Iconic television characters every woman can look up to

We live in a time where it still isn’t entirely fashionable to be a strong woman. If we speak our minds then we’re too opinionated. If we’re too independent then men apparently won’t find us desirable. If we stop putting up with all of the bullshit we face on a daily basis and stand up for ourselves then we’re labeled a bitch.

It feels like no matter what decision you make as a woman that you’re in a lose-lose situation, but these badass female characters prove that there’s no reason to apologize for being who you are.

Miranda Bailey- Grey’s Anatomy

Over the course of a few years she evolves from a shy intern into the no-nonsense chief resident with major talent. When she has a baby and her husband threatens to leave her if she doesn’t give up her job she proves that a woman doesn’t have to choose between her career and her family. Instead of giving into his ultimatum she decides that she’d rather take on single parenthood than stay with someone who doesn’t respect or support her.

Tina Belcher- Bob’s Burgers

I think we can all see a little bit of ourselves in Tina Belcher. She deals with moments of insecurity, but she has such a complete self-confidence that she never feels the need to apologize for what she likes or the way she does things. Despite the fact that her classmates always seem to be looking for something about her to make fun of, Tina follows her dreams while giving everyone a big, fat middle finger.

Daenerys Targaryen- Game of Thrones

She may be a little naive at times, but Dany has the amount of ambition I wish I had. She begins her journey for the iron throne without a single ally—married off by her power hungry brother—then works her way up to taking over entire countries and liberating slaves. In the world of Game of Thrones everything is slightly over-dramatized, but Dany teaches us that you can never dream too big—especially if that dream is smashing the patriarchy.

Michonne- The Walking Dead

Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

Michonne undeniably has the most bad ass entrance of any female character on T.V. She comes in katana swinging with two chained up walkers at her side. She’s a strong fighter and the level-headed leader, even though the show pushes Rick to the foreground. It wasn’t until recently that audiences got to see her softer side, but the point is that she is above all she wants to be valued for her skills and who she is instead of her level of sex appeal. Being strong is sexy.

Emily Gilmore- Gilmore Girls

Emily Gilmore does not give a single fuck. I had a real love/hate relationship with this character, but despite her shortcomings she always wanted what was best for the people she loved—even if she didn’t know what was best for them. She never settles for less than perfection, which can be a good thing to an extent, and she definitely isn’t afraid to piss people off with her sometimes brutal honesty.

Buffy Summers- Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Buffy didn’t have any time for trivial problems because her job was to literally save the world. She didn’t sweat the small stuff and it helped her focus on what mattered the most. On top of being responsible for the survival of the entire human race, she managed to maintain a social life and graduate from high school so she could move on to college like a normal kid. She’s the ultimate multi-tasker.

Leslie Knope- Parks and Recreation

Time and time again Leslie Knope had to deal with people who didn’t take her seriously because she was a woman in the government, but she didn’t let any of the people who tried to thwart or derail her plans. She is the queen of making the most out of terrible, and sometimes downright ridiculous, situations. You’re going to face a lot of people who don’t believe in you, but Leslie teaches us that believing in ourselves is what matters most.

Donna Meagle- Parks and Recreation

So there are two women from Parks and Rec on here, sue me. Donna is the epitome of a successful woman, and we can’t forget that iconic episode where she shares the one motto we should all live by: Treat yourself. Donna isn’t a woman who settles for less than she deserves and she’s not afraid for people to know that she enjoys the finer things in life. People might call you picky or stuck up, but it’s okay not to settle for less than you know you deserve.

The people who write these strong and unapologetic female characters should give us all hope for the future of women. It may not seem like much, but these fictional females are inspiring women in the real world one episode at a time.