Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Films or TV shows with strong female characters - recommendations for a 13 year old girl

141 replies

GCmiddle · 10/04/2020 13:10

Hi,
My 13 year old daughter is just staring to develop a feminist consciousness and is wanting to watch stuff with strong female leads. She doesn’t like reading, so my book recommendations fall on deaf ears. She has recently enjoyed the Hunger Games films and (though she is loathe to admit it) the CBBC Mallory Towers adaptation.
Can anyone recommend anything she might like to watch please?
Thanks.

OP posts:
MockersxxxxxxxSocialDistancing · 10/04/2020 14:29

Veronica Mars

If you've never heard of it, it's the best show you've never heard of.

Verily1 · 10/04/2020 14:29

Stranger things.

Not so much season 1 but Max(ine) and Elle get more screen time in s2&3. And Maya hawke is fab in s3.

nitgel · 10/04/2020 14:30

Agree with anne with an e on Netflix is vv watchable and seems like a good contemporary version

EineReiseDurchDieZeit · 10/04/2020 14:30

There's a new series on Apple called Home Before Dark about a determined 9 yo journalist, based on a true story.

SpringerJS · 10/04/2020 14:31

I second (third?) the original Buffy tv series, and have recently re-watched the first three series with my daughter who’s a similar age.

Graphista · 10/04/2020 14:33

Charmed - original series feminist badass but also healthy attitude to relationships with men

Steel magnolias - currently on Netflix

Pitch perfect 2 & 3 on Netflix too just now very much female led.

Erin brockovich

Agree with divergent series, love jennifer Lawrence

Juno too great call

Timeless - time travel series on Netflix several episodes on women's rights movements and the character played by Abigail Spencer is intelligent no nonsense woman.

A league of their own - women's baseball league

Nims island is lovely

Gilmore girls - flawed but strong women

First wives club

All about Eve for a total classic

Legally blonde

10 things I hate about you

merryhouse · 10/04/2020 14:38

Call the Midwife

Gravity
second Mean Girls

I loved Jessica Jones, but pp is probably right that 13 is too young.. not only is there a lot of bloody violence but the whole thing is about a man dominating and controlling her (well, not just her but everybody). Some interesting things to discuss there, but maybe in a year or two?

KrakowDawn · 10/04/2020 14:43

When she's a little older, I'd also recommend The Expanse- there are lots of very strong female characters in that, central characters too. There's only one sex scene I can think of, and one with nudity (but not front). Probably a lot of swearing though Grin

Graphista · 10/04/2020 14:53

Please don't watch gravity, tess geritsen was totally screwed over by the making of that movie and Alfonso Cuarón in particular.

JangoInTheFamilyWay · 10/04/2020 14:55

The extraordinary adventures of adele blanc-sec. French with subtitles so you could call it homework! Beautiful period indiana Jones type adventure with fab female lead

HorseRadishFemish · 10/04/2020 14:58

Mean Girls?

Yes, Krak I wanted to suggest that too but I didn't want look obsessive as I'd already mentioned it on a thread only yesterday.

It's so funny! And as I might've mentioned yesterday I think Tina Fey is usually on the ball; one of the good ones.

FemaleAndLearning · 10/04/2020 15:06

Stranger Things some good characters, esp in season 2 and 3. Not overtly sexual, only one or two sciences I think?

I wouldn't recommended Shadow Hunters, we started this and then one of the vampire girls used sex to get what she wanted from some other beast. The female clothing was very sexualised too.

I also would not recommend Riverdale - again oversexualised and by season 3 the story lines were stupid!

Might be a bit young but on Amazon there is a show called Just Add Magic my 12 year old watches it. Mostly all females characters.

Once Upon Time does a good job of turning stereotypes upside down for traditional female fairytale characters. Last season was off piste though (if you make it that far!).

MuddyPuddlesAndPrettyBubbles · 10/04/2020 15:08

Don't watch the new Batwoman series, because its rubbish. Do watch Captain Marvel. There are brilliant female secondary characters with a lot to do in Black Panther as well.

HorseRadishFemish · 10/04/2020 15:10

Probably not what most people would consider appropriate for thirteen but one to share in the future - Saga Noren out of The Bridge TV show oh and that other one with the jumpers (The Killing) oh and Laure Berthaud the detective out of Spiral which also has Karlson the lawyer. All very strong female parts.

You now know what I do on Saturday nights; don't get me started on Montalbano.

PuppyMonkey · 10/04/2020 15:20

Press Gang Grin

Chosennone · 10/04/2020 15:23

Definitely Anne with an E on Netflix

KickingItSince1966 · 10/04/2020 15:24

Is she too young for parks and recreation?

Lesley and April are fab.

Dervel · 10/04/2020 15:48

Alita Battle Angel

Gibbonsgibbonsgibbons · 10/04/2020 16:17

Buffy definitely (not shadowhunters imo)
Anne with an E
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries

TheNavigator · 10/04/2020 16:19

Fried Green Tomatos at the Whistlestop Cafe - film and book. The film is especially charming - Idgie Threadgood is a shero,

Rubidium · 10/04/2020 16:19

Persepolis - one of the best coming of age films for girls I've seen.

JoyceDivision · 10/04/2020 16:23

Dumpling in Netflix - DD loved it and a good message re beauty contests / body image etc

AuntieRae · 10/04/2020 16:24

What about Whale Rider? Either book or film.

BlurtingOutTheInsideVoice · 10/04/2020 16:36

FYI Divergent films haven't finished the story, they didn't make the last one. The books are really good. With my reluctant readers
I wouldn't let them watch the film until they read the book. It worked even if she read twilight! She also read Divergent at about the same age as yours. Heads up for buffey there is lots of sex in the last few series when she get together with spike.

totallydevoidofideas · 10/04/2020 16:52

'Wild' is a great film about a woman who goes on a long trek on a trail in America by herself. It's based on a true story and the book it's based on makes a good read as well. Stars Reese Witherspoon. You feel those blisters as she gets further into it, but she won't give up.