The Reality of Female Representation
Growing up an avid movie watcher, I noticed that female characters in power were always portrayed with hyper-masculine traits. I watched movies where female presidents, superheroes, and leaders, typically wearing “male” clothing, were portrayed as aggressive, blunt, dismissive, and never wanted to be associated with feminine traits. I do not believe movie directors and writers had any malicious intent in making these characters masculine; in fact, they probably thought they were doing something to benefit women. This is not the case. Portrayal of women in hyper-masculine roles implies that women need to possess these traits to be recognized as a legitimate leader figure, which is harmful to feminism and the progression of equality.
The danger of this portrayal of women in film is that when art falsely imitates life, life can imitate art. Media has such a huge influence over how we perceive society. When we see female characters forced to fit into a masculine mold, women watching these films will think they have to do the same to be respected as authority figures. In reality, powerful women that I admire, such as Malala Yousafzai, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Sandra Day O’Connor, possess feminine features and behaviors while simultaneously influencing politics and culture.
Television media serves as a microcosm for how society views women in power. While there are notable exceptions, the vast majority of CEO and government positions worldwide are held by men. This fact enforces the institutional sexism that is ingrained in our society today. The more power any given position has, the harder it is for a woman to hold that role. Because men hold most positions of power, films and media interpret this as a sign that masculinity equals power. In Me Jane: Masculinity, Movies, and Women, edited by Pat Kirkham and Janet Thumim, the authors express concerns that Hollywood often portrays women either as passive counterparts to male heroes or as “masculinized” figures when they enter traditionally male-coded spaces such as scenes with action, leadership, or combat. Evidently, in most movies I’ve seen featuring a female army general, president, or superhero, these women often defy traditional female stereotypes and comply with masculine ones. To give females representation in roles of power, perhaps writers and directors think that they must display masculine features and traits. This representation is harmful to feminist thought because it implies that women cannot be both feminine and powerful.
The problem with feminine representation in positions of power is that it gives women the message that they must concede their femininity to be respected by their male counterparts. In Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body by Susan Bordo, she discusses how Western culture and media reward a female body that looks “controlled” and “muscular”, which are traits traditionally coded as masculine. In films, when female characters adopt muscular characteristics to be perceived as “strong,” it reinforces the idea that power equates to masculinity and that women must shed their femininity to be taken seriously in these roles. In reality, women who spend just as much time in the gym as men physically cannot build the same amount of muscle because they have significantly lower levels of the testosterone hormone, which is necessary to build muscle. If women physically cannot have the same muscle mass as men, it is damaging to imply that women with a muscular physique are perceived as more powerful in film because that is simply not realistic. This perception that physical male traits equate to power in media is damaging because physical traits are neither necessary nor important to possess strong leadership qualities, and this undermines the progress to gender equality.
Aggressive female characters are often considered “empowered” only when they adopt strength, combativeness, and assertiveness. In Mary Lavin’s Push Comes to Shove: New Images of Aggressive Women, Lavin argues that when female characters express power through masculine aggression, their empowerment becomes defined by male standards, not female ones. The author argues that when female characters in film exhibit feminine-coded traits such as care and empathy, they are often portrayed as weak or irrelevant. In contrast, those who adopt aggression are seen as power figures. These representations of females in media are damaging because when writers try to give female characters power that is strictly characterized by male standards, the media is conveying to women that they cannot possess their femininity while being a legitimate power figure.
How did we get here in the first place? Why is gender equality still an issue in 2025? Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie described it best in her novel, “If we do something over and over again, it becomes normal.” (Adiche 13) Repetition shapes society. Whether intentional or not, boys and girls are raised in two different spheres. For example, many boys are repeatedly exposed to superhero-themed media, which subliminally teaches them that it is their role to be tough, assertive, and dominant. On the other hand, many girls are repeatedly shown princesses and damsels in distress-themed media, which subliminally implies that they should be kind, caring, and rely on their “prince charming” to save them. Children are the most vulnerable to media because they simply don’t know any better. What we see on our screens is how we perceive the world outside of our own lives. These children grow up to be contributing adult members of society, and these values they had ingrained in them as a kid stick with them and become how they think real society should operate.
Why does this matter? The media shapes how we view the world. How boys and girls are raised is a significant reason why females often struggle to earn the respect of their male counterparts. Growing up in a moderately traditional area in the south, it seemed nearly impossible to earn the respect of my male peers. The disrespect wasn't always completely obvious. I think men have figured out that they can't blatantly say “I don’t respect you because you are a woman.”, but they sure know how to show it. At my competitive tennis academy in North Carolina, I was the only girl in the “elite” training group for several months. I wasn't the only girl because I was better at tennis than the other girls; I was the only one because all of the girls who came before me moved academies after their experiences. I quickly learned why. Each day, we were paired off to compete in practice matches to help us improve. Without fail, every time my coach paired me with anyone in my training group, the boys always responded with either a groan, an eye roll, or a request to switch partners. Meanwhile, the boys who weren’t paired with me would celebrate with small fist pumps or high-fives, relieved to have avoided the “embarrassment” of competing against a girl. The thought of spending two hours competing against a girl they might lose to was apparently unbearable to them. This not-so-subtle treatment of women is due to men perceiving power from the media and projecting it into real life.
So, how do we fix this? If one of the significant issues is with how children are raised around media, we need to change that. From the start, we should not force children into two gender categories of behavior. Girls should not be taught that they need to rely on a boy, and boys should be taught that women do not rely on them. In terms of television, children should be exposed to diverse role models that go beyond traditional gender stereotypes in order for each individual child to decide for themselves who they want to be. If a young girl wants to watch a movie about princesses and damsels in distress, let her, but also show her media featuring female protagonists as heroes. Young boys and girls need to understand that they need to respect both genders equally, and that one gender is not deserving of power more than the other. If children are exposed to different media, they will grow up to implement these values for a better society. By eliminating gendered expectations for characters in film, media can better portray women who display both femininity and power.
Let's talk about an example of a film that portrays a protagonist who possesses unapologetic femininity while still having power. In the 2001 hit Legally Blonde, Elle Woods is introduced with stereotypically feminine traits. She loves pink, fashion, makeup, and shopping. When she is selected to join a legal team working on a high-stakes case, she temporarily shifts toward more masculine and muted clothing in an effort to earn respect from her male peers. Yet in the final courtroom scene, where she ultimately wins the case, Elle appears in a bright pink outfit that reflects her authentic style. This moment asserts that she can be both powerful and feminine without needing to suppress any part of herself. In a culture that often mocks or dismisses femininity, Elle flips the “dumb blonde” stereotype on its head. She quickly proves to her peers and to the audience that her intelligence is not diminished just because she takes pride in her feminine traits. Elle Woods is a perfect example of how femininity and power are not mutually exclusive. Feminine representation in media is not completely damaged, but we still have a long way to go.
Art imitates life, and life imitates art. Portrayal of women in hyper-masculine roles is damaging to femininity, implying that women need to possess these traits to be recognized as a legitimate leader figure. When powerful female characters are consistently shown as combative, stoic, or emotionally detached, audiences learn, often unconsciously, that masculinity is the true language of power. Instead, films should display all kinds of powerful women. Those who are masculine, those who are feminine, and those who are anywhere in between. Masculine presenting women certainly deserve representation, but women who embody traditionally feminine traits must not be denied narrative power simply because they do not fit a masculine mold. A more diverse portrayal of female power in media will impact the world around us by eliminating stereotypes of people in power.
