Coming-of-age movies: Our First Taste of Feminism

She's the First Member: Katie Austin

Most of us began watching coming-of-age movies before we knew it was a specific genre to seek out. These are the nostalgic movies like Bend it like Beckham, Spirited Away, or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, that we first watched during sleepovers, road trips, and birthday parties. Not only are these fond memories, but also some of our first glimpses into feminism.

While many other movies I watched growing up portrayed women as one-dimensional or stationed them off as side characters, characters in woman-centric coming-of-age movies were reliably complex and imperfect. They revealed all sides of the ungraceful act of growing up and acknowledged the desires to fit in, look pretty, and be heard. It’s comforting to feel represented in characters like Ellie Chu (The Half of It) that are a bit awkward or shy, rather than in characters who seem flawless in that Hollywood “I’m-actually-30” way. Was Ladybird always likable and sweet? No—but more importantly—she was a creative, impulsive, curious, selfish, cocky, three-dimensional girl on a relatable journey towards womanhood.

Female-focused coming-of-age movies depict strong friendships and solidarity among women. Following the typical climatic falling out between a group of friends, they try to continue their lives alone. The characters quickly realize they can’t reach their full potential without each other. Through these stories, we’re encouraged to lift other women up and face hardship as a united front. In Booksmart, Amy and Hope realize their paths may part after high school, but they won’t ever stop loving and supporting each other.

These main characters also serve as role models for young girls watching. The ultimate goal for the characters is never as surface level as securing the love interest or achieving a certain grade—even if that’s how it appears. Over the course of the movie, they develop into stronger, more confident versions of themselves. Since there’s never a conclusive stop to growing up, their stories are left unfinished and tinged with hope for the future. Similarly, we strive to mature into powerful versions of ourselves, taking inspiration from the headstrong, ambitious, inquisitive girls on screen. Of course, the teen movie genre has been historically saturated with White characters that don’t depict the unique problems or insecurities girls of color may struggle with. Movies must produce more diverse coming-of-age stories for future generations to feel seen the same way others felt after watching The Breakfast Club or The Edge of Seventeen.

As casual as I might have been when I first watched many of these movies, I can’t help but regard them now as formative experiences growing up. As the new year approaches, many of us start reminiscing the years gone by and memories of the past. Appreciate these memories and maybe take a few hours to pop in your favorite coming-of-age movie.

Coming-of-age movie watch list:

Bend it like Beckham

Booksmart

Clueless

Ladybird

Persepolis

Spirited Away

The Breakfast Club

The Edge of Seventeen

The Half of It

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants