| "What do Wonder Woman, Xena and Lisa Simpson have in common? They are some of the nation's top female role models, according to a new survey. Strong characters like Dana Scully in The X-Files, Princess Leia in Star Wars, Tomb Raider computer figure Lara Croft and Ripley in the Alien films are being hailed as the force behind a new generation of Aussie women. Tough, assertive, intelligent and not worried about messing up their hair or breaking a nail, today's female characters are a far cry from the idols of yesteryear. Helpless maidens and silent, buxom sidekicks in leotards are no longer the trend. Women preaching the virtues of marriage and children have also been sidelined and those who belive in leaving it to the blokes have been shown the door. Females who fight, lust after men, have pride in their intelligence and wear more then glorified underwear are winning over the 90's woman. Editor of the Australian Women's Forum Helen Vnuk says the reader survey conducted by the magazine has shown most women are tired of dated stereotypes. She said female characters such as Jodie Foster's role as young FBI agent, Clarice Starling, in Silence of the Lambs were changing the way women think. "These women don't need to be rescued. They kick arse and don't worry about messing up their hair," she said. Simpson's character Lisa polled strongly in the magazine's celebrity survey. Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman has won a new generation of fans through re-runs on Foxtel (Aussie Cable Company). Other popular female figures included Leela from Doctor Who, cartoon and movie icon Tank Girl, Sarah Connor from Terminator, and Kate Winslet's character Rose DeWitt Bukater in Titanic. |
