Memory has a way of simplifying things, but the truth is, I can’t recall thinking about struggling to be taken seriously as a girl until I watched Elle get treated as a joke by her peers and professors because of the way she dressed and talked. I never considered that being too “girly” might make people think you were less intelligent or legitimate. I never realized that “sexy” and “smart” were seen as opposing forces to some people. It hadn’t crossed my mind that traditionally “feminine” qualities — loyalty, generosity, a willingness to compromise, valuing relationships over winning — might be viewed as weaknesses in male-dominated environments.

Elle is confident in what she has to offer, and as outspoken with her opinions as any guy in the room. She isn’t worried about seeming bossy or bitchy. She is unapologetic about being attractive and sexual and caring about her appearance. And I remember so vividly the icky feeling I got watching Elle encounter the arrogant, raging disbelief of characters like Warner and Professor Callahan at her refusal to conform to their expectations of “a girl like her.”

Before that, I hadn’t ever grappled with the idea that strong, attractive women speaking their minds could be considered as a threat to men — and therefore be treated with condescension and belittlement. Not to mention that until Legally Blonde, I wasn't aware of the overt sexual harassment that takes place in male-dominated work environments (i.e. that scene when Callahan makes a pass at Elle) — or thought about how I would deal with an advance from a man in a position of power.

Oh, and we haven’t even talked about Elle’s relationship with Emmett (Luke Wilson). That’s because it’s completely secondary to the plot and Elle’s character development. You don’t even learn they get together until the postscript. The guy is a nice add-on, but not a necessity.

So, whether or not Elle looks like a Barbie is irrelevant here. Legally Blonde planted small and simple but absolutely essential seeds of feminism in my impressionable 10-year-old brain. Was I a certified mini feminist after the credits rolled? No. But I started thinking about the ugly stuff that came with being a woman — things I probably wouldn’t have personally encountered in my little life for years. And I started to figure out that, like Elle, I would most definitely not be putting up with that crap. In my book, that's a feminist icon.