Watching films with strong female characters can make you feel inspired, more confident, and empowered. Andie Walsh was my movie hero growing up. Molly Ringwald’s Pretty in Pink character didn’t do anything superbly fantastic. She didn’t change the world or kick butt, but she was unapologetically herself. To me, there was nothing stronger than a teenage girl who dared to be different despite the pressure to be someone that other people wanted her to be.
Since then, lead female characters in films have only become more diverse and more awesome. It's important for parents to be critical of the messages portrayed in films representing girls and women. The messages that girls get from movies about women tend to shape their attitudes and feelings about themselves. If you’re looking for some major girl power to share with your daughter, no matter her age, we’ve got you covered.
LittleThings has rounded up 10 recommendations available to stream now, including ratings and where to watch.
1. Dumplin'
Willowdean is an outgoing high schooler, a Dolly Parton superfan, and a self-proclaimed feminist rebelling against her mom's beauty pageant legacy. This sweet coming-of-age story masquerades as a romance but is really a testament to being yourself no matter what — a message all young girls need to get behind.
Rating: PG-13
Where to watch: Netflix
2. Hidden Figures
Hidden Figures is the previously untold true story of three black women who helped launch astronaut John Glenn into space. They face racism and sexism and succeed despite both. Mathematicians Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan are the epitome of strong female leads.
Rating: PG
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
3. Mulan
The songs, the fighting scenes, a funny talking dragon named Mushu — all of these elements make for a good Disney film. But it’s Mulan’s journey that makes this cartoon the strong and empowering story it is. Mulan poses as a male soldier to save her father from enlisting in the army. While there, she proves to her doubters, but most importantly herself, that she is in fact smart, strong, and a leader.
Rating: G
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
4. Captain Marvel
How could we not include Marvel's first female-led superhero film? Captain Marvel has heart, charm, and humor. Instead of focusing on the superhero's looks, this film insists on empowering Captain Marvel, aka Carol Danvers, through her discovery of herself as a person (technically an alien). What makes Carol Danvers an even stronger female lead is that her true strengths come from the special women in her life.
Rating: PG-13
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
5. A League of Their Own
It's a fictionalized version of a true story. A group of women form the first female professional baseball league in America. The players on the team are all trying to prove themselves as women in a male-dominated sport while nurturing families and friendships. It's a story of triumph and teamwork and women working together to make something out of nothing.
Rating: PG
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
6. 10 Things I Hate About You
The film 10 Things I Hate About You is a modern retelling of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Unless your daughter's reading Shakespeare, and she very well might be, this late '90s cult classic will feel new and cool and an aha! moment for girls who feel misunderstood or even unlikable (as I certainly did in middle school and high school). Kat, the lead character, embraces that about herself, and people actually respect it.
Rating: PG-13
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
7. Nappily Ever After
Sometimes teen girls especially need a reminder that we adult women don't have it all figured out either. Cue Nappily Ever After's lead character, Violet. She's spent her life worrying about what she looks like and presenting her idea of "perfect" to the world. When she realizes how this obsession has stopped her from truly living, she embraces her natural hair and learns to let go.
Rating: 16+
Where to watch: Netflix
8. Legally Blonde
Hear me out: Elle Woods is an underrated feminist film heroine. Sure, she goes on a mission to win back her ex, but the lessons she learns along the way are key. In the face of sexism, she shows everyone, including herself, what she's capable of mentally and emotionally. She harnesses her true power and works hard toward her goals. And my personal favorite? The way she empowers other women to do the same.
Rating: PG-13
Where to watch: Prime Video, Google Play
9. To the Bone
It's not a feel-good film. It is, however, a sensitive and honest film on a subject that's not much talked about but is very much a reality for many: eating disorders. The film subtly points at how thinness being associated with beauty affects girls who are bombarded with these messages. The lead character, Ellen, is a different type of hero. She is imperfect and struggling, but she refuses to be a victim.
Rating: 15+
Where to watch: Netflix
10. He Named Me Malala
In this documentary, Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai defies the Taliban and emerges as a leading advocate for children's rights. She's the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, yet this documentary chronicles her also being a normal adolescent. There's something moving for women of all ages to know that anyone can be a hero.
Rating: PG-13
Where to watch: Netflix, Google Play, Prime Video
