By Lisa Manganiello  Across different mediums and historical contexts, women have always used art as a means of challenging dominant power structures and articulating alternative ways of being. From art on a page, to the canvas, to sculptures of bodies, here are four women whose artistic work exemplifies how art can be a powerful tool for resistance and change.  1. Mary Ann Shadd  Mary Ann Shadd broke barriers with the power of the printed word. Born in October 1823 to free Black parents in Wilmington, Delaware, Shadd became the first Black woman publisher in North America and the first woman publisher in Canada. At a time when Black voices were…

We all know her.   She’s the action hero who never cries. The emotionally detached detective. The girlboss who works 80-hour weeks, outruns trauma and definitely doesn’t need help from anyone. She’s the “strong female character” we’ve seen a hundred times, and she’s become more trope than truth.  In the early 2000s and 2010s, female characters like Lara Croft, Katniss Everdeen and Olivia Pope were hailed as feminist icons. They were smart, stoic, and fiercely independent. But over time, many of these portrayals have flattened into one-dimensional figures who equate strength with emotional suppression.  Lara Croft in Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, for instance, captures the classic “strong female…