Women Who Dare

This Fangirl Friday I want to take the opportunity to share with the readers some amazing women who have really changed the stories that I've been enjoying both in print and on screen. I already did a fangirl Friday post on women on our TV screens I've been loving here.

Regular readers know that I'm forever ranting about something or the other. (Hence, the Wench Rant tag.) The lack of diversity in our books and TV series, flat, stereotypical characters, terrible tropes in romances and erotica that set women back a hundred years, etc. There's just so much for this Wench to rant about! But everyone will be happy to know, that recently I've found more to fangirl about than bitch about! 

Click through to read more!

Shonda Rhimes & The Women in Shondaland :

I had to start this off with Shonda Rhimes. I may not be a Greys' Anatomy fan, but really, Scandal and How To Get Away With Murder are two of the best things on TV right now. They put amazing black women front and center, and kicked every other show's ass! 

How can you thank someone responsible, at least in part, of giving us the amazing Olivia Pope? Giving Kerry Washington a role to shine in?

For Annalise Keating, and giving a goddess like Viola Davis a role that was MADE for her? (And for once, giving these amazing actresses roles that would win awards in which they weren't playing slaves or maids...)

And for breaking barriers all over the place. Guys, if you haven't been watching these shows, start! Shondaland is a beautiful, wonderful, diverse place where representation matters. 

Mindy Kaling :

Mindy Kaling has been awesome since The Office, on which she was also a writer! And the only woman, at 24, on a staff of eight.

But then came The Mindy Project, and we all fell a little bit more in love with her. (And thank you SO much Hulu, for picking the series up for a fourth season.)

The Mindy Project showed audiences that a woman of color could be all-American, hilarious, smart, sexual, occasionally shallow, and so much more. That women in comedy were more than just one dimensional cardboard cut outs that men seem to love to write. 

Can't wait to see what the rest of the season has in store for us!

Jennie Snyder Urman :

Jennie Snyder Urman is the creator of Jane The Virgin, and I cannot love her enough for bringing us the show. 

This show is amazing in terms on diversity and representation. I love absolutely everyone on the show. A family of strong women, who don't take shit from anyone. A woman making decisions about her own body, living by her own values, and not being portrayed in a negative, judgy light. It's all awesome. 

And there are just so many great moments in this show. It's for everyone! Definitely give it a go if you haven't already.

Truth!

Jenji Kohan :

The writer/creator of Orange Is The New Black.

Orange Is The New Black (which Barb recently fangirled about here) is the kind of show that will change/has changed the television landscape irrevocably. No one can seem to agree on what kind of show it is, with even the Emmys calling it a comedy one year and a drama the next. That's because it's a show that focuses on women and shows a diverse cast of women living their lives, the good, the bad, and the ugly. And just like in life, sometimes it's comical and sometimes it's devastating. But Jenji Kohan doesn't shy away from showing women in their strengths as well as their weaknesses, their caring as well as their pettiness, their joy as well as their pain. She has created a show that features all kinds of women, from all walks of life, a cast of actors doing amazing work because someone created a show where all women are represented. Bravo, madam. More of that, please. 

YES!!! Diverse women for the win!

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie :

I absolutely adore Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and was lucky enough to meet her at Emirates Lit Fest 2015 in Dubai, and attend a few of her panels.

She is amazing, and inspirational. And handles even the stupidest questions with grace and intelligence. Like the old, white guy who asked her why there was so much "hair talk" in her novel Americanah *eye roll* or the people who keep telling her women are better than men while she futilely tries to explain that feminism is about equality to them all.

I would HIGHLY recommend reading any of her books, Half of a Yellow Sun, Americanah, Purple Hibiscus. Read her books if you want an honest discussion on race and sexism and culture. Read her books if you want to broaden your mind and open your world up a little more. 

Feminist, novelist, non fiction writer, activist, and inspiration. You would do well to familiarize yourself with her work. 

Alisha Rai :

Alisha Rai is a recent discovery of mine, and I WISH I had come across her books earlier! I was missing so much! 

From her twitter. Look at that smile!

I've reviewed some of my favorites here, but her books are just all around amazing. The erotica is sizzling hot, and there isn't a cliche in sight. I kid you not. WOC portrayed realistically and respectfully, female sexuality show in the best possible way. 

Flipping the script on the hot twins fantasy, sexy female billionaires who are WAY cooler than the boring old playboy billionaire trope (and they somehow don't come off as major assholes.), domesticated writers falling in love with those billionaires, LOTS of extremely sexy interracial couples that you will fall in love with instantly. Really, I could go on. 

I LOVE HER!

Honestly, even if diversity and representation aren't an issue for you, for some reason. Read it for the smut. Read it for the multi-faceted women. Read it for the guys so hot you want to cry. Did I mention the smut? Also, follow her on twitter here because she's awesome. 

Honorable Mentions :

Amanda Quick and Lisa Kleypas who manage to write Regency and Victorian romances where the women have actual, well rounded personalities, and the men aren't angry cavemen. Sex isn't shameful, ever. Intellect in a woman isn't SHOCKING to the hero. Where all sorts of people are represented. Virginity isn't a mark of a woman's "purity" and making the best of a difficult time period without being bland and boring!

Well, Saucy readers, what about you? Tell me about writers that make your world a little more diverse!