1. “Mean Girls,” 2004 Based in part on the book Queen Bees and Wannabes by Rosalind Wiseman, this 21st-century classic defined the middle school years of a generation of current 20-somethings. Part 
social commentary on female high school cliques, part Tina Fey, Lindsey Lohan and Rachel McAdams at their best (and cattiest), “Mean Girls” is the quintessential story of girls behaving badly. The real message of the movie, however, is the value of friendship and the understanding that words do hurt. Cady Herron’s
transformation from home-schooled transfer student to “mean girl” to finally finding her identity leads her to discover how far being kind to one another truly goes—a lesson we could all stand to learn.
2. “New Girl,” TV Series, 2011-2012 Who doesn’t love Zooey Deschanel’s slightly annoying, slightly dorky, completely adorable leading lady, Jess, on Fox’s “New Girl”? The sitcom follows a group of five friends as they navigate the ups and downs of adult life and the responsibilities of the late-20s, early-30s set. From getting fire to break-ups to complicated roommate relationships and finding love where you didn’t think it was possible, “New Girl” simultaneously approaches those tough parts of young adulthood while also finding the comedy in the dark side of “growing up.” 
3. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” 2009 Originally a book by Stieg Larsson, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is not for the faint of heart. Rated R for some explicit content and grisly images, the film is meant to leave viewers white-knuckled as they anticipate the plot. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” makes it on this list because the female protagonist, played by Noomi Rapace, in this version of the film, is a young, gifted computer hacker. Given the lack of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematical fields (check out the statistics from the National Girls Collaborative Project), this makes her pretty awesome in my book. 
4. “Miss Representation,” 2011 “Miss Representation” is a documentary produced, filmed and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newson that explores the lack of women in powerful or influential positions in America. The documentary offers a fresh take on this long debated topic by examining the impact of the mainstream media—and the portrayals of women in such media—on the way women are perceived (or, conversely, deemed unworthy) as potential authority figures. Several high power women lend their voices to the film, including Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi,and UVa’s own Katie Couric. Points for a “punny” title. Double points for drawing attention to the under-representation of women in power and starting a dialogue to change it. 
5. “Scandal,” TV series, 2012 Despite recent criticism that “Scandal” has become too soap-like, overly emotional and too convoluted to follow, Olivia Pope in Seasons 1 & 2 is the ultimate bada** woman. Her trademark long, leather gloves, her fabulous wardrobe of outerwear and her ability to remain calm and collected in the face of national crises make her totally role-model worthy. Her penchant for red wine and popcorn makes her relatable. What is truly awesome about Pope, besides her stellar outfits and viewer-friendly snack habits, is her powerful and compelling nature. She can be bossy, and at times a little dramatic, but when it comes down to it, Pope is a woman who gets things done.
Photos from IMDB.com
Content by Adelyn Bender
