitive mind—and most importantly a hero that has personality beyond sex appeal. The Last Of Us, introduced gamers to a young girl named Ellie. A character smarter and stronger than the adults around her. Consider how far the gaming world has advanced…a bestselling game where you play as a young girl.

HBO fan favourite TV series, Game of Thrones, has done a great job of showing all the different forms female strength can take. The definition of strength isn’t always coming out on top, it can be surviving and knowing your own worth. GOT has nailed female empowerment in all its forms.

In the world of Marvel comics, the smartest person is an African American 4th grade girl named Lunella Lafayette (seen in Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur comics). She’s smarter than Tony Stark, Bruce Banner and Dr. Strange. All the names we know, she is above. She is a great role model for young girls and sends the message that women can be anything they want in this world. That maybe, every female is capable of a Wonder Woman status.