Supernatural Girls
There have been stories of supernatural girls and women for centuries, within myths and fairytales, we see goddesses, mermaids, fairies, Queens, and princesses, with magical powers. As a child I was always drawn to these female characters who could transform theirselves and their world with their gifts. On screen, we haven’t seen as much representation of supernatural girls until recently. In the 60s, there was Bewitched and The Flying Nun, TV shows of women with magical powers. Yet these women were still part of many sexist tropes. Growing up in my generation, girls were lucky to see so many empowered supernatural girls in books and on screen.
One of my favourite literary and film characters was Hermione, who saves her friends and world with her intelligence and spells. I loved Hayao Miyazaki’s films which often show young girls with special powers and abilities. I also watched Katara in Avatar the Last Airbender, whose gifts are connected with water as a water-bender. We have such a pantheon of powerful supernatural girls, and we often see the women who play them on screen be change makers in the world. Emma Watson and Millie Bobby Brown became a UN Goodwill Ambassador and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, helping to create change for girls and women in the world. I have been part of Emma Watson’s feminist book club “Our Shared Shelf” since it began in 2016. Growing up with many empowered supernatural girls in books and film definitely affects the way you see the world. It shows girls that they can do anything with the power and potential they hold.
I think the reason many supernatural girls learn about their powers at adolescence is because that is a time of great potential in girls’ lives. You learn more about who you are becoming and you go through many transformations during adolescence. During this time, girls start to understand more about their gifts and how they can bring them to the world.
Images of San, Katara, and Hermione from Princess Monoke by Hayao Miyazaki, Avatar the Last Airbender, and Harry Potter