Michelle Obama, because she's awesome. And doesn't let herself be defined by constricted ideas of what it means to be a mother or a "working woman".

Buffy the Vampire Slayer!!! The character rejects dichotomies. She doesn't devalue or sneer at traditionally "girly" stuff, but at the same time she subverts the stereotype by being a kick-ass, independent superhero.

Not someone in the media, but someone I admire: Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada Claire L'Heureux-Dube. She applied feminist analysis to the law, was often in the dissent, and took a lot of flack from anti-feminist reactionaries. But she never stopped being an outspoken feminist.

Margaret Cho, because she hit rock-bottom, with eating-disorders and alcoholism, and rose back up. Now she accepts who she is, and she talks about it in her comedy.

Take a closer look at your teachers and older female family members- you might find better role models than you thought you would. Even if they aren't self-identified feminists, they've got experience at real living that can't be conveyed through stupid TV shows. Also search the community archives here for book lists- somebody asks about them about once a month. There are lists of feminist classics, lists of "beginner" feminist readings, and even a couple of feminist young adult fiction books. If you go to college, sign up for women's studies courses and get to know the professors and older students, too. Good luck!

The song Hot Topic by Le Tigre comes to mind. (A band made up of hot role models.)

Hot topic is the way that we rhyme
Hot topic is the way that we rhyme
One step behind the drum style
One step behind the drum style
Carol Rama and Elanor Antin
Yoko Ono and Carolee Schneeman
You're getting old, that's what they'll say, but
Don't give a damn I'm listening anyway
Stop, don't you stop
I can't live if you stop
Don't you stop
Gretchen Phillips and Cibo Matto
Leslie Feinburg and Faith Ringgold
Mr. Lady, Laura Cottingham
Mab Segrest and The Butchies, man
Don't stop
Don't you stop
We won't stop
Don't you stop
So many roads and so much opinion
So much shit to give in, give in to
So many rules and so much opinion
So much bullshit but we won't give in
Stop, we won't stop
Don't you stop
I can't live if you stop
Tammy Rae Carland and Sleater-Kinney
Vivienne Dick and Lorraine O'Grady
Gayatri Spivak and Angela Davis
Laurie Weeks and Dorothy Allison
Stop, don't you stop
Please don't stop
We won't stop
Gertrude Stein, Marlon Riggs, Billie Jean King, Ut, DJ Cuttin Candy,
David Wojnarowicz, Melissa York, Nina Simone, Ann Peebles, Tammy Hart,
The Slits, Hanin Elias, Hazel Dickens, Cathy Sissler, Shirley Muldowney,
Urvashi vaid, Valie Export, Cathy Opie, James Baldwin,
Diane Dimassa, Aretha Franklin, Joan Jett, Mia X, Krystal Wakem,
Kara Walker, Justin Bond, Bridget Irish, Juliana Lueking,
Cecelia Dougherty, Ariel Skrag, The Need, Vaginal Creme Davis,
Alice Gerard, Billy Tipton, Julie Doucet, Yayoi Kusama, Eileen Myles
Oh no no no don't stop stop............

Hella feminist role call!

Stephanie, do you like music?
When I was in high school in the 90s, the music of Pearl Jam really shaped my life. The band is all men, but their music has always had social and political undertones and Eddie Vedder has always been very outspoken on his positions on female reproductive rights. I realize this is not timely stuff for a 17 year old, but as a teenager in the 90s I was glad to have this music.

Back when I was a teenager I think there were more good female role models in popular music and culture. I'm coming up at a loss for any now, other than more "academic" role models such as authors, scientists, etc. I think the past 10 years or so have been difficult for positive influences on teenagers.

The artist P!nk.

She is an amazing musician, grew up with a hard life and made something of herself.

If you're looking for role models from the younger generation:

Natalie Portman. Incredibly smart and I believe a Harvard graduate (I'll have to check on that)

Kate Walsh. From Gray's Anatomy. She's a feminist.

Melissa Etheridge. A breast cancer survivor like myself!

Susan Serandon.

These are all actresses and singers, but women I highly admire.

Hillary Clinton. Michelle Obama.

go to Amazon.com and look up "Feminist" under books, and you'll get a lot of hits!

Good luck!

I was most influenced by the activists who were 10-15 years older than me in the groups I was active in (Rainforest Action Network, Amnesty International, etc) and by the books I read. I recently read through Female Chauvinist Pigs (by Ariel Levy) with a group of students from my Feminist Theory class last semester (they asked me to do a reading group with them this semester) and they really enjoyed it. Other books that are accessible and well-written are The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf and Backlash by Susan Faludi. You should also check out Bitchfest for a great collection of articles on pop culture.

Personally, I look up to members of my family and my friends who I feel are strong women, and who make me stronger.

Also, you might want to look up the history of the women's movement. You'll find tons of role models there.

You could try the magazines such as Bitch or Bust if you are looking for role models.

Phoolan Devi

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoolan_Devi

Possibly the most kickass woman EVER.

Cool movies or TV shows:

The "L" Word

Iron Jawed Angels (has some major flaws I know, but it makes some parts of history accessible)

Cool people:

Pink

Sarah Haskins

Courtney Martin

Shark-Fu

Samantha Bee

Rachel Maddow

Magazines:

Bitch

Shameless

Cool Books:

Perfect Girls, Starving Daughters

Reading Lolita in Tehran

Nine Parts of Desire

Female Chauvinist Pigs

The Guerrilla Girls!: http://tooshytostop.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/frida-kahlo-thinks-male-dominated-museums-are-bananas/

Eve Ensler started everything for me. I went to go see Vagina Monologues and it just struck a nerve. I've read every one of her books, about loving and hating your body, violence, sexual assault and so on. It made me want to do something different. But I think the biggest service you could do to yourself is being the role model you want. Start something, start anything and follow through. : )