March is Women’s History Month in the United States, so what better time than to acknowledge shows who push for equal rights and show more equal representation? Below is a carefully curated list of shows on Netflix perfect for any feminist that fight against stereotypes and push for equality, fair treatment, and equal representation. These are shows that a feminist can watch without feeling guilty for any toxic standards or misrepresentation shown:
1. Jane the Virgin
Jane the Virgin tells the story of a young virgin who is accidentally artificially inseminated at a checkup appointment by her gynecologist. This young, Hispanic woman takes on motherhood, graduate school, family issues, and relationships seamlessly. This show tackles the issues not only that women face, but also people of color, mothers, immigrants, and single-parent households as Jane grows up being raised by only her mother and grandmother and her father does not enter into her life until later on.
2. Orange is the New Black
Orange is the New Black follows the lives of several incarcerated women and their struggles. This show offers a new representation of criminals and their lives and has great political commentary. It will make any viewer challenge their thinking on incarcerated women and realize the situations they have faced and do face as well as why they ended up in prison.
3. The Carrie Diaries
The Carrie Diaries follows a young woman named Carrie as she works hard to meet a career goal that she has. This display of a woman more worried about her career than her relationships is an important representation and one that is not often seen in the media.
4. The Client List
The Client List is a controversial show, with some feminists in support of the show and some against its representation. However, this show represents sex workers in a way that depicts them as real people. Sex workers are often looked down on and criminalized but The Client List works hard to explain the lives of these people in a realistic way and shows why the main character, Riley Parks, does what she does for a living.
5. Jessica Jones
Jessica Jones is a private investigator with super strength. This female superhero faces a lot of trials and issues but is an extremely powerful and strong person who fights crime.This show gets it right by finally making a female superhero rather than a female someone who needs to be saved.
6. Girl Boss
Girl Boss tells the story of Sophia who loses her job and gets an eviction notice. Things are looking down for her until a thrift shop gives her the inspiration she needs to start and launch her own vintage fashion business. This literal girl boss creates and manages a successful company and makes something out of nothing, showing just how powerful a female leader can be.
7. The Fosters
The Fosters tells the story of two lesbian women who are mothers to one of the women’s biological kid, as well as many other foster children that they adopt. The show follows the lives of these women as they face many trials and tribulations due to their sexuality and struggle at times to raise kids of various backgrounds with different issues. The show sheds light on the ability of two gay parents to raise children and fights against stereotypes of sexism, homophobia, racism, and classism.
8. Cable Girls
Cable Girls is a show about four young women in Madrid who work for a telephone company and shows them gain more and more equality throughout the show which is set in the 1920s. This is a great historical representation of women in media.