The Sad Decline of the "Strong Female Character"

[@berrymckockiner5883]

The reason i love mulan as a character was because her whole mission in the movie was to protect her dad, she wasn't trying to prove that "I can do anything a man can do". From the jump it was about protecting her dad, it was just by happenstance that she was also able to prove the guys wrong. Mulans whole personality wasn't about me, me, me. Mulan was always thinking of others, she wasn't caught up in her own ego.

[@nudeyoga7867]

Facts

[@alexforce9]

The fact that Peggy is so well known and loved for what is basically a cameo role in a few movies, and she have no superpowers, just tell you everything you need to know.

[@natl9953]

She did also have her own tv series.

[@looniemoonie5955]

Yeah, she had an entire show... if anything, it's Cap Marvel who has less presence 😂

[@alexforce9]

@@looniemoonie5955 I dont know if you aware - but having your own movies is considered bigger deal than having a tv show. Specially when your series have the budget of 5 dollars. It didn't have the Scarlet Witch money or even Loki money.

[@91722854]

@@alexforce9 bigger deal in teh sense of the celebrity ranking or that kinda thing, but a TV show allows time, week over week for audience to develop understanding of the character, so technically TV shows have greater significance in building that character than a movie, of course it depends on the audience as well, but we are seeing more people who actually care about the characters and their story, otherwise we should all just watch F&F from 1st to 10th movie and other derivatives of it, and treat it as a pain numbing activity on the weekends and after work

[@ledernierutopiste]

@@alexforce9 Can you at least admit that you were wrong in that comment saying that she is "well known for what is basically a cameo role in a few movies" ? She is well known because of a tv show with her name in the title !

[@robch4414]

100%. Somebody once said something like "Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the will to press on even while being frightened". This is the distinction the creators of New Strong Women appear unable to see. By equating "strength" to absence of weakness they have rendered their characters neither sympathetic nor believable nor interesting.

[@AbbieRee]

Great point ! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@fractalelf7760]

Amazingly well stated.

[@ZimCrusher]

The problem is that any female character represents ALL women, so if you give a single female character a weakness, you are saying ALL women are weak. This is the thinking, and this is why all female heroes after 2016 are the same. Think about this: They recently did a new Doctor Who special, and the classic villain Davros who is half humanish and half machine, was reworked to not look like a guy in a wheelchair, because that would make ALL wheelchair uses look evil.. WTH? From the Show: Showrunner Russell T Davies confirms that Davros, the major villain in Doctor Who, has received a modern redesign to step away from stereotypes associating disabilities with evil. The decision to update Davros' appearance was made to reflect the changing world and move away from the character's original wheelchair-bound and scarred portrayal.

[@fractalelf7760]

@@ZimCrusher Dr. Who is dead, they just fucked his corpse with that special. Next Professor X will be walking and Daredevil can see. His logic was people would see wheelchair bound people as evil, which shows he is either 1) looking for things to make up to grandstand on, or 2) willingly disingenuous or 3) plain stupid. Which would you bet is the case?

[@Novastar.SaberCombat]

"Courage is tempered by equivalent mastery over fear..." --DD3 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨

[@barneymiller4088]

My mom was a very strong woman. She was opinionated, strong in her convictions, and hyper supportive of people she loved. She wasn’t physically strong, she cried sometimes, she got mad, she looked to others to help get things done, and she showed love. She didn’t solve problems through physical strength or dominance as a man might. I never thought any of these made her weak,they made her stronger, but not in a manly way. Women characters need to show these types of women behaviors and solve problems as a woman would.

[@RSidd]

Ellen Ripley, Sarah Connor, Leloo, Trinity, River Tam, Kiddo from Kill Bill, Eowyn,....I can go on an on. These were some of the strongest female characters ever put on screen and they are loved by people all round the world regardless of their gender. Yes they are absolute badasses but they also had flaws and massive struggles which they had to overcome to succeed. And that's what makes us human. To see them win at the end despite all the odds reminds of our struggles in life and gives us hope by drawing inspiration from their actions under difficult situations. Whereas,..A perfect person who ralrely makes any mistake and strikes gold at the first attempt becomes unrelatable to the human experience. It's basically an antithesis to the hero's journey.

[@AbbieRee]

Very good points! Thank you for sharing ☺️

[@joshuacox5817]

Mrs. Brisby in Secret if NIMH, Sarah in Labyrinth, dark crystal characters, Captain Syndulla...

[@MechAdv]

Was rewatching LOTR for the first time in a solid 10 years or so, and was so utterly refreshed by the characterization Eowyn in those films. She’s strong, virtuous, noble, and FEMININE! Her struggles are characteristic of a woman’s hardship, instead of her just being a male character with breasts and long hair. Such great films.

[@raphaelantoine7331]

Agreed

[@decwow]

And the movies understate her character some. She's an even stronger personality in the book.

[@mattdaemontargaryen5256]

Not to mention trilogy's portrayal of Galadriel , She's the strongest being in her time yet she's graceful and feminine as well.

[@CZsWorld]

It never occurred to me that when some people say "strong female character" they were referring to physical strength. I think more about a strong character being capable. And a character doesn't feel strong in a capable sense unless that strength is earned. The example you gave about She-Hulk just having the power straight away is a perfect example of how not to do it. Women and men are not the same, so female characters are going to be be more capable in certain situations and less capable in others. Giving masculine traits to a female character isn't really making them as strong as and capable as they could be.

[@AbbieRee]

Exactly! I agree when I think of a “strong female character” physical strength is not what I think of. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic I really appreciate it ☺️

[@HH-hd7nd]

@CZsWorld Agrred on principle - though I'm willing to give superhero characters a bit of leeway here. The reason is that in the case of superheros its not necessarily about the gender, it's about the individual powers - and to be honest most female superheroes in the comics (both marvel and DC) are of course way stronger than most men. However (and that's the big one)....the character still needs to be multilayered and well-written, and that's where the MCU characters are lacking. And the trend of making the male heroes look bad just to make the female ones look better needs to stop of course.

[@im_cart8656]

the odds i see you or tay zonday in the comment section of videos i watch is over like 30%

[@gambitacio]

@@AbbieReeViolet from Violet Evergarden is the strongest female character I’ve seen. And strong doesn’t mean physically but mentally and emotionally too.

[@InternetSexyLoser]

AYOO Mr @CZsWorld I watch your videos!

[@user-xl5lc3qw5z]

this seems to be a wider problem in western media right now, which is that the 'heroes' are rarely if ever seen doing, you know, acts of heroism. Selfless acts, sacrifice, and personal growth have been replaced by scenes of 'badass' characters who 'popped off', usually in aid of their own selfish interests

[@TimothyCHenderson]

It's the full extent of the anti-hero trend that has been building for decades. It's also writers who struggle to write complex characters without falling into the trap of extreme character flaws = better character arcs.

[@keychainere]

Those traits are shouted down as “woke” and it’s awful. There’s a KZbin called synthetic man who complained that the Spider-Man 2 game is woke now because Spider-Man shows empathy towards villains. Y’know, a heroic trait that makes you want to understand and help people even if they’re awful. Man, I hate KZbin at times.

[@leonais1]

@@keychainere Next time, remind these people that Christianity offers forgiveness while social justice offers punishment (assuming this guy is standard US right wing).

[@GotoMaki4Micah]

@@keychainere what kind of villains are they? if they are anything like batman villains they should be stopped. the only point of understanding villains is to help catch them. while you're busy feeling sorry for them they are out doing villainous things. that doesn't make you a hero. it makes you self righteous and no better then they are. your empathy should be for the common decent citizen.

[@KootFloris]

Indeed. It's not just the women, it's too many movie heroes basically being psychopaths who can say a tough line before they kill amounts of enemies (people) and a funny line after doing so. No PTS, no remorse, no wondering. Is it because the main US paradigm is all about good vs bad, simple solutions, and win at the cost of everything else, or is that so because of too many such movies?

[@stevehoade7867]

Ripley was a great strong female character because she was scared, she didnt have the strength to face her fears at first but over came it, she decided to face her fear on her own 2 feet, and when they found little newt, ripley put aside all her own issues to make saving that child her 1 and only purpose. Her strength didnt come from her body it came from her will to rise above for the greater good, not her own selfish wants. Thats why ripley is such a badass. These writers need to stop writing women like they were men and start celebrating the natural things women can do.

[@stevehoade7867]

@@isometimesplaytw yea gotta agree, im willing to over look the hive but the airlock is a whole other level of 'what the hell were you thinkin' but im really just here for the uscm, i even got my own m41. I really want to see how the squad wouldve faired with thier weapons during the 1st assault.

[@BigNews2021]

Good point on Ripley. As for these "strong women characters", I think that saying that they're written as men shortchanges men. They're not written as a men, they're written as one dimensional characters with one masculine trait.

[@EternalFlameOfGod]

There not writing these women as men, there writing these women in the image of what modern feminism dictates is strength. Men do not act anything like these women the likes of Captain Marvel, She Hulk, Rey Palpatine and Woke Snow White. Men prefer complex characters like Rambo whose strength is shown through doing what he does while living with chronic PTSD and a depressed waning life but he perseveres and doesn't give up despite how much suffering his mental and emotional state goes through.

[@tom-ov6mw]

Ripley kicks ass best female character in my opinion

[@KrytonsHead]

Ripley also lost her daughter to old age in Aliens. Newt filled that absence, and momma bear came out.

[@garym6315]

The irony is that Peggy was a well liked character and even had her own TV series in the days before D+, but they STILL felt the need to turn her in to a female version of Captain America...

[@kaeaedwin7937]

I mean the argument can still be made that this is an alternate Peggy Carter so we’re still provided the same character just under different circumstances

[@YoStu242]

Nowadays they seem to think that mocking men and making woman invincible, all knowing and emotionless makes her strong. Nope, that's childish over compensation for weakness. I just watched Star Trek Voyager and the captain of the ship Janeway was fair and compassionate, was able to ask help even from men and never looked down at any man. She was truely strong female character. Later Star Treks seemed to take the same invincible-emotionless-all-knowing-female route that sucked.

[@gambitacio]

Yet the same ones will shut up, run crying to a train and yell “men protect me, I’m a helpless woman, I can’t fight” just like they did by the MILLIONS in Ukraine when Russia invaded them. If they’re looking to create a Hitler Tate that truly hates women they’re doing a good job of it.

[@joshuacox5817]

Ehhh Janeway is a murderer and gave up on a chance to get her crew home at least once.

[@joshuacox5817]

@IATVEDU she ordered the direct murder of Tuvix when it was established that Tuvok and Neelix could be brought back and all three could have lived. Yes it would have been a movie but my points still stand.

[@mrwerewolfvampire]

Star Trek went way worse than that. Most recently they've retconned the genderless Trill symbionts into transgenders.

[@lucillebalinska5868]

You have a very relaxed and soothing energy compared to a lot of youtubers with their manic personalities and erratic editing. Feminine and classy. Here for it.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for the support I really appreciate it! I’m glad you enjoyed ☺️

[@trequor]

The Pirates of the Caribbean series is a great case study for this. Elizabeth is a badass in the first movie, Pirate King by the third, and then by the fifth movie the SAME CREW that served under Elizabeth is now shocked at the idea of a woman being badass

[@Lora_Beolab]

the first 3 were directed by the same person and they fit together and were good, the last 2 were bad interpretations of the world/characters for money

[@trequor]

@@Lora_Beolab They arent remakes lol. Also i think 4 is fine, besides the fact that it's totally unnecessary. 5 is absolute garbage though

[@Vexarax]

Esmerelda from Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame was always one of my favourite strong female characters. She had no super powers, wasn’t magic, but was willing to fight and die to try to end the horrific injustice her people were suffering. She even begged and danced for money just to survive but would often end up giving the money to those with even less than she herself had, which was almost nothing. Also loved Ripley, Sarah Connor, Lara Croft, Xena, and many more :)

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic! It’s great to hear other’s opinions on the matter! ☺️

[@PsychoRavager]

Anderson in DREDD is another example of how to write a female character with her own agency without taking away from DREDD. In fact, both characters learn from each other throughout the film.

[@jasonfilan6969]

Dredd is an often forgotten, but very well made movie. Loved nearly everything about it!

[@colonelquack]

You can't be brave without some fear. You can't be strong without having flaws, without struggle.

[@AbbieRee]

Well said!

[@colinpreston80]

In the 80’s, there was a cop show called Hunter. One of the leads was Sergeant Deedee McCall. McCall was a tough homicide detective, an expert lock picker, and a master of disguise. She was also beautiful, sweet, a romantic, and sensitive to other people’s feelings.

[@oliverfa08]

Beatrix ( Killl Bill ) , Rita Vrataski ( Edge of Tomorrow ) and Furiosa ( Mad Max ) are by far way better female characters than many of today's women

[@AbbieRee]

great examples! thank you for your comment!

[@lucifel35]

Not to mention Ellen Ripley (Alien) and Sarah Connor (Terminator) two of the most badass character ever

[@AH00009]

Davasena and sivsgami Devi from bahubali movie series of SS Rajamouli has one of the best strong family characters

[@michelleanderson5244]

Hell, the weakest one of Immortan Joe's brides in Fury Road was a better character than most of today's female characters. Cheedo the Fragile turned her weakness into strength. In the climax of the film, she acted like she was giving herself back up to Immortan Joe, and was pulled back onto his car without any question. From there, she was able to pull the wounded Furiosa up onto the car so that she could finish Joe off.

[@davidchung2203]

Even xena from the show

[@emmyjr1231]

The Last Airbender and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are brimming with excellently written women/girls

[@looniemoonie5955]

Throw Claymore and Black Lagoon into mix. Claymore especially.

[@alyssapinon9670]

And Castlevania

[@bretts8070]

Peggy, easily. Still one of my favorite characters the MCU ever had. I wish her show had received more than two seasons!

[@AbbieRee]

Definitely! She’s so cool 😆

[@jolsm9726]

I was such a big fan of Peggy Carter after I watch Capitan America. I was exited when they announced her solo series. Although, at the end, they ruined that.

[@AbbieRee]

Oh I don’t realise they were doing that! I hope they don’t change her character too much and make her have good development. I think then the show has the potential to be great! Thank you for sharing your thoughts ☺️

[@bonevgm]

​@@AbbieRee The Agent Carter show is from 2015/2016. It has 2 seasons. I liked the first one, but the 2nd was not as good in my opinion.

[@muzikcaulwell421]

I agree...... It's like they lost the inspiration...... But I would still watch few more seasons..... I really liked that character/show.

[@nonexistent944]

America:- **Struggles to write a strong female character without her being annoying** Japan:- **Writes a high school teenage girl who uses nails and hammers to slam down curse spirits in the most badass way possible and no one actually hates her**

[@ZnamTwojaMama101]

Anime name, seems interesting. Plz.

[@CaptRex501st]

Jujutsu Kaisen@@ZnamTwojaMama101

[@joaquindonoso5481]

​@@ZnamTwojaMama101Jujutsu Kaisen.

[@julianmerbach1455]

despite all the sexism Anime generally creates better female characters than most western media does nowadays

[@fictionaddiction4706]

@@julianmerbach1455 No it doesn't. Especially in shounens. they utterly suck. (Except One Piece). They either suck or non-existent. And shoujos and Joseis have now become extinct.

[@J0llyGrn]

Peggy seemed so much stronger to me. She had a full personality, limitations, strengths and growth.

[@Bonovasitch]

Mothra is unironically what comes to mind for me as a strong female character and she's literally a giant moth.

[@snoopyvonsnoops6305]

I find what Hollywood today calls "strong female characters" unbearable.

[@ardent835]

Well you just earned yourself a sub, a strong female character who is an emotionless brick wall doesn't make for a compelling character. Sarah Connor from Terminator 2 is a good example of how to make a great female protagonist, she starts out as just another girl next door, she feels love, she has fears, she's vulnerable and completely lost at times but she learns to overcome that because she has to protect her son.

[@AbbieRee]

Great point! Thank you so much for the support! ☺️

[@Ka_tari_na]

For me when imagining strong female my mind goes to Eowyn from LOTR. She is gentle, nurturing, sensitive, fell in love, got her heart broken but she also can ride a horse into a deadly war, not to showcase her strenght but to stand with people she loves. I think those traits made her a strong female character. Btw your video is relaxing to watch ❤

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I'm so glad you enjoyed thank you for the support! :)

[@LgiovanniF]

"I am no man" boom!!! One of the movies parts that is far superior to the books. Because it is earned. More so in the extended versions.

[@brunobrancopontarolli8160]

I'm about a video from Pilgin's Pass about why Eowyn is the Epitome of femininity

[@gregoryruff77]

Ellen Ripley is one of my all time favourite movie characters, both relatable and admirable.

[@kh884488]

Mulan in the original, animated Mulan film is a great strong female character. She doesn't have a man's physical strength, but has ingenuity, bravery and can collaborate effectively with others. Those skills, altogether are much more important than physical strength alone.

[@kurohebie3161]

@@Givebackthescarf A trained woman can take down an average Joe, I don't doubt that. But ask real females in martial arts if they think they can take an equally trained man and if they are honest, you will get the answer that no, they can't. The chance is not absolute zero but it would require extraordinary circumstances. In any serious self-defense class for women, they tell you you can surprise your opponent to get the opportunity to run away, not face down the opponent in an open battle. It does not mean female warriors did not exist or female soldiers. Just that they were an exception, not the average. In today's entertainment landscape, it feels like any woman has to be a man with breasts.

[@--Traveler--]

'I hate your type' either a self hating male feminist or a whiney feminist. every.single.time.@@kurohebie3161

[@kant.68]

@@Givebackthescarf What a read… Women ARW WEAKER than men, let’s start from there. Women are weaker and masculinity is defined by strength, the strongest and most agressive person in the room is always gonna be a man. That’s why we associate physical straight with masculinity . A normal village girl no matter how much she trains can’t equal a trained male soldier. According to your words seems like patriarchy wasn’t a real thing. Since women have always lead armies and conquer lands and stuff… 95% of soldiers in Ukraine and Israel-Gaza are men. The Draft only applies to men, not women. Serena Williams lost against the no. 147 of male tennis players. Men are naturally stronger than women, NATURALLY STRONGER. Gender ideology is bs and false

[@kant.68]

@@kurohebie3161 A trained woman can’t beat me that’s for sure. 😂😂 Im an average Joe but im still 6ft and 180lbs

[@Dropletsojoy]

@@Givebackthescarf The thing is excelling in physical strength (over men) is not the truth for most women, only maybe a select few. Therefore, we don't need all these 'strong' female characters in ALL these movies. We want different types of strength that is more relatable for most avg women. That's the point she's trying to say. You really shouldn't be insulted its just nature that men's bodies are built to be stronger than women's. The real question is why do you (and Hollywood) value physical strength so much? There are sooo many other ways for women to excel and in today's world physical strength is not important. In fact, I think it pushes women to be a lot smarter and more strategic than men. Have you watched physical 100 ( there's a great example of this in that show).

[@farmingice8715]

For me, the character that always comes to mind is Lady Eboshi from Princess Mononoke. She is very kind and caring to those around her, but driven and brave in pursuing her goals, happy to take on gods by herself if needed, and also learns from her mistakes and grows as a person. To be honest the studio Ghibli films have a bunch of well written "Strong Female Characters".

[@EngelSpiel]

I think I read a quote from Miyazaki, which to paraphrase, said that too much anime is inspired by other anime, rather than by reality itself and the people within it.

[@batmanvsjoker7725]

Has anyone noticed how most of the badly written female characters are always in Disney-related property? Who could've seen that coming? 🤔

[@gm9460]

It’s actually a real shock given what Disney was like in it’s heyday

[@barneymiller4088]

Female character must also show their struggles, particularly struggles that are common to women. I also agree that when women are portrayed as with male characteristics it loses relatability as we no longer can associate this character with women we have experienced. They become just alien beings that aren’t women.

[@beth003]

Kim Wexler from Better Call Saul is one the best complex female characters I've ever seen on screen. I love her and she is so different from other female characters displayed!

[@itchyduk3761]

Selene from Underworld....she is physically strong and kickass but she makes mistakes, isn't the strongest character physically, learns to love and care for other people....but more importantly she has struggles that make her character's journey one of single minded goals to one of complexity and change.....Its like with a video game, you need to progress through a game to gain items, currency or experience but these strong women characters today are starting the game at maximum level....no need to work or experience hardship to make them relateable

[@mrwerewolfvampire]

And when her lover dies, she cries over his death, then went and tore his killer into pieces.

[@torijacobs130]

I'm going to keep this in mind when writing my own female characters. I'm a writer of comic books and I've been writing female characters for years. Like to think I made some good ones, but time will tell once I get them in the public light. Thanks for the video and you just got yourself a new sub ^_^

[@AbbieRee]

Wow thank you so much ! That’s so cool your a writer. Good luck on your future comics I expect there amazing! I’m glad you enjoyed. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@torijacobs130]

Thank you ^_^ I feel I have a lot to offer the medium I just need to get my name and stories out there. If you need more examples of well written female characters I would recommend (if you haven't already) Xena Warrior Princess, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Charmed, and Sailor Moon. All these women were strong in their own way, but they had a lot more going for their character than just "strong woman." and they greatly inspired me when it came to writing my own ladies ^_^ Take care!@@AbbieRee

[@AbbieRee]

@@torijacobs130 Thank you so much !

[@ketchup8965]

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again; one of my all time favourite ‘strong female character’ roles is Neytiri from the Avatar movies. She is a warrior and a princess, she leads her people and protects them. While she is wary of the sky people, she also has compassion for them. They’re a race of sentient beings just like she is, which is most likely why she was okay with Sigourney Weaver’s character coming into the Omaticayan tribe and teaching the Na’vi English. She is a huntress, but she is not brutal and cold and physically stronger than anyone or anything else. She shows compassion for life when Jake kills the dog-like creatures when they first meet. She is also realistically represented in fighting choreography scenes. She is not stronger than the sky people’s machines, she does not win every battle just because she is a strong woman. There are times of weakness, emotional and physical, displayed by her character in both movies. She also falls in love. She is flustered by Jake and even has a very interesting scene of self-consciousnesses about who he will choose as a mate because she is not as societally ‘feminine’ in her interests compared to other females of the tribe. When she tells Jake of the mating he will take part in after his ceremony of becoming an Omaticayan man, she tells him of the best singer and her expression is very vulnerable and soft. She is an emotional character, which almost makes her feel more strong than just a cold robot like character like captain marvel. She is a mother, she does not see weakness in motherhood. Another scene I really liked in the second movie is when the chieftess of the Metkayina Na’vi rides out in to battle despite being pregnant. Femininity and motherhood are signs of strength in the Avatar movies, which is so refreshing compared to what is depicted as a ‘strong female character’ in movies like the marvel universe. She also grieves, heavily in both films. The next part contains *spoilers* of the films so proceed with caution. Her scenes when her father dies or when her eldest son dies were heartbreaking, there’s nothing more emotionally raw than a woman’s cries of grief and anger. She can be strong and she can also be vulnerable.

[@user-mx4is4fx3c]

Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella shows how to do this correctly. She still is allowed to show the full spectrum of emotions and falls in love. But is also written very strong. Her strength coming not from ass kicking but persevering abuse and eventually standing up against her wicked stepmother. And in the end she still becomes an equal to the prince turned king. But she is allowed to rule with her defining kindness. She didn't have to be re-invented as a girlboss to justify making her Queen.

[@AbbieRee]

Exactly! Great thoughts on the topic ! Thank you for sharing ☺️

[@Fionalah]

I don't know if you've seen 'Arcane' yet Abbie, but it's a female--led show with fantastic female characters. Each of them is unique in how they are complicated, flawed, complex, vulnerable and even damaged. The characters are supported by great acting, plot and animation. It nails almost every aspect of 'diversity' by making all the characters great regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexuality. It's the best example of great female characters in recent years without having to go back to Ellen Ripley or Sarah Connor, and it proves a great antidote to what Marvel and Star Wars have become in recent times.

[@AbbieRee]

unfortunately I haven't yet but I will have to check that one out! sounds like it has some really great developed characters in it! Thank you so much for sharing :)

[@Fionalah]

@@AbbieRee It's strongly recommended, it's quite short with only 9 sub-40 min episodes because there's no filler. I'd love to see you review it one day, it might be a nice signal boost for your channel :)

[@l33tninja1]

Loved the series and hope the second season is just as good or better and not ruined by places having requirements in how characters behave. It's ruining everything with these forced diversity bs instead of naturally created characters we have a few cookie cutters that the corp hr and other useless job titles force for the sake of political correctness.

[@Fionalah]

@@l33tninja1 I always use the show as an example how to do diversity properly - if you make great characters, nobody will care if they're male/female, white/black or straight/gay. The problem with modern writers is that they only care about 'diversity', they think that's enough and they don't make these characters interesting or likeable. The Marvels is a perfect example. Everyone in Arcane is interesting, flawed and vulnerable.

[@ladysilvara]

Yes, Arcane is fantastic.

[@TheXXIJackpot]

Geena Davis in "The long kiss goodnight" was just amazing and with Samuel L Jackson(All his lines in this movie are 10/10) they just made a super fun movie. Geena just perfectly portraying a caring mother, slowly "gaining" skills and then the changes in personality until she becomes her past self. Then the slow merge of the 2. She going from "ugh, that kid" to "I love my daughter" is great.

[@scratthesquirrel5242]

on your shehulk example: she is supposed to be the only hulk whose life is actually improved by being a hulk. she goes from shy, mousy, and frumpy to brave, open, and statuesque. the show did not do this at all. however her being 'in control' is the only thing they got right.

[@bomapdich]

I think Rapunzel is the perfect female protagonist. She's optimistic, care-free, extremely naive but is also capable. You just enjoy seeing her navigating the world and coming to terms with her real feelings and identity. Someone who you really care for.

[@AbbieRee]

Such an interesting take ! I didn’t think of repunzel but she is a good example! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@silverjohn6037]

Tangled was the last Disney movie that I genuinely, unquestionably enjoyed. Like you say it's because both of the leads Rapunzel and Flynn were characters rather than characatures. They had strengths and flaws and were interesting to watch as they overcame those flaws.

[@Sekir80]

And don't forget how she was abused and gaslighted my her mother all the time.

[@kant.68]

@@Sekir80 Stop using gaslighting when you mean manipulation. Gaslighting is a very specific term

[@irmaosmatos4026]

Rapunzel actually looks and acts as a girl and not as man in a woman's body. She is strong girly, and not masculine strong.

[@silverjohn6037]

A strong but still feminine character is perfectly possible and Hollywood used to do it remarkably well. People often point to Sigourney Weaver in the Alien series but Katherine Hepburn and Maureen O'Hara were doing it back in the 1930-40s. The difference was their characters weren't trying to outdo men in physical strength but had strength of character, morals and willpower. But that sort of thing is harder to write than "she warrior smash".

[@robinthrush9672]

I should point out that Hermione got a bit of the "strong female character steals from male character" when the books were adapted to film. Most glaringly is in the second film when Ron is puking up slugs, he's the one explaining what "mudblood" means because he grew up in the wizard culture while Hermione has little impact from the insult Malfoy threw at her to that point. Why does the booksmart nerdy girl know slang from a culture she joined 2 years ago? It's not out of the question that she saw it in one of the many books she read in the library, but it's a bit out of place since she's more interested in magic and history than insulting terms.

[@AbbieRee]

Oh interesting point! Thank you for your comment It’s great to hear your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@daliam8715]

The movies really did Ron dirty. Almost every cool or useful thing he did in the books was given to Hermoine. He did that chess thing in the movie that one time? That was it.

[@nathanrussell-raby5460]

There's a line in the Lion King, when Mufasa says "Being brave doesn't mean you go looking for trouble. I'm only brave when I have to be." and it's a lesson for Simba about becoming a man. True strength comes from not using your strength unless you *have to*. That's the mark of a hero. It's villains who go looking for trouble and seek out opportunities to assert their dominance. The "strong female hero" trope in Hollywood rarely applies this life-lesson to its female heroes. It feels like the core message is to go looking for trouble and to forcefully assert control over everything in your world. It's a really toxic message; fortunately, it seems to be a message both men and women are rejecting, as is reflected by the box office receipts.

[@alsadiyarto]

I, as a male audience, prefer Peggy Carter more than Captain Marvel.

[@Atlas92936]

Hermione Granger is one of the best written female characters in cinema history. And there was no gender cards played when they built her character. Just good ol’ chracterization and development.

[@AbbieRee]

Definitely ! Thank you for your comment ☺️

[@bowtie2232]

Personally, I think her character sucked in the movies. It was better in the books.

[@casandra0]

I always hated Hermione. Never got into the movies bc of her.

[@sputzelein]

@@casandra0 Haters gonna hate.

[@eugeneo1589]

You're wrong. In books, up till 4th (Goblet of fire) you could easily swap her with a boy and not losing anything from her character.

[@TempleOfNoMasters]

It's never been about strong characters, it's about strength of character

[@wbw910]

The problem is people's ideology has them blind to "strong individual character". It is a person's character, not immutable characteristics, that can be strong or weak. To them is about having the power to dominate another person.

[@TheEpicNub]

As a writer deeply invested in creating nuanced and multi-dimensional characters, your analysis resonated profoundly with me. Your ability to articulate the shift from depth to stereotype in contemporary characterizations of women in film and media is commendable. Your examples of characters like Elizabeth Bennett and Angelina Jolie's role in Wanted perfectly illustrated the need for complexity over simplistic strength in character development. This perspective is not only refreshing, but also invaluable in challenging and expanding my own approach to character creation. Your call for a nuanced portrayal of strength - one that includes emotional depth and vulnerability - is a crucial reminder for all storytellers. Your commentary has sparked a renewed commitment in me to strive for authenticity in my own character development. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for sparking such an important conversation. Your work is not only enlightening but also inspiring for fellow creators.

[@AbbieRee]

wow this has to be one of the nicest comments I've got. Thank you so much for the support! I'm so glad you enjoyed and it inspired you, thank you again for sharing your thoughts! :)

[@zoeshaclarke8315]

So, I fell upon this channel by chance but 2mins in & it’s an instant sub! There is nothing patronising about your mannerisms, you’re gentle in tone and spirit and whilst you’re firm in your points and articulate and enunciate them well, you leave open ended remarks to allow your audience to question said points. All in all, as a young woman myself this is great, intellectual, and entertaining content.

[@AbbieRee]

I’m so glad to have you here! I try not to give my opinion and leave it more as an open discussion than a debate *because I hate confrontation 😆* I’m so glad you enjoyed and thank you again for the support. I look forward to making more videos ☺️

[@zoeshaclarke8315]

@@AbbieRee I look forward to seeing more! It was very engaging!

[@derkaiser420]

I always use The Bridge from Kill Bill. She killed everyone because they murdered her husband and left her for dead. She gets beat up a lot, has flaws, and almost dies a bunch. She is the best just because she isn't the strongest but she is the most cunning and smart with shear determination and will. That is a great female character because you can actually relate and feel bad for her. Or Aowin from LOTR. When she fights the Witch King she is terrified, you can tell, and she is tiny compared to him. She almost dies but ends up winning with help from her friend who she brought with her to the battle. She loves, cries, and has fears. That is what people like. Not this boss women who are just men with tits.

[@shooterqqqq]

The character in "Kill Bill" is so impossible, it became boring. Since she was a psycho killer from the start, I didn't care if she died in the first five minutes.

[@powerhouse884]

Abbie, you took the words out of my mouth with this Video. Your points are exactly what I and many other Men have been saying for a long time. I am glad i stumbled on your Video. You are very smart and objective, something we need more around. Great Job 👏🏼.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for the support! I’m glad you enjoyed ☺️

[@EugeneKhutoryansky]

What about Scarlet Witch? She is literally the strongest character (can defeat Thanos and Captain Marvel), yet she has all the characteristics you are asking for (has complex emotions and falls in love).

[@AbbieRee]

Excellent point! Scarlett Witch is an incredible character! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@sheriffsaliu9872]

One of my favourite strong female characters is Uma Thurman in Kill Bill. She was badass but also a woman at the same time.

[@AbbieRee]

Yes definitely! A incredible character!

[@kiratherenegade1561]

The absolute worst example to me is Abby from The Last of Us 2. She rolls up to a random place, murders the first guy named Joel she finds, runs home to cheat her pregnant pal with her ex, decided to hunt her own folk - for a kid she's known for like 15 minutes? - endangers & tricks all her remaining friends for her own crusade, gets all mad when Ellie - the surrogate daughter of the guy she brutalised wants revenge - somehow beats Ellie???? then proceeds to seem glad to gut the pregnant Dina???? What the actual fuck? This lady is an utter psychopath! And don't even try that 'well she's just like Ellie' nah Ellie didn't cheat anyone. Ellie's the first to say Dina should head back. Ellie only really kills 2 of Abby's pal - both of which have 1 interaction with Abby - whilst the others die by circumstances or through others. Yet somehow - SOMEHOW - I'm meant to be rooting for Ellie not to kill Abby by the end? Huh? Like if Red Dead Redemption 2 flipped it at the end & tried to get you to root for Micah. Yeah John made a mistake hunting down Micah; but it was his to make. He had no illusions about what he was doing, yet did it anyway. In short - Abby has gotta be one a perfect depiction of a psychopath. The only thing in her is rage. She doesn't give a fuck about anyone, only what she can control. And this is never pointed out or made clear. The game pretends like she's somewhat of a hero.

[@droe2570]

My favorite female lead is Ripley in Alien. Aliens was a meh film, but Ripley was an excellent character, and Sigourney Weaver did a great job playing the mother figure in it.

[@Wolfman1491]

Aliens is anything but a meh film.

[@shalindelta7]

Damm bro this comment left me feeling bi-polar. First sentence had me like 😊😊 and beginning of the second had me like 🤯🫢😠😤

[@AdorianDelmore]

They did make Hermione too perfect in the movies. and took her weaknesses and gave them to Ron.

[@LorraineMcFly]

This is a novel, but if you want an actual well written female protagonist, check out Anne Brontë's The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The main character, Helen Graham is perhaps one of the greatest female characters I've seen in any medium. She faces many trials and tribulations, such as being trapped in a marriage with an alcoholic husband. But she still has faith in humanity and believes in the goodness of people despite all of this. That anyone can redeem themselves. She's incredibly intelligent and holds a lot of inner strength, but she's not perfect. The crazy thing is, the book was originally released in 1848. Multiple centuries ago. Yet our modern entertainment can't even come close to doing female characters even nearly as well. What are we missing here?

[@percyweasley9301]

Wow, interesting

[@v.dickson]

For me, Arcane's Vi is a great example of a strong female character.

[@chrismantonuk]

Ripley Sarah Connor Kathryn Janeway Katniss Everdeen Hermione Grainger Just a few examples of excellent, multi-dimensional female characters who displayed strength and personality without belittling anyone. Have writers forgotten how to create characters like these?

[@Vexarax]

Also all the Charlie’s Angels from the original 70s versions to the more modern versions, Xena warrior princess, Lara Croft - there’s many more too. I don’t know _what_ happened to female characters these days - it’s like they’re intentionally trying to make strong women look bad or something

[@Mr.Coffee576]

My favourite strong female character happened to be a from a book called Mistborn. The protagonist is a badass yet she shows signs of feminine gracefulness at times. I think when writing a female character, the character must come first before the gender.

[@rumo510]

Vin is also vulnerable and flawed. Human. Her character journey through those books is incredible and moving.

[@frc_sc9114]

Lois Lane is a great strong female character. Head strong & fearless without having any powers. But she is also a character known for being "saved" alot by Superman but never once did it make her not strong. She also has one of the best & most known romances with the strongest super hero known. What a character!

[@AbbieRee]

Yes love Lois lane she’s an incredible character ! Great example ☺️

[@ExpertContrarian]

What’s great about her? Her only stand out moments are the toxic ones.

[@gnarwhal7562]

Especially the version we see in Superman Returns

[@leonais1]

@@ExpertContrarian She was sassy, attractive, resourceful, intelligent, made her own choices, built her own career, had good moral judgement, disrespected authority to pursue justice. Sounds really toxic to me.

[@frc_sc9114]

@@ExpertContrarian I like her as a character. If you don't, cool, carry on.

[@Just_Judah]

I really enjoyed this video and I think you explained in a very short and concise way the reason why this is such a hard topic to tackle in the modern day. It means a lot for women to speak on behalf of themselves in regards to the Strong Female Character depictions they prefer. I adore so many strong female characters who are just really well written but it's always interesting to hear about the ones women pick!

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for the support! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video ☺️

[@victorestrada1031]

HollyWOKE definitely should watch the anime Black Lagoon & Claymore to learn how to create really Complex female characters. I recommend you to watch them too, nice analysis!

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you! I will definitely have a look at them thank you so much for your comment! ☺️

[@matthewfeig5624]

One of my favorite female action characters is Shu-Lien in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Played by Michelle Yeoh, Shu Lien is smart and restrained and intense and graceful all at once. The movie actually has several great female roles. And you get to see them interact and present different views on what being a strong woman in Chinese society could be like.

[@trevorbernard4477]

The English with Emily Blunt absolutely nailed it in my opinion. Man, that show was perfection!

[@AbbieRee]

I love Emily blut I think she’s an phenomenal actress! Thank you so much for your comment ☺️

[@robertdouglas8895]

Good point. We get strong by overcoming weaknesses and those don't leave us overnight.

[@joshhickman77]

OK I completely agree about Jolie's character in Wanted showing strength by choosing her values and integrity over even her own life, but to say she did it without belittling anyone else is sort of funny, given she sacrifices herself in a way that kills a number of her coworkers as well, deliberately.

[@AbbieRee]

good point xd

[@ChronicleComicArt]

They explained away She Hulk controlling her rage, because as a woman society has told her to do so since she was born, which was a really cool bit of fast character development.

[@inazuma3gou]

I love Buffy and Jessica Jones. They are strong for sure. But what makes them heroes is that they are challenged, crushed, and broken. Life tells them to quit, but they decide to continue against all odds, usually to protect others even if at the cost of self-sacrifice. Heroes pay the biggest price, like Tony Stark. Being a hero is not about being strong, or about glamour and fame, which is something Trish never understood. Willow going berserk was also a great story because it showed strengths without self-control, even under extreme hardship, can take us astray, which is a point WandaVision fumbled.

[@shooterqqqq]

Thank you for mentioning Jessica Jones. The most screwed up, drunken, messed up hero we need.

[@vivekkarajasegaran2664]

Honestly, Elizabeth Bennet wasn't hateful when it comes to falling in love. She was just against Mr Darcy's opinion and there was some misunderstanding between them in the film which she had very strong opinions of the man. She only came to realise that it was all a misunderstanding in the climax and comes to fall in love with who he really is. The film portrays how the initial impression can affect a person's judgement and when the initial impression wears off. You get to know them better. So, my point was Elizabeth wasn't against love but Mr Darcy

[@moonie9000]

My favourite female character in recent years is Mrs Waterford from The Handmaid's Tale. She's so complex and excellently written. Both strong and soft, aggressive and sympathetic. She's not at all likeable, but she's so interesting to watch.

[@harrisfrankou2368]

That's an amazing arc!!! And what an ending scene. With June and Her. Its not a feminist show as many Women in it are just disgusting. I mean Lydia and most of the Wives are just Foul! "Got a diaper?" Brilliant arc.

[@aMintykid]

I'd say one of the besr 'strong' women characters in recent times is Gwen Stacey from Across the Spider verse. She appeared in the first movie as the _ever so typical_ "cool baddie tsundere tomboy girl who will kill you in a fight " but in the second film we see her soft sympathetic side. She's still got combat skills but in this film she was treated and written like a normal human. It feels more natural. It explores Gwen's sacrifices and loss and her emotional responses to grief, which would be isolating herself to not get 'distracted' from superhero stuff. It also explores her relationship with her father . This really shows that a strong character , regardless of gender, can SURELY have an emotional side while still appearing tough

[@AbbieRee]

Great example! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on the topic! ☺️

[@sweenstaruploads-go1ml]

Did we watch the same films 😭 Gwen’s relationships are expanded on in the second film for sure, but the first film also regularly shows her as vulnerable, soft spoken, emotionally intelligent, kind and very proud of her traditionally-feminine traits. Someone who has bad coping mechanisms for previous trauma but opens up regardless of their fears is… so far from a “tsundere”. It’s a rly reductive way to describe an exemplary character arc. She just doesn’t get as much screen time as Miles as deuteragonist. That’s the only difference.

[@aMintykid]

​@@sweenstaruploads-go1ml I suppose you are right. Sorry, they are my opinions lol but yeah, now I see what you mean. She just deserved more screen time

[@TheBrianCHenry]

Glad to be one of your first 1k subscribers. Good luck on building your platform! Keep making insightful and entertaining videos and don't let the haters get to you.

[@AbbieRee]

Wow thank you so much for the support! I hope you continue your passion too ☺️

[@mariatorres-by6du]

Example of strong female character that I don't think would be done today are the fairies from disney Sleeping Beauty. They are the charecters with the most screen time, spend most of the movie trying to out smart the villain, fail, mourn, do all that is in their had to fix their failure rescuing the prince in the process and enjoy the happy ending. They are also older women with no love interest. But they don't fit the "women with swords" stereotype so most people just remmeber them as silly sidekics. Love the video and I wish you've gone into more detail becajse is a very interesting topic.

[@AbbieRee]

That’s such an interesting point! Thank you so much for the support ☺️ I will possibly do an more in-depth video into this subject in the future! Thank you for your comment I love hearing other’s opinions.

[@redx589]

I think literally everyone has chimed in on this problem already. At the end of the day these types of characters hurt women more than help them.

[@AbbieRee]

Such an interesting thought ! I think its because of how they are not as relatable and developed as they once were ( some are but a lot aren’t ) thank you for sharing your thoughts ☺️

[@johnw574]

The narcissism that drives the writing of these characters hurts everyone.

[@JO-uy6zs]

​@@johnw574boo fuckin hoo crybaby lol 😂

[@yourboyjakey]

This topic has been on my mind for awhile. It’s not just the super hero movies, but I feel like media is going through a “marvelization” where characters end up being good-for-nothing quip machines. Naturally, other writers and film makers use the success of marvel as inspiration, so we get more of the same.

[@AbbieRee]

oh good take I agree!

[@delevingne8691]

You’re haircut is tuff asf 😤 Also good video and subscribed.

[@AbbieRee]

thank you so much ! I'm glad you enjoyed :)

[@abisheksoumian770]

No one talking about Kim Wexler? She is hands down the best written characters in film and tv industry.

[@Siegbert85]

Agree. The whole show is a masterpiece

[@hoos3014]

There's no profit in bringing up examples that go against the "anti-woke" agenda.

[@Sondercreative]

Oh I really hope you beome massively successful on this platform. Brilliant video.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for the support! ☺️

[@bluerobin7051]

Enola Holmes, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is a good example of what we need more of. She's tough, but we see what made her tough, and she has good struggles. She cries. A lot, in fact! And she only comes off stronger for it.

[@ajax4887]

It wasn't bad, but there were still moments where the scene stops & she makes a point to say an on the nose line about her gender.

[@IVIonster22]

Have you watched Blue Eye Samurai? The protagonist and anti-hero Mizu uses a male identity as a catalyst for revenge and to evade societal demonization. She struggles with concepts of purity and wholeness, which makes her extremely independent. Mizu is an island, but as the story unfolds she starts finding that she has to rely on her friends (and even enemies) to accomplish impossible things. Mizu starts as a strong apathetic female character, but feminine characteristics are starting to slip out from deep in her physche.

[@thomasreichert77]

Most men love strong and in their character well developed female leads. What they hate is lame and shallow storylines that live of nothing else but girl boss energy.

[@angelaholmes8888]

I love Angelina Jolie in wanted her character arc was brilliant i really miss the good old days were a strong female characters actually good

[@AbbieRee]

Definitely, although not all characters in todays media are underdeveloped it’s just Old movie nostalgia hits different 😆

[@JiMMY-my1ds]

The ‘strong female character’ was totally contrived anyway. The Hollywood trope of the empowered women was entitled and narcissistic. It had absolutely nothing to do with real female empowerment. It was propaganda. It’s not sad this archetype is dying. It couldn’t come quick enough!

[@wonderings4100]

Woo another video!

[@AbbieRee]

Yay! 😆

[@georgewhite1972]

Irrespective of gender/race, the best characters are the ones with flaws and complexities aswell as strength. They feel well rounded, relatable and justified and you grow to care about them. You absolutely hit the nail on the head with this video. Subscribed 👍

[@AbbieRee]

Exactly! I love a deep thought out character! Thank you so much for your support ☺️

[@Douglas-nt7jd]

Thought about this for years. If you look at characters like Ripley from the Aliens franchise. She was a fantastic strong female character. Smart, adaptive, competent, etc. But she displayed fear, confusion, empathy, valor, weakness. She was a complete character. or Valeria from Conan. Conan is a movie that is not just ultra masculine, but 1980s ultra masculine. Yet her character had goals independent from Conan and was highly skilled and competent, but was able to become a love interest to freaking Conan without losing a single shred of identity or independence. She was a simple character because all characters from the movie versions had to be, yet she displayed qualities and acting skills that made her a complete character. There are so many examples of great female characters. Ella Woods from Legally Blonde, Sydney Prescott from Scream, every main character from Ex Wives Club, there are so many. Then we get to today. Where characters are designed to be basically what men covet in strong male characters. The problem in my opinion is it's masculinity itself that draws men to these characters. Captain America, Aragorn(Lord of The Rings), Lee Abbot (A Quiet Place) are all examples of powerful masculine characters that are pretty universally praised. If you gender swap them even though their character personalities and quirks are identical they no longer work as characters. It is the fact that they are men that are not only badass but show other men what powerful healthy masculinity looks like. These are characters that are within reach of mens values and can realistically be emulated. Because of this they become compelling to both male and female audiences. When you get characters like Carol Danvers (Captain Marvel) it feels like the character is written intentionally to be powerful, but at the cost of character. She is written to be more powerful than the settings prime antagonist Thanos. Because of this absolutely nothing phases her, she knows nothing is a problem for her, brute force handles everything. She has no weakness, not even through personal connections with other characters. This creates a very 1 dimensional character that is a "strong" female character, but in the most shallow definition of possible. It's not compelling because it intentionally has no obstacles in the story that are meaningful.

[@bastianogr4960]

Great video! Unfortunately, I have no answer regarding your question, since I stopped caring for superhero movies a long time ago. However, when someone's talking about strong female characters, I have to bring up Bridget Fonda in "Point of No Return". Damn! She was so great. Incredibly damaged and fragile, but also ridiculously cut-throat-badass, cool, beautiful, likeable, and even funny at times. Her character arc and the plethora of emotional nuances are amazing! Also, I have to mention Jessica Rothe from the "Happy Deathday" movies. She did an insanely great job. Apparently her character was pretty well written, too. If there can ever be a female version of Marty McFly, that's it.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate you sharing your thoughts on the topic ! Thank you for your comment ☺️

[@Tasuva]

3:34 I'm glad you included that. I don't like the term "strong" when used for describing characters in storys. Some believe being emotional is strong, some believe it's weak. People are very devided and confused about what "strong" actually means these days and Hollywood seems to be as well. We as humans are complex beings and I like if storys are able to show that.

[@retropyro]

Sarah Connor, especially in the first Terminator film. She shows bravery and courage all while being terrified and out of her element. That is a strong character.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you for your thoughts on the topic ☺️

[@EddieHawkinsII]

I like the fact that in Terminator 2, she’s a strong woman but also heavily flawed and truly crazy from her experiences, nearly becoming a Terminator herself in trying to kill Dyson. She also grows there, learning to see John not only as the future savior of the human race that needs to be protected, but also as the child who needs his mother’s love and compassion. And the scene where she hesitates to lower Uncle Bob in the molten metal…

[@user-sn8gu9tx4c]

The reason why "strong female characters" ring hollow is something very complicated to explain, but if I had to pick, it comes down simply to economics: women are bigger consumers than men and companies have spent the last ten years capitalizing on tens of thousands of women entering the workforce and getting degrees. Because of the recessions we've faced, less and less media for niche demographics has been made, and the industries choose to focus on what makes the most money (which is men's media, as most men don't publicly consume women's media or media that's most popular with women) overall. It's why Japan is pumping non-stop money into shonen and isekai while shoujo has been left to rot, and why most teen/YA media in America is dead in favor of contents for adults and children exclusively. ... (Most men don't watch Sex and the City but they WILL listen to boy bands, read YA/romance to be "ironic", and watch Powerpuff Girls, Winx Club, Ladybug, MLP, and Sailor Moon: what a lot of people don't get is that men will and do watch women's media provided it appeals to male sensibilities (action, peril, supsense) and desires (friendship, love, slice-of-life, cute shit, wholesomeness). >PPG's creator talked about on Twitter how when going over test audiences of kids, the boys denied watching shows like PPG...but then admitted to doing so only when everyone's heads were down and then they were asked again to hold their hands up if they liked watching stuff like PPG. >studies on toys show that boys want to BE the toys they play with while girls want the toys to be THEM: it's the big difference in how, say, Lego markets Ninjago vs Friends. Girls take the Lego Friends shopping and hanging out and trying on dresses while the boys take the Ninja characters to fight bad guys and monsters, etc. ... So you're left with a lot of IP aimed at men but with a potentially profitable new demographic at play: so of course the big companies pivot to marketing these IP to women, and on paper it makes sense...right? Well, it doesn't. The problem is that most popular IP aimed at men just isn't popular with general female audiences, and while they DO have devout scores of female fans within their communities, said female fans are NOT the typical "average" consumer. Most fandom is geeky guys and geeky girls! And neither of them are "average" consumers at all. In Disney's case, they hated being labeled as a "girl's company" and making Princess movies because it meant that average boys wouldn't engage with Disney products because "ew, stinky girls" : only girls (especially from families with money to burn) would. Disney's main motive in buying Marvel and Lucasfilm was to appeal to boys in this manner...except problems had to occur: one, most boys these days would rather watch anime, read manga, or play video games. Boys as a whole don't really engage with American media all too often anymore. Comics haven't been popular with boys since the 90s and Star Wars hadn't had a new movie in ages, and the fanbase was mostly isolated to itself since the Prequels. So Disney was already screwed when it came to appealing to boys when they bought Marvel and Lucasfilm. Hell, nobody talks about Indiana Jones outside of dads who grew up on it and their sons who watched it as kids. So since the existing demographic of boys was more or less gone, they couldn't afford to only pander to the existing audience of adult men because that would mean missing out on profit from women entering the workforce (as well as China and globally in general). And they couldn't exactly make separate Marvel movies for men and Marvel movies for women (because again, the recession prevented that), so they were left with making Marvel movies for both...and it's not working because they're failing to actually appeal to average women with cash and alienating what draws men to the IP in the first place. Mainly because Disney (as well as Marvel and Lucasfilm) is filled with out of touch executives and sheltered nepo-babies who don't really have a clue what the average female consumer actually wants...which is mainly romance! So the female "strong woman" sucks as a result, because she's essentially a woman stripped of femininity and womanhood in order to resemble a boy enough in the HOPES that boys will like her and that she's "safe" enough for women to enjoy because she's not "sexy" and is "safe" by nature of being "the best". But she has no humanity because she hasn't EARNED her badassery (which is what boys love, work paying off) or gets to grow/flex said badassery nor is she vulnerable and emotionally resonant (which is what girls love). So in the end she appeals to no one. Boys won't want to be her because there's nothing to inspire and girls won't want her to BE them because she's got nothing vulnerable or understandable within a female lens... "Strong Female Character" isn't feminist at all, it's really misogynist....

[@SomanAnshuman]

you know the content is good when the likes on the video are more than the actual subscribers

[@AbbieRee]

thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it

[@RickSFfan]

Thanks for doing a video where it isn't yelling at creatives, but pointing out the flaws respectfully. I just subscribed and I hope your channel finds a place here on KZbin. =)

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you so much for the support! I’m glad you enjoyed ☺️

[@Van-qp7eh]

When I think of a 'Strong Female Character', I sometimes wonder if anime and manga is doing a better job at selling the idea than the west. Don't get me wrong, anime and manga have their own pitfalls when it comes to character writing, but in recent years, I've found that they do a better job (there could be bias, of course). A recent anime called 'Kaguya-sama: Love Is War' is about two high schoolers stuck in a battle of wits to make the other confess first. Kaguya, the female deuteragonist, is presented as an iron woman, very competent and accomplished academically, but she's not infallible. Throughout the series, she succeeds and fails, but each time she changes ever so slightly until it comes to a head at the climax. Another recent example is 'Violet Evergarden' about a child soldier named aptly. At the start of the show, she's the closest to the west's idea of a 'strong female character' but she develops as the story progresses, learning what it means to love and be human. It's a strong narrative tied directly to her development.

[@norman5927]

Hollywood has forgotten how to write strong female characters.

[@AbbieRee]

Thank you for being here!😊

[@traxx75]

I doubt anyone's gonna know her, but I absolutely love Milner from UK series Utopia, she's actually one of my favourite female characters in media of all time. She's more like a side character in the beginning but her role grows deeper as the series progresses. I can't give away much more without giving spoilers, but I highly recommend the series in general XD.

[@AbbieRee]

I will definitely have to check out utopia ! I’ve heard of it before. Thank you so much for your comment and sharing your thoughts! ☺️

[@karma-kf9gy]

Its feels like the entire point of there "strong female characters" is to show how much better they are than males there is nothing more to them. Peggy vs Captain marvel example was amazing another example would be Wonder woman vs captain marvel. I really liked ww in first movie she was very sweet, caring and showed vulnerabilities when needed. You really articulated it really well and you are very cute as well instant sub.

[@AbbieRee]

thank you so much! yes I loved ww too if the first film I have to admit I haven't seen the second one yet but I hope she didn't change too much because I think in the first film she was writen great! thank you for your comment :)

[@squirrelychris]

The piano is very relaxing, although it is a tad bit overpowering of your voice. Looking forward to more video conversations!

[@AbbieRee]

Okay thank you so much for the feedback! Will definitely make it quieter next time ☺️