In all honesty, there should probably be more than one International Women's Day a year--doesn't it seems odd that despite two whole millennia of civilization, around half of our population is glaringly underpaid and underrepresented when compared to the other half? Strong women are all around us, from mothers and friends who support us daily to the public figures who inspire us with their work. Sometimes, even fictional characters can be a source of strength and empowerment, but then again, that should come as no surprise to anyone who's ever enjoyed Jane Eyre.
It's maddening when television shows aren't realistic or relatable in their portrayals of women, but sometimes, either through stellar performances or sharp plot direction, the woman on screen really does become someone you can genuinely see as a sister to learn from. Here are some of the silver screen's strongest offerings right now:
Cersei Lannister is the resident bad girl of the Game of Thrones ladies, ’nuff said. Does she have dragons or training as a knight? Perhaps not, but Lena Headey’s plotting, political aristocrat will betray anyone and anything for her children, and the reason we love to hate her is that Cersei knows how to follow through. If you’re still not buying it, in the last season’s finale, she killed off almost all her enemies by blowing up the very place where she was to be tried for conspiracy: a little excessive, some might say, but with few enough loose ends to reveal Cersei as a master of strategy.
