The Women That Made Me

Women's History Month: A look back at all my childhood idols.

I’ve always believed you are the sum total of all the people you grew up watching. Typically, it manifests in ways we don’t even realize. Sometimes, I’ll rewatch old shows and realize how much I have in common with the characters, and then I realize it’s probably because I picked up all those qualities from them as a kid. When I was growing up, there was no shortage of female role models–I always say I grew up with the best era of Disney Channel. I know everyone likes to make that argument, but if you missed out on Lizzie McGuire and That’s So Raven, then sadly, your generation was not the best. I liked all the fun shows and Disney Channel Original Movies that came in the late 2000s, but there was something about the early era that felt so authentic to the experience of being a young girl in the world.