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It’s Women’s History Month AKA the one time of year that women’s impact on American history isn’t completely overlooked. We have many historically important women in our time that we should be discussing this month and every month out of the year. Women like Dolores Huerta who fought for labor rights, or women like Harriett Tubman who fought towards her people to receive their basic human rights. Despite the long years of history, I want to start off this celebration easy. As a blogger who focuses mainly on music and pop culture entertainment, I decided to showcase my favorite female characters ever. Shocker. Thanks to the incredible women like the ones I’ve mentioned above, women like the ones I’m about to mention below are free to be who they are. So enjoy this list of 5 of my favorite girls in entertainment ever.
1. Maya Hart from Girl Meets World
Maya Hart, played by Sabrina Carpenter, is and will always be one of my favorite characters of all time. Maybe it has to do with the fact that I’ve adored Carpenter for as long as I can remember, but I will fight for Maya until the day I die. Do not test me. Don’t get me wrong. I had a lot of issues with the GMW writers (I’m looking at you Michael Jacobs) and their way of handling Maya’s storyline every now and then. However, despite these issues, Maya was a strong-willed, supportive and talented female character. She was also the best friend and daughter anyone could ever ask for. Between growing up without a father figure and not having her mom around (because of work), she was extremely grateful for what she had. I’m not exactly sure what it is that drew me to her, considering I had more in common with her happy-go-lucky best friend, Riley. However, at the end of the day, I’m happy I had Maya Hart when I was thirteen. Now, here’s a dramatic edit that I would watch religiously when I missed her.
2. Sana Bakkoush from Skam
Sana Bakkoush, played by Iman Meskini, was the fourth season main character for Norway’s extremely popular show Skam. The show was so popular it got remade in 7 different countries, including the United States. Out of all the characters in the series, Sana has always stood out to me. She’s an overall bad*ss but a softie at heart. I think what I’ve admired most about her is her loyalty to her friends and values. Many female characters are shown to change over time for the sake of “growth.” However, with Sana, I think it’s important to notice that although personal growth is there, she isn’t ever that different. She remains loyal to her friends, her Muslim identity, her family, etc., despite being tested every second. If you’re looking for a sweet, realistic, and intelligent character to dive into, Sana Bakkoush is the one to look at.
3. Elena Alvarez from One Day at a Time
Elena Alvarez, played by Isabella Gomez, is probably the character I relate to the most from this list. Considering we are both young and queer Latinas, our experiences are often intertwined. I’ve caught myself laughing at her scenes just thinking about how I went through the same thing just the week before. It’s always refreshing to find yourself represented on screen. “One Day at a Time” is a show you might have read about in one of my previous blogs. While it was in danger of being canceled I wrote about my favorite aspects in hopes of getting other people to watch it too. Although it was considered cancelled for some time, they eventually got renewed on another network. As much as the minor pro-Israeli and militaristic propaganda puts me off, Elena Alvarez as an individual character is so dear to my heart. Her fight for inclusivity and positive change is something that I wished more popular female characters participated in.
4. Starr Carter from The Hate U Give
Starr Carter, played by Amandla Stenberg, is a character that received nationwide attention back in 2018 when “The Hate U Give” was released. With the young adult novel – written by Angie Thomas – being released just a year prior, the story about a young black girl witnessing her friend get shot by a white police officer was fresh on a lot of young readers’ minds. Me being one of them. Although I’ve read the book, I have not seen the film. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. How couldn’t I? I don’t have the answer to that myself. Regardless, I think Starr is a character worth highlighting this Women’s History Month. At just 16, she had gone through more pain and trauma than most people have gone through their whole lives. Despite the pain, she stands tall for what’s right. In this case, the unjustifiable death of her friend, police brutality, and overall racism. I think it’s important that young girls have a character like Starr to look up to. She is not a flawless character. She’s afraid, angry and anxious. How could she not be? What’s important to recognize is that she’s real.
5. Buffy Driscoll from Andi Mack
Buffy Driscoll, played by Sofia Wylie, is a literal force to be reckoned with. You would think a middle school character on a Disney show wouldn’t be on my list of memorable female characters but yet here we are. This probably isn’t a shock to you if we talk on a regular basis. I’ve rooted for this show since the very first episode and I can’t say I regret it. Buffy is a confident, smart, and loyal friend who knows how to work hard for what she wants. Even at my age, I learned a lot from this kid. She’s kind of what I hoped I would’ve been like when I was younger. Although her character wouldn’t be someone you would think to pay a second glance to, I genuinely believe she’d make an incredible impression on today’s youth. There’s no age requirement for being an amazing female character.
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