Your Favorite Female Role Models for Young Girls

[darthmacho]

Hi, I am the father of two DD ages 5 and 8, and I want to introduce as many female role models to them as I can. I have already introduced to them interesting and inspiring people such as Nellie Bly, Amelia Earhart, and Abigail Adams. I'm looking for more. I love WDW, but I'm afraid the Disney Princesses just don't cut it. I'd like some real or fictional people that are a little more well rounded and don't need constant rescuing. :princess:

I've also found inspiration myself from the research I've done, and I've read a lot of work by poets and authors such as Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickenson, and Barbara Kingsolver, though I think it might be a bit early to introduce the works of those writers just yet. I did, however, find a book called "America's Women" that I plan on reading so that I can be better informed when discussing the subject of women to my daughters. I can't wait to read it.

Nevertheless, I thought it would be a great idea to inquire here, because all of the people here are so helpful!

So please, women and men alike, please tell me about important women of the world that have inspired you and why I should introduce them to my children! They can be authors, actresses, scientists, adventurers, suffragists, doctors, teachers, etc. etc. etc...

Even if you don't have much time to explain, a name will do, and I'll do the research. Remember, the answers will all be subjective, so please don't bash the answers of others.

Thanks in advance! :mickey:

[Katzateer]

All the American Girl dolls have stories and are really great for that age girls. The girls are smart, caring and do a lot of interesting activities kids can relate to, even though they may have lived in different places and times in history. You can just get the books at the library, they don't have to buy the dolls and all the other items to relate to the characters

Ella Enchanted is a really good book. Ella is a very strong female character (the book is a lot better than the movie).

And the more I see of her, and hear about her, I think Taylor Swift is a really good role model. Some of the other young stars lack in some ways, but she seems very grounded and mature for her young age (I think she is around 19).

[vorpalswrd]

Geena Davis is a member of MENSA. That's pretty cool. Madam Curie is always a good choice. Some of our past first ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt or female leaders of other countries. Angela Merkle, the Chancellor of Germany, or Helen Clarke, the last prime minister of New Zealand are fantastic too. Even Eva Peron is a great study in the strong female. Above all I think it is not only important to know of the strengths of these women, but also their weaknesses. Too much of the former makes them seem like unatainable godesses who were sterile and perfect.

[GreenBeetle]

. . . And the more I see of her, and hear about her, I think Taylor Swift is a really good role model. Some of the other young stars lack in some ways, but she seems very grounded and mature for her young age (I think she is around 19).

Taylor Swift is the first young girl who came to mind for me too. Of all the girls in the media today (and there are quite a few) she has never been there for the wrong reasons. She does seem very grounded and mature. And I think it helps that she always seems to have her mother with her keeping an eye on things. Her music is appropriate for all ages and so are her videos. So far she is someone I would definitely approve of as a role model.

[MNNHFLTX]

In popular culture, I would look to Queen Latifah, Reese Witherspoon, Hayden Panettiere, Kate Winslet, Tyra Banks, Brooke Shields, Jenna Bush (I forget her married name) and Emma Watson. All are self-sufficient, intelligent women whose strength does not lie in their looks but in their character, IMO.

Others: Eleanor Roosevelt, JK Rowling, Clara Barton/Florence Nightingale (two of my favorites because I'm a nurse), Maya Angelou, Marie Curie, Eileen Collins and Harriet Beecher Stowe. I know I could think of tons more, but those are the ones came to mind immediately.

[Joannelet]

I know you said no Disney princesses but she really isn't a Disney princess but its an amazing "girl" story that I want to say Mulan.
I think her strength and determination in that movie just prove that girls can do anything!
Its a very powerful story line.
I always enjoyed reading stories about Helen Keller as well. I think she is a heroine for young girls as well and sheds some light on despite a persons disabilities they have abilities that have changed our world today.
Its also pretty neat to learn sign language at any age. I am currently teaching my baby sign language and enjoying it tremendously.
The ages of your girls will absorb that stuff right up! :0)
I think its great that you are looking into this. :)
I think the american girl doll idea is also a great one! :0) They are great stories during different periods of time. One is from the great depression etc. And its geared for that age group.

[MissMaryPoppins]

When I was growing up I loved "Anne of Green Gables". I read the books and watched the PBS special every time it was on TV. I loved that she was smart and was competitive in school with a boy. She wanted to be a teacher. She had a wonderful imagination. She cared about her friends and the people who took her in from an orphanage. She loved every thing about life. I saw a lot of myself in her and I loved that she wasn't a helpless girl. I was never into the Princess stuff at Disney World. I was more of a Mary Poppins and Pollyanna kind of girl and could never understand why I didn't see more of them in the Magic Kingdom.

[lovewalt]

Well, I'm a Girl Scout Leader so I'm going to suggest Juliette Gordon Low,founder of the Girl Scouts.

[Tinkerfreak]

Taylor Swift is the first young girl who came to mind for me too. Of all the girls in the media today (and there are quite a few) she has never been there for the wrong reasons. She does seem very grounded and mature. And I think it helps that she always seems to have her mother with her keeping an eye on things. Her music is appropriate for all ages and so are her videos. So far she is someone I would definitely approve of as a role model.

:thumbsup:

[BigRedDad]

This is a tough one. I have a DD3 (almost 4). I will be going through this same sort of thing. I have always been about free thought, no censorship, and free will. I hope to be able to instill that into my daughter. So far, my plan is to bring her up with the lessons she can learn from Disney and a few other sources. As she starts to get towards your older daughter's age, I hope I have taught her enough to make her own decisions and be able to choose role models that I agree with. If not, then I will try to understand her reasoning and provide my own reasoning afterwords.

A lot of the decision has to come from what aspects of a role model you are looking for as well. Madonna and Angelina Jolie are very good role models for what they do charity wise. For an 8 year old, I would not want the sexual side of them to be what they look up to.

My list from the top of my head:
Abigail Adams (I never knew that much until watching the John Adams HBO series)
Michelle Obama
Jackie Kennedy
Rosa Parks
Marie Curie
JK Rowling
Madonna and Angelina Jolie (for Humanitarian reasons only)
Bill Gates' wife (can't remember her name)

[thrillme]

Actually I was pretty impressed by Katherine Stinson (a pilot).

More modern ladies...I have to go for JK Rowling. A housewife who became a household name. Maybe Jane Goodall (the primatologist)

I'm not impressed with women who are notable because they have money or position THEN they do stuff...If...I was rich I'd do a lot more.

So yes...this is difficult...you don't want to select any woman by the man she marries or by money she has or necessarily the family she's born in...etc.

[darthmacho]

Thanks for all of the great suggestions, I'll start looking into some of them right away and choose accordingly! :mickey:

[Tick-Tock]

Joan of Arc
Queen Elizabeth I
Sacagawea
Elizabeth Blackwell (1st woman doctor)
Laura Ingalls Wilder
Louisa May Alcott
Beatrix Potter
Annie Oakley
Sally Ride (1st American woman in space)
Sandra Day O'Connor (1st female Supreme Court justice)
Helen Keller
Rosa Parks
"Babe" Didricksen Zaharias (athelete extraordinaire)
Susan B. Anthony
Alice Paul (suffragette)
Dian Fossey
Jane Goodall
Madam C.J. Walker (one of the first female self-made millionaires)
Indira Ghandi
Benazir Bhutto
Margaret Bourke-White (photographer)
Anne Hutchinson (religious pioneer)
Jeanette Rankin (1st woman elected to Congress)
Harriet Tubman
Sojourner Truth

There's a Children's Encyclopedia of Women put together by third and fourth grade students at a school in NY state (easy to find on Google).

Also check out the National Women's Hall of Fame.

[rubato]

TickTock,
That's a fantastic list!!!!!

[Tick-Tock]

TickTock,
That's a fantastic list!!!!!

Thanks!

I thought of a few on my own, but had a lot of fun checking out the National Women's Hall of Fame and some other internet lists.

Can you tell that I like history?:blush:

By the way, anyone interested in women's history should take the time to visit the National Women in Military Service Memorial in Arlington (on the edge of Arlington cemetery). Great info about women's service in every U.S. war from the Revolution to the present.

[Disney Doll]

For those of you who are tired of the traditional princess stories check out The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch. It's one of my favorite children's books.

[pink]

My two greatest female role models growing up were:
1) My mom- The best role model of all.:mickey:
2) A fictional character- Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter series. Her best quality is her intelligence, bravery and her loyalty to her friends. Overall she is just a great role model and if constantly praised for her hard work and makes school seem cool. Your daughters may be a little young to read these books by themselves they're pretty lengthy.