Chapter 4
Girl Power On Screen

Focused on the rise of the girl hero, Chapter Four of Growing Up With Girl Power explains how The Powerpuff Girls gained commercial success in the context of girl power. The cartoon proved that, contrary to popular belief, boys would watch shows with female leads; they just needed to be written as well as male lead characters. The show's success paved the way for more cartoons about girl heroes, like Kim Possible, Totally Spies, Atomic Betty, My Life as a Teenage Robot, and W.I.T.C.H.

After relating this history, Chapter Four builds upon the first three chapters by unpacking the stories these girl hero cartoons told, examining their discourses about girlhood and empowerment.

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