50 fearless, confident, all around badass women on television

Photo: NBC

Liz Lemon – 30 Rock

It takes a real woman to be fearless in the face of all her insecurities and anxiety, and Liz Lemon handled it all. She was the boss of her own television show, brokering peace between the handfuls of ridiculous personalities that worked under her.

Although sometimes it’s hard to differentiate between Liz and her creator, Tina Fey, both ladies are among the most gutsy women I know. Liz’s personal life was often a disaster of epic proportions, she alway kept a level perspective about who she was as a person. Her series of unfortunate boyfriends and relationships never deterred her from being assured in her own self-worth. In fact, she wore her nerdiness as a kind of badge of honor.

She wasn’t afraid to love Star Wars, reveal her addiction to cheese, or admit her weakness for a good hoagie. She demanded to be accepted for exactly who she was, and she also insisted that every one in her immediate vicinity respect her authority and acquiesce to it. It wasn’t always to wrangle the narcissists in her employ, but no matter how silly or unreasonable Tracy or Jenna became, she took care of their frivolous problems. A woman unafraid to admit her own quirks, yet assertive enough to demand respect is pretty darn bold.