In my free time, I love nothing more than relaxing and watching movies, especially movies with a badass female lead. I have a designated section for what I call my “girlboss” movies in my collection.
So here are seven girlboss movies that you can watch to celebrate women this month (in no particular order).
- Legally Blonde
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If you haven’t seen Legally Blonde…what are you doing? It is a girlboss CLASSIC. I think I resonate with it because she was a fashion merchandising graduate, but anyways.
Although Elle Woods is “seen” as dumb and careless, she goes through pretty much this entire movie with confidence, determination and a strong ass back bone. Legally Blonde debunks the stereotypes of the “pretty girl” as Woods learns the importance of self-love and self-worth through her ex-relationships, new friendships and challenges of Harvard Law.
- Little Women (2019)
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I am a passionate fan of period pieces.
Jo, the main character of this story, is the big dreamer of her family, which includes her mother, father and three sisters. She faces the societal pressures on working women, defying marriage and overcoming obstacles of becoming a serious novelist.
- Self Made
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Self Made is a Netflix original series about Madame C.J. Walker, who was the first black female entrepreneur, among other things.
She was stood up and made a difference for beauty and hair care for black women. This series takes you through her inspiration of her products and the troubled times that it took to get to where she got.
Stream Self Made on Netflix.
- the Devil wears Prada
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On Andy’s journey to being a successful journalist, she lands a highly competitive assistant job next to Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly. Through the film, we see Andy struggle with her job, as she is not passionate about high fashion…at all. The job next to her boss, Priestly, is indeed hellish. However, she continues to let her pride down, learn the unexpected about the fashion industry, her coworkers and herself.
We see the resentment of romantic partners due to the common dilemma of career or relationships. In the end, Andy learns how to make the best decisions for her, because she has acknowledged who she is, and what she deserves.
- Unpregnant
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A pure embodiment of a teenager’s worst fear….teen pregnancy.
The “it” girl of her high school, Veronica discovers she is pregnant in the school’s girl’s bathroom. Accidently dropping her pregnancy test, her ex-best friend, Bailey, picks it up and discovers that Veronica is pregnant. The only solution in her mind is abortion, but here in her state of Missouri, abortion is illegal. The closest option is New Mexico but without a car, she’s not getting anywhere. She has no one else to turn to but her ex-best friend. This coming-of-age film takes you along to discover self-discovery, rekindled friendship and how the difficult path women have to go on to exercise their right to choose.
Stream Unpregnant on HBO Max.
- The Bold Type
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A Freeform original series about three women working at a fashion magazine (a lot like cosmopolitan) in New York City.
Through the series, the characters develop through the challenges they face as women in different fields of the corporate industry, including being fairly heard or censored. There is attention brought to the common injustice of POC and Sexual Assualt Victims. Along with more personal attention on situations of growing in and out of love, discovering one’s sexuality, the dilemma of career over relationships, all while being glamorous, entertaining and funny.
Stream The Bold Type on Hulu.
- Feminist: What were they thinking?
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A Netflix-produced documentary about The 1977 Feminist Awakening.
Women, including actress Jane Fonda, take a look at a collection of photographs taken in the 70s during this revolution and are interviewed about their experience of being a part of it. Through the film, there is inside scoop of the perspective of how much things have changed since the 70s and how much change needs to happen still to this day.