"What even is a 'strong female character' anyways?" by Ashley Holloway
A craft article
Female character archetypes are common in many forms of media, and fiction is no different. From the femme fatale, spinster, girl-next-door, damsel in distress, the madwoman, or more recently, “The Karen,” these stereotypes grace many a page in contemporary fiction. Corresponding with the rise of feminism over the past century, recent decades have also seen the rise of the “strong female character.” A quick Google search using the prompt, “What is a strong female character” yields many millions of resources, one of which instructs the reader that character traits such as, “she has her own opinions,” “she is her own person,” “she has flaws,” and “she’s tough in her own right” are what constitute a strong female character. So,… basically a normal woman?
While there is no singular definition of what a strong female character actually is, the idea is to portray a character that inspires and empowers other women (and men!). Yet, in promoting this type of character archetype, some argue this reinforces the gender binary through emphasizing that a character must be either/or. Further, strong female characters are often positioned as taking on characteristics typically assigned to male characters, sending the message that female characters aren’t interesting enough in their own right (remember the “strong enough for a man, but made for a woman” antiperspirant commercials from the ‘90s?). In doing so, this also often results in removing all traces of gendered behaviour altogether. This oversimplification often leads to flat, unrealistic characters, or, if you will, “white bread” characters. In the same way that white bread carries no substance, so do stereotypical characters.
Not all strong female characters need to be styled after Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games or the Twilight series’ Bella Swan by Stephanie Meyer.
When creating female characters, focus on the personality traits that make them strong despite their gender. Natalie Sue’s debut novel I Hope This Finds You Well features protagonist Jolene Smith, an introverted office administrator with near-crippling anxiety and a traumatic past, and yet this character is entirely relatable. When faced with an ethical choice, her decision isn’t the best course of action and yet her perceived “weaknesses” and personal growth throughout the novel are what make her strong. Also of note here is that Sue managed to create her well-rounded and complex character without focusing on Jolene’s appearance. Not all strong female characters need to be styled after Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games or the Twilight series’ Bella Swan by Stephanie Meyer.
Instead of framing your female character around her male counterpart, create your character in her own right. Straddle your archetypes; hell, do away with them altogether! If there’s one thing society tells us about women today, it’s that female role models come in all shapes and sizes and diversity is a strength. And we don’t need men to rescue us.
About the author:
Self-proclaimed logophile and devourer of books, Ashley Holloway is a nurse, writer, and editor who teaches writing classes and healthcare leadership in Calgary, AB. She writes in a variety of genres with work appearing across Canada and the US and has co-authored three books. Ashley serves as Editorial Director at Unleash Creatives and her work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.