There are so many important female role models in the news, in life, and in the entertainment industry. To get historical for a moment, women have been subordinate to men since the days of hunting and gathering. We are believed to be weak, too emotional, and make bad decisions regarding men who don’t really want us. For these reasons and many more, it is critical to have strong female representation, especially in the media. Young girls are very impressionable, so having powerful women to idolize can make a huge impact on their personal growth. The ideas and concepts that people share have the potential to shape society. Sharing the journeys of positive and assertive women is inspirational to women everywhere. Here are 6 women who need more recognition:

1. Carrie Bradshaw

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One very important woman that young girls should pay more attention to is Carrie Bradshaw, portrayed by Sarah Jessica Parker on HBO’s Sex and the City. Throughout the series, Carrie ponders and writes about her experiences with relationships and friendships. She has a lot of insight to offer about men and self reflection. One of her biggest triumphs is dealing with an unhealthy relationship that is always subject to change. She gets herself in too deep and then has to bounce back from it. What’s inspiring is not how she does it or how long it takes, but the mere fact that she does it, reminding us that all things take time.

2. Max Black

Max Black (Kat Dennings) from 2 Broke Girls is one of the best examples of a modern day female role model. She is a feminist icon who doesn’t quite fit society’s standards of looking like a Barbie doll, which she takes absolute pride in. Body positivity is a growing issue. We need confident characters like Max to remind us that there is beauty in every shape and size. She is an activist for women’s rights and gender equality. Max is also extremely motivated to work for what she wants. She works multiple jobs, goes to pastry school, and eventually opens her own cupcake business. At some point she has the chance to drop everything and stop working when she discovers her boyfriend is rich. He offers her $1,000,000 but she refuses to take it. She never loses sight of who she is; a strong independent woman who don’t need no man (or $1,000,000).

3. Cady Heron

Pretty much every girl on the planet has seen Mean Girls. Mean Girls is probably one of the best chick flics; it’s funny, relatable, and offers important messages. Cady is very aware of her feelings and the decisions she makes throughout the movie. She sees herself making bad decisions and becoming the person she had laughed about with her friends before. When the time comes for her to face the consequences of her actions, she does it head on like a warrior. She learns to take responsibility for herself and ‘sucks the poison out of her life’. She doesn’t try to pass the blame onto anyone else and publicly apologizes to the people she’s hurt. Cady teaches us that dumbing yourself down for a guy is no way to get him, and fighting fire with fire will only create a bigger fire. It’s okay to make mistakes as long as you learn from them.

4. Miranda Bailey

Grey’s Anatomy’s character Miranda Bailey is so important and so underrated. The first episodes reveal her to be cold and too hard on her interns. As the series progresses, Bailey copes with a divorce, being a single mother, commitment issues, and forms of PTSD from the traumatic things that take place at the hospital. We also uncover details from her past that tell us she allowed herself to be pushed around and taken advantage of. The ‘What If?’ episode shows us a weak Miranda Bailey that never learned to stand up for herself. She eventually learns to hold her ground towards the end of that episode, showing us that growth is always possible even in the weakest-seeming people.

5. Annie Walker

Bridesmaids is a top romantic comedy written by and starring Kristen Wiig. Wiig portrays Annie Walker, a single woman struggling to stay on top of her rent. Her best friend gets engaged which only reminds her how painfully single she is. She has low self esteem and tries to find her worth in a man who refers to her as his ‘number 3’. The way she perceives herself makes it difficult for her to let people in. She tries to avoid these internal issues rather than confront them, and pushes her friends away in the process. In trying to avoid these problems though, Annie learns firsthand that while she may be her own problem, she is also her solution. Like Cady in Mean Girls, Annie has to apologize to the people she had done wrong and come to terms with her demons. You can’t look for your happiness or yourself in other people; Self love is extremely important.

6. Elle Woods

Elle Woods is a classic role model for girls everywhere. She’s basically the Mother Theresa of feminism. Elle’s character development is really one for the books, and although she starts her journey for a guy, she continues it for herself. She remains focused on her goal to prove that she is more than her blonde hair and pink clothes. Her hard work is genuine and she doesn’t let anyone’s opinions stop her. She realizes that her worth does not lie in the man who couldn’t see her potential or the professor who only saw her as a pretty face. They only fueled the fire that was always in her. Elle learns to have total trust in herself. She teaches us that you never know what you’re capable of, and proving a few people wrong along the way is just a bonus to the sense of accomplishment you’ll feel.

These ladies are only a few of the many role models out there. In times of self doubt or insecurity, these women will be there for you.