The contemporary Feminist movement began in the 1960s, with writers and activists such as Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan. As we have seen in previous chapters, however, the principles of feminism go back many centuries. Yet as with civil rights and gay rights and many other groups seeking rights, the swinging '60s were an epoch of social transformation. It may seem frivolous to some, but no less a social critic than Camille Paglia has cited the character of Emma Peel from television's TheAvengers as a quintessential feminist icon.

Emma Peel, as played by Diana Rigg, was and is a role model for the modern woman. Independent, educated, and eminently stylish, she is everything the well-dressed super-spy ought to be. In recent years, Xenia the Warrior Princess became an icon, but Emma Peel embodied more sophistication and finesse. She is not simply a woman who could beat up men, though she did this in just about every episode. She is a woman of genius-level intelligence, remarkable physical prowess, and financial and social independence. She is a civilian who periodically teams up with John Steed, a dapper dandy member of British Intelligence, and together they battle all manner of diabolical masterminds out to conquer the world. This female James Bond never relies on her feminine wiles to thwart her opponents; she is a martial arts mistress who can bang heads with the best of them.

It is no surprise that this character came at a time of sociocultural upheaval and a time when women were fighting for equality. Emma Peel was more than the equal of any man without sacrificing her femininity. A woman who fights for her rights yet ends up adopting the characteristics of the men who kept her on the other side of the glass ceiling has achieved a hollow victory. Today’s women should watch the reruns of The Avengers to see a feminist role model in action.