"We had a strong independent female"

"We had a strong independent female" is an excuse made to dismiss criticism on Mary Sue characters.

Background
It is well known that most female characters are shown as weak back in the 1960s and earlier before the gender equality movement became more common. It was not until the late 20th century that this problem is now fixed. However as SJWs came into the picture, they started to make a female character that is a Mary Sue or a propaganda type character. Just because you made a strong and powerful female character does not mean you had to make them bland, overpowered, and a tool.

Often when a strong female character ends up being criticized for either poor writing, being sexist to the male audience, being a Mary Sue or even there to promote an ideology and nothing else, some people might use the "We had a strong independent female" as an excuse for doing so. Saying that statement shouldn't be a good enough excuse for making low-quality and effortless strong female characters in general. This excuse also treats its audience like they are unintelligent beings or idiots with no real taste, which isn't true. In fact, critically acclaimed trilogies like Star Wars have had worse off sequels because they try hard to be "politically correct".

Even if a strong female character is mostly aimed at female audiences, male audiences may also be interested in this character as well. There are many examples of this, but the most well known one are Ochaco Uraraka, Amethyst, Lyn, Raven, and Spinel, just to name few. The aforementioned characters are for female audiences, yet they have enough substance and real effort put in to be relatable and entertaining for the male audience and don't pander towards feminists.

There is no excuse for making a strong female character poorly written just because you want to pander to SJWs.

Examples of a poorly written strong female character

 * Abby Anderson (The Last of Us II)
 * Admiral Holdo (Star Wars sequel trilogy)
 * Agent M (Men In Black: International)
 * America Chavez (Miss America)
 * Batwoman (Arroverse, "strong independent lesbian")
 * Bella Swan (Twilight)
 * Captain Marvel (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Charlie's Angels (Charlie's Angels (2019))
 * Dani Ramos (Terminator: Dark Fate)
 * Disney Princesses (Ralph Breaks the Internet)
 * Elodie (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
 * Ghostbusters (Ghostbusters (2016))
 * Grace (Terminator: Dark Fate)
 * Hua Mulan (Mulan (2020))
 * Ironheart (Ironheart, "strong independent black female")
 * Jade West (Victorious)
 * Jailbreak (The Emoji Movie)
 * Jane Foster (Thor (2014-present))
 * Jasmine (Aladdin (2019))
 * Jes and Zofia Blazkowicz (Wolfenstein)
 * Jyoti Kaur (The Magic School Bus Rides Again)
 * Supergirl/Kara Denvers (Arrowverse)
 * Kayley (Quest for Camelot)
 * Kim Possible (Kim Possible (2019))
 * Lady K (Oggy and the Cockroaches)
 * Michael Burnham (Star Trek: Discovery, "strong independent black female")
 * Miss O (Letter People)
 * Mystique (X-Men: Dark Phoenix)
 * Nella the Princess Knight (Nella the Princess Knight, "strong independent biracial")
 * Rey (Star Wars sequel trilogy)
 * Rose Tico (Star Wars sequel trilogy)
 * Ruby Daly (The Darkest Minds (film))
 * Sarina Shizukume (Magical Girl Site)
 * Thirteenth Doctor (Doctor Who)
 * Vanellope von Schweetz (Ralph Breaks the Internet)
 * Yukari Takeba (Persona 3)
 * Zoey (Total Drama All-Stars)
 * Zoey Brooks (Zoey 101)

Examples of a well written strong female character

 * 2B (Nier: Automata)
 * A2 (Nier: Automata)
 * Abby Archer (Grossology)
 * Abigail Lincoln/Numbuh 5 (Codename: Kids Next Door)
 * Ada McGrath (The Piano)
 * Adelaide Wilson (Us)
 * Ahsoka Tano (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars: Rebels, and The Mandalorian)
 * Aigis (Persona 3)
 * Aisling (The Secret of Kells)
 * Akane Owari (Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair)
 * Akeno Himejima (High School DxD)
 * Alex (Totally Spies!)
 * Alice (Alice in Wonderland (1951))
 * Alice Zuberg/Alice Synthesis Thirty (Sword Art Online)
 * Alita (Battle Angel Alita and Alita: Battle Angel)
 * Amelia Vanek (The Babadook)
 * Amélie Poulain (Amélie)
 * Amethyst (Steven Universe)
 * Amy Rose (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * Andi Mack (Andi Mack)
 * Android #18 (Dragon Ball)
 * Anna (Frozen)
 * Anne Boonchuy (Amphibia)
 * Annie Leonhart (Attack on Titan)
 * Ann Takamaki/Panther (Persona 5)
 * Anta (Touki Bouki)
 * Arriety (Arriety)
 * Arya Stark (Game of Thrones)
 * Asajj Ventress (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
 * Ashley Spinelli (Recess)
 * Asuka (Senran Kagura)‎‎
 * Asuka Langley Soryu (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
 * Asuna Yuuki (Sword Art Online)
 * Atlanta (Class of the Titans)
 * Athena Asamiya (Psycho Soldier/The King of Fighters)
 * Aurora (Sleeping Beauty (1959))
 * Ayane (Dead or Alive)
 * Azula (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
 * Baiken (Guilty Gear)
 * Barbara Gordon (pre-New 52)
 * Bayonetta (Bayonetta)
 * Bea Smith (Wentworth)
 * Belle (Beauty and the Beast (1991))
 * Beth Heke (Once Were Warriors)
 * Betty Barrett (Atomic Betty)
 * Black Widow (Black Widow)
 * Blaze the Cat (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * Billi Wang (The Farewell)
 * Blance Devereux (The Golden Girls)
 * Blossom (The Powerpuff Girls (1998))
 * Bonnie Parker (Bonnie and Clyde)
 * Bo Peep (Toy Story 4)
 * The Bride (Kill Bill)
 * Bubbles (The Powerpuff Girls (1998))
 * Buffy Summers (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
 * Bulma (Dragon Ball)
 * Buttercup (The Powerpuff Girls (1998))
 * BW (Long Gone Gulch)
 * Calamity Jane (Calamity, a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary)
 * Candy Chui (Gravity Falls)
 * Cameron Phillips (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)
 * Cammy White (Street Fighter)
 * Cara Dune (The Mandalorian)
 * Carmelita Fox (Sly Cooper)
 * Carmen Cortez (Spy Kids)
 * Carmen Sandiego (Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?)
 * Carrie White (Carrie)
 * Cassandra Cain (Batman)
 * Cassie Cage (Mortal Kombat)
 * Cassie Harrison (Bounty Hamster)
 * Cathy Gale (The Avengers (British TV series))
 * Celie (The Color Purple)
 * Charlie Magne (Hazbin Hotel)
 * Charlie's Angels (Charlie's Angels (2000))
 * Charlotte (Samurai Shodown)
 * Cher Horowitz (Clueless)
 * Cherri Bomb (Hazbin Hotel)
 * Chibiusa (Sailor Moon)
 * Chi-Chi (Dragon Ball)
 * Chie Satonaka (Persona 4)
 * Chihiro Ogino (Spirited Away)
 * Chitoge Kirisaki (Nisekoi)
 * Chun-Li (Street Fighter)
 * Cinderella (Cinderella (1950))
 * Cinderella (Cinderella (2015))
 * Clare (Claymore)
 * Clare Carroll (The Nightingale)
 * Clarice Starling (Hannibal Lecter)
 * Cleopatra Jones (Cleopatra Jones)
 * Clover (Totally Spies!)
 * Coco Bandicoot (Crash Bandicoot)
 * Coffy (Coffy)
 * Connie Maheswaran (Steven Universe)
 * Copi (Xico's Journey)
 * Coraline Jones (Coraline)
 * CC (Code Geass)
 * Daenerys Targaryen (Seasons 1-7)
 * Dana Scully (The X-Files)
 * Daria Morgendorffer (Daria)
 * Delilah Devonshire (Delilah & Julius)
 * Delores (The League of 5)
 * Dendy (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
 * Dorothy Ann Hudson (The Magic School Bus)
 * Dorothy Zbornak (The Golden Girls)
 * Dottie Hinson (A League of Their Own)
 * Echidna (Re: Zero)
 * Elektra (Elektra)
 * Ellen Ripley (Alien)
 * Ellie (The Last of Us)
 * Ellie Rose (The Henry Stickmin Collection)
 * Elsa (Frozen)
 * Emma (The Promised Neverland)
 * Emma Peel (The Avengers (British TV series))
 * Emilia (Re:Zero)
 * Emily (Thomas & Friends)
 * Enid Mettle (OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes)
 * Erica Wang/Plungerina (The Epic Tales of Captain Underpants)
 * Erza Scarlet (Fairy Tail)
 * Eula Peazant (Daughters of the Dust)
 * Eve Batiste (Eve's Bayou)
 * Evelyn Salt (Salt)
 * Fa Mulan (Mulan (1998))
 * Filia (Skullgirls)
 * Fio Piccolo (Porco Rosso)
 * Foxy Brown (Foxy Brown)
 * Francine Hughes (The Burning Bed)
 * Fresia (Nahuel and the Magic Book)
 * Fubuki (One-Punch Man)
 * Futaba Sakura/Oracle (Persona 5)
 * Futaba Yozakura (Mission: Yozakura Family)
 * Fuuko Izumo (Undead Unluck)
 * Gamora (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Garnet (Steven Universe)
 * Georgina Spica (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover)
 * Ginger (Ginger's Tale)
 * Ginger Foutley (As Told by Ginger)
 * Giselle (Enchanted)
 * Gwen Tennyson (Ben 10)
 * Hachikuji Mayoi (The Monogatari series)
 * Hanji Zoë (Attack on Titan)
 * Haru (Beastars)
 * Haru Yoshioka (The Cat Returns)
 * Haruhi Fujioka (''Ouran High School Host Club)
 * Hermione Granger (Harry Potter)
 * Hilda (Hilda)
 * Hinata Hyuga (Naruto)
 * Historia Reiss (Attack on Titan)
 * Hitagi Senjougahara (The Monogatari series)
 * mh:greatcharacters:Homura Akemi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica)
 * Hushpuppy (Beasts of the Southern Wild)
 * Ibuki (Street Fighter)
 * Imperator Furiosa (Mad Max: Fury Road)
 * Inez (Cyberchase)
 * Inner Moka Akashiya (Rosario + Vampire, Manga incarnation)
 * Isabella (The Promised Neverland)
 * Iroha (Samurai Shodown)
 * Ivy Valentine (Soulcalibur)
 * Jackie (Cyberchase)
 * Jasmin Münchgstettner (Bagdad Cafe)
 * Jaye Tyler (Wonderfalls)
 * Jessica Jones (Jessica Jones)
 * Jill Valentine (Resident Evil)
 * Joanna Dark (Perfect Dark)
 * Joe (Kid Cosmic)
 * Jolyne Cujoh (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
 * Joy Pepper (Superbook (2011))
 * Josie Trent (Strange Days at Blake Holsey High)
 * Jun the Swan (Science Ninja Team Gatchaman)
 * Jyn Erso (Star Wars)
 * Kale Stiglic (Our Hero)
 * Kallen Stadtfeld (Code Geass)
 * Kameo (Kameo: Elements of Power)
 * Kanade Tachibana (Angel Beats!)
 * Kasumi (Dead or Alive)
 * Katara (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
 * Katniss Everdeen (The Hunger Games)
 * Keesha Franklin (The Magic School Bus)
 * Kei Yonagi (Act-Age)
 * Keiko Yukimura (Yu Yu Hakusho)
 * Kiki (Kiki's Delivery Service)
 * Kirie Konami (World Trigger)
 * Kiyoko Shimizu (Haikyu!!)
 * Kima Greggs (The Wire)
 * Kim Possible (Kim Possible (2002))
 * Kimberly Ann Hart (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
 * Kira Nerys (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)
 * Kitana (Mortal Kombat)
 * Kitt Wonn (Dragon Booster)
 * Korra (The Legend of Korra)
 * Kurisu Makise (Steins;Gate)
 * Kylie Bucknell (Housebound)
 * Lady (Devil May Cry)
 * Lady Bird (Lady Bird)
 * Laetitia (Lupin III: The First)
 * Lana Kane (Archer)
 * Lara Croft (Tomb Raider)
 * Laurie Strode (Halloween)
 * Leela (Futurama)
 * Leia Organa (Star Wars original trilogy)
 * Lena (Skyland)
 * Leona Heidern (The King of Fighters)
 * Lisa Landry (Sister, Sister)
 * Lisa Lisa (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
 * Liz and Patty Thompson (Soul Easter)
 * Lizzie McGuire (Lizzie McGuire)
 * Lola (Run Lola Run)
 * Louise Sawyer (Thelma & Louise)
 * Lucy Jeffers (Jeopardy)
 * Lucy Heartfilia (Fairy Tail)
 * Luz Noceda (The Owl House)
 * Lyn (Fire Emblem)
 * Madeline (Madeline)
 * Mai Shiranui (Fatal Fury/KOF)
 * Major Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
 * Maka Albarn (Soul Eater)
 * Maki Oze (Fire Force)
 * Makoto Nanaya (BlazBlue)
 * Makoto Niijima/Queen (Persona 5)
 * Marion Ravenwood (Raiders of the Lost Ark)
 * Mebh Óg MacTíre (Wolfwalkers)
 * Merida (Brave)
 * Mia Dolan (La La Land)
 * Midnight (My Hero Academia)
 * Mikasa Ackerman (Attack on Titan)
 * Miko Kubota (Glitch Techs)
 * Millia Rage (Guilty Gear)
 * Misato Katsuragi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
 * Mitsuru Kirijo (Persona 3)
 * Moana (Moana)
 * Molly Craig (Rabbit-Proof Fence)
 * Momo Yaoyorozu (My Hero Academia)
 * Motoko Aoyama (Love Hina, manga incarnation)
 * Mt. Lady (My Hero Academia)
 * Muncie Thunderstruck (Buddy Thunderstruck)
 * Mutsumi Yozakura (Mission: Yozakura Family)
 * Nakoruru (Samurai Shodown)
 * Nami (One Piece)
 * Nana Peazant (Daughters of the Dust)
 * Nancy Botwin (Weeds)
 * Naoto Shirogane (Persona 4)
 * Natasha (Princess Natasha)
 * Nausicaä (Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind)
 * Neri (Ocean Girl)
 * Nico Robin (One Piece)
 * Nix Degraves (Guns Akimbo)
 * Nobara Kugisaki (Jujutsu Kaisen)
 * Noel Vermillion (BlazBlue)
 * Noelle Silva (Black Clover)
 * Nola Darling (She's Gotta Have It)
 * Norma Rae Webster (Norma Rae)
 * Nya (Ninjago)
 * Ochaco Uraraka (My Hero Academia)
 * Ofelia (Pan's Labyrinth)
 * Olivier Mira Armstrong (Fullmetal Alchemist)
 * Orihime Inoue (Bleach)
 * Pacifica Northwest (Gravity Falls)
 * Padme Amidala (Star Wars)
 * Paikea Apirana (Whale Rider)
 * Parvana (The Breadwinner)
 * Pearl (Steven Universe)
 * Peggy Carter (Captain America)
 * Penny Proud (The Proud Family)
 * Pepper Ann Pearson (Pepper Ann)
 * Pepper Potts (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Petunia Rhubarb (VeggieTales)
 * Phoebe Terese (The Magic School Bus)
 * Piper (Storm Hawks)
 * Piper Champman (Orange Is the New Black)
 * P.I.X.A.L. (Ninjago)
 * Pieck Finger (Attack on Titan)
 * Power (Chainsaw Man)
 * Precious Jones (Precious)
 * Princess Daisy (Super Mario Bros.)
 * Princess Fiona (Shrek)
 * Princess Mirana (DOTA: Dragon's Blood)
 * Princess Peach (Super Mario Bros.)
 * Psylock (X-Men)
 * Quinn Argon (Final Space)
 * Ram (Re:Zero)
 * Ran Mouri (Detective Conan)
 * Raven (Teen Titans (2003-2005))
 * Rawhide (Long Gone Gulch)
 * Raya (Raya and the Last Dragon)
 * Red Sonja (Red Sonja)
 * Reggie Abbott (Twelve Forever)
 * Reggie Belmont (Night of the Comet)
 * Rei Ayanami (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
 * Rem (Re:Zero)
 * Revy (Black Lagoon)
 * Rias Gremory (High School DXD)
 * Rimururu (Samurai Shodown)
 * Ritsuko Akagi (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
 * Robyn Goodfellowe (Wolfwalkers)
 * Rose Nylund (The Golden Girls)
 * Rouge the Bat (Sonic the Hedgehog)
 * Rukia Kuchiki (Bleach)
 * Ryuko Matoi (Kill la Kill)
 * Sadie Hawthorne (Naturally, Sadie)
 * Sailor Jupiter (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Mars (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Mercury (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Moon (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Neptune (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Pluto (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Saturn (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Uranus (Sailor Moon)
 * Sailor Venus (Sailor Moon)
 * Sakura Haruno (Naruto)
 * Sakura Kinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura)
 * Sakura Ogami (Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc)
 * Sam (Totally Spies!)
 * San (Princess Mononoke)
 * Saoirse (Song of the Sea)
 * Sam Puckett (iCarly and Sam & Cat)
 * Samus Aran (Metroid)
 * Sandy Cheeks (SpongeBob SquarePants)
 * Sarah Connor (pre-Dark Fate)
 * Sarah Bryant (Virtua Fighter)
 * Sasha (Long Way North)
 * Saskia Litras (Noah and Saskia)
 * Satsuki Kusakabe (My Neighbor Totoro)
 * Scarlet Witch (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Schwi Dola (No Game No Life: Zero)
 * Sergeant Calhoun (Wreck it Ralph)
 * Seven of Nine (Voyager)
 * Shantae (Shantae)
 * Sheeta (Castle in the Sky)
 * She-Ra (She-Ra: Princess of Power and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)
 * She-Hulk (She-Hulk)
 * Shiki (Samurai Shodown)
 * Shirley Fenette (Code Geass)
 * Shinobu Oshino (The Monogatari series)
 * Shinobu Maehara (Love Hina, manga incarnation)
 * Shion Yozakura (Mission: Yozakura Family)
 * Shizuku Tsukishima (Whisper of the Heart)
 * Sidney Prescott (Scream)
 * Skylor Chen (Ninjago)
 * Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937))
 * Snow White (Red Shoes and the Seven Dwarfs)
 * Sonya Blade (Mortal Kombat)
 * Sophia Petrillo (The Golden Girls)
 * Sophie Hatter (Howl's Moving Castle)
 * Sophie Zawistowski (Sophie's Choice)
 * Sophitia (Soulcalibur)
 * Spinel (Steven Universe)
 * Squigly (Skullgirls)
 * Star Butterfly (Star vs. the Forces of Evil)
 * Starfire (Teen Titans (2003-2005))
 * Starr Carter (The Hate U Give)
 * Stephanie (LazyTown)
 * Stephanie Brown (Batman)
 * Sumire Yoshizawa/Violet (Persona 5: Royal)
 * Supergirl (Supergirl)
 * Susan Weinblatt (Girlfriends)
 * Sybylla Melvyn (My Brilliant Career)
 * Sydney Bristow (Alias)
 * Sylvia (Wander Over Yonder)
 * Taeko Okajima (Only Yesterday)
 * Taiga Aisaka (Toradora!)
 * Taki (Soulcalibur)
 * Talim (Soulcalibur)
 * Tatsumaki (One-Punch Man)
 * Team RWBY (RWBY)
 * Teodora (Leyendas)
 * Thelma Dickinson (Thelma & Louise)
 * Theresa (Class of the Titans)
 * The Mane Six (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic)
 * Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy)
 * Tina (Border)
 * Tohru Honda (Fruits Basket)
 * Toph Beifong (Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra)
 * mh:greatcharacters:Touka Kirishima (Tokyo Ghoul)
 * Tracey Beaker (The Story of Tracy Beaker)
 * Tracey McBean (Tracey McBean)
 * Trini Kwan (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
 * Trish (Devil May Cry)
 * Troy Carmichael (Crooklyn)
 * Tsubaki Nakatsukasa (Soul Eater)
 * Tsubasa Hanekawa (The Monogatari series)
 * mh:greatcharacters:Tsukasa Yuzaki (Tonikaku Kawaii)
 * Tulip Olsen (Infinity Train)
 * Unborn Child (Daughters of the Dust)
 * Vaggie (Hazbin Hotel)
 * Valkyrie (Marvel Cinematic Universe)
 * Velvet Crowe (Tales of Berseria)
 * Vanessa Enoteca (Black Clover)
 * Wadjda (Wadjda)
 * Wanda Goronski (Wanda)
 * Wanda Li (The Magic School Bus)
 * Wendy Corduroy (Gravity Falls)
 * Winry Rockbell (Fullmetal Alchemist)
 * Wonder Woman (Wonder Woman)
 * WordGirl (WordGirl)
 * Wyldstyle (The Lego Movie)
 * Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess)
 * XJ-9/Jenny Wakeman (My Life as a Teenage Robot)
 * Yoko Littner (Gurren Lagann)
 * Yoruichi Shihoin (Bleach)
 * Yuri Nakamura (Angel Beats!)
 * Yuri Sakazaki (Art of Fighting/The King of Fighters)
 * Yu Shu Lien (''Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon)
 * Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)

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