The Rise of Girl Power in Children's Television

            Sarah Banet-Weiser’s article, “Girl’s Rule!: Gender, Feminism, and Nickelodeon,” discussed the rise of “girl power” in children’s television programming. Specifically noted were the shows Clarissa Explains It All, As Told By Ginger, and Nick News on Nickelodeon.

            Banet-Weiser explains that these shows were revolutionary because of a combination of their strong female roles, popular themes and topics not previously discussed, and their appeal to both girls and boys.

            I am a little too young to remember Clarissa but I definitely remember the other two shows and a whole slew of others that featured strong female character that were feisty, opinionated, adventurous, and gave the boys a run for their money. However, while recalling these shows, I not only thought about Nickelodeon but the Disney channel as well.

            The Disney Channel is home to shows that also have strong female leads. One that comes to mind right away is Kim Possible. This show stars a teenage girl that not only has to deal with the typical problems of school, family, and friends, but also is a crime fighter. Kim is portrayed as brave, strong, and quick-thinking in her quest to always catch the bad guy. These are traits that break the typical female stereotype.

            A more recent show that is relevant to this topic is Wizards of Waverly Place, starring Selena Gomez. Gomez plays Alex Russo, a witty and sarcastic teen that is always stirring trouble. Alex contrasts greatly with the typical innocent and compliant female character. She is stubborn and has an act now and think about it later philosophy.

            I think that children’s shows nowadays do a great job of offering a variety of female lead characters; one for every girl to relate too. The theme of “girl power” is more relevant than ever in television programming.