20 Years Since We Met Elle Woods From Legally Blonde

You know Elle Woods is a feminist icon whether you're watching Legally Blonde for the first time or the hundredth time. She got into Harvard Law School against all odds, left her misogynistic ex-boyfriend, dealt with predatory men at work, spoke up for other women and graduated top of her class from the Ivy League college.

Elle Woods, played by Hollywood sweetheart Reese Witherspoon, and her dog Bruiser initially waltzed into our lives two decades ago. She knew more about pursuing one's aspirations and chemical hair care, than half of the self-help books we may own. She taught us many important things starting from "how one doesn't wet their hair after a perm," to how women don't have to give up the traditional feminine traits to appear strong, or smart. Elle inspired a generation of women to question the standards set by society and to ask themselves, "How do I perceive myself?"

Elle's strength came from proudly owning instead of shying away from the characteristics and hobbies, deemed stereotypically "feminine". For example, her degree and interests in fashion, and her emphasis on loyalty over competition. While some people regard masculinity for toughness and intellect, and femininity for superficiality, real fans of Elle have always seen her for who she is: a feminist, ahead of her time.

Throughout the film, we've seen how Elle is constantly reminded she is not good enough. She is always confronted with individuals who want to fit her into boxes according to their biased preconceptions, but she always rejects these labels. She defies the stereotype of the "dumb blonde obsessed with fashion" by proving herself to be the "too blonde" girl who could be serious. Rather than trusting everyone's negative perceptions of what she's worth, Elle uses their doubts to fuel her drive for success.

Speaking of stereotypes, many people believe Elle Woods was let into Harvard because of her looks and we see her advisor making jokes about her fashion merchandise major but in reality, Elle is the personification of perseverance. She chooses exactly what she wants and pursues it, foregoing parties to put in the necessary work to achieve her goals. Moving from a 143 to 179 through sheer hard work in the LSATs is no small feat. However, Elle would probably say, "What, like it's hard?"

The relationship between Elle and her main rival, Vivian, is another great example of how the movie upholds the importance of female friendships. Society has conditioned us to believe that women should constantly compete with each other and put down other women to survive. However, that is not the case. We all accomplish more when we pull each other up, celebrate each other's achievements, and help each other with our various struggles, portrayed perfectly by the friendship that ultimately develops between Elle and Vivian.

The film is a tribute to the strength of female friendship and self-determination. It conveys a strong message that traditionally feminine characteristics and aesthetics are powerful in their own right. This film has stood the test of time and Elle Woods is still as compelling today as she was 20 years ago.

All Nashrah cares about is smashing the patriarchy. Help her at nashrah.haque01@gmail.com