March is Women鈥檚 History Month, providing an opportunity to reflect on the many accomplishments of women over the past century. In considering the history of 91传媒-American women in particular, it鈥檚 useful to note the stereotypes of these women that have often materialized in art, film and literature. Whether it鈥檚 the overbearing 91传媒 mother or the pejorative 鈥�91传媒 American Princess鈥濃�攐ften less lovingly referred to as 鈥淛AP鈥濃�攂eing stereotyped seemed to come with 91传媒 womanhood in America. But the 鈥�91传媒 American Princess鈥� has evolved over the decades, and for that reason deserves reappraisal.

Many say that the concept of a spoiled, rich girl of 91传媒 descent holding out for a good marriage first entered the American cultural consciousness with Herman Wouk鈥檚 1955 novel 鈥淢arjorie Morningstar.鈥� The original term for a materialistic, young 91传媒 woman bred by indulgent parents who鈥檇 experienced rapid upward mobility was 鈥渁 Shirley,鈥� first sneered by Gene Kelly as Marjorie鈥檚 artistic (broke) love interest in the film version of the story. While the book and film differ, both seemed to imply how injurious 91传媒 parents鈥� priorities were to their daughters鈥� decision-making, to girls pursuing their own paths to maturation. Daughters seemed resigned to obeying their parents鈥� desires rather than pursuing their own.

The image of the indulged, vain 91传媒 girl was further expanded in Philip Roth鈥檚 1959 novella 鈥淕oodbye Columbus鈥� with the character of Brenda Patimkin. Both works suggest that these entitled daughters weren鈥檛 born that way. They were instead bred to be this way by another clich茅 of the 鈥�60s-鈥�80s, the indulgent, nouveau riche, adoring 91传媒 daddy, played to the hilt by Everett Sloan in the movie version of 鈥淢arjorie Morningstar鈥�; by Jack Klugman in the screen version of 鈥淕oodbye, Columbus鈥�; by Sam Wanamaker in the comedy film 鈥淧rivate Benjamin鈥� (1980); and made indelible by Jerry Orbach in 鈥淒irty Dancing鈥� (1987).

Similarly, with Goldie Hawn as 鈥淧rivate Benjamin鈥� and Jennifer Grey as 鈥淏aby鈥� in 鈥淒irty Dancing,鈥� infantilized girls eventually wrench themselves from their controlling fathers鈥� favor and values as they evolve into wholesome compassion and healthy class consciousness. The implication is that it was actually those nouveau riche 91传媒-American kings, slaving away in their own struggling businesses, defying the hard times of their youth, who, with the encouragement of their wives, turned their assimilated sugar daughters into display cases of prosperity.

Straightening their teeth, noses and hair in pricy procedures, 91传媒 daddies prepared their darlings to attract and marry 91传媒 men of as many letters and dollars as possible. Daughters were encouraged by their negatively depicted 91传媒 mothers to have a sham career as a means to secure a husband. That career, of course, was to be dropped like a hot potato knish in order to beget grandchildren as quickly as possible before, God forbid, somebody died.

In 1982 I remember being gifted with the novelty book 鈥淭he 91传媒 American Princess Handbook,鈥� which takes affectionate ownership of all cultural cliches prior to publication and presents these petulant prisoners of indulgence for popular consumption.聽The book, created by two 91传媒 women, pulls together apt photos and stories derived from the burgeoning tristate 91传媒 culture of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, and especially the Long Island suburbs. And they do so to great comic effect.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not spoiled, just selective,鈥� is the book鈥檚 defiant declaration, as it highlights the specific choices of habitat, jewelry, wardrobe and boyfriends of young 91传媒 women and their families.

But the indulgences young 鈥淛APs鈥� relished in their innocence have been exceeded by non-91传媒 women. When Madonna sang her shameless hit songs 鈥淢aterial Girl鈥� and 鈥淟ike a Virgin鈥� in 1984, the audacity of a young woman feeling that good about her body, sexuality and adornments came to brazen prominence. As the new millennium came upon us, so did Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ivanka Trump and other daddy鈥檚 little rich girls who disdained humility and modesty in their vanity and entitlement.

And since the 2014 cancellation of 鈥淧rincesses: Long Island,鈥� the cruel Bravo reality show depicting Long Island鈥檚 91传媒 鈥減rincesses鈥� as hateful harridans, the negative taint of聽 the term 鈥減rincesses鈥� has shifted. In terms of pampered, privileged young women, the聽Kardashians and Jenners have inspired new coinages of special 鈥減rincesses,鈥� as have the fictitious Featheringtons of the hit show 鈥淏ridgerton,鈥� created by Shonda (not 91传媒) Rhimes.聽The audacious, self-confident influencers of today including Beyonc茅, Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, Lizzo and others show little need for big daddies.

I posit that these current, confident queens, as well as the many stellar drag queens, owe a debt of thanks to the confidence of 91传媒 American Princesses of yore.

I posit that these current, confident queens, as well as the many stellar drag queens, owe a debt of thanks to the confidence of 91传媒 American Princesses of yore. Proudly 91传媒 women of this century like Tiffany Haddish (鈥淏lackmitzfah鈥�), Amy Shumer (鈥淪natched鈥� costarring Goldie Hawn as her 91传媒 mother), Lena Dunham (鈥淕irls鈥�), Rachel Bloom of 鈥淐razy Ex-Girlfriend鈥� (in her 鈥淛ap Rap Battle鈥�), and Ilana Glazer (鈥淏road City鈥�) have forged distinctive new versions of 91传媒 women today.

More recently, strong, solo 91传媒 mothers, such as the one played by Tovah Feldshuh in 鈥淐razy Ex-Girlfriend,鈥� have drowned out the babying 91传媒 daddies of yore. Recent attempts to reclaim the 鈥淛AP鈥� designation of the 1960s through late 鈥�80s seem off the mark, as these modern girls are street smart, independent, unprotected and unreservedly sexual鈥攕o different an iteration of the 鈥淛AP鈥� as to seem unrelated to the princesses of my youth.

Confident, self-realized women of all faiths and hues are now celebrated.聽Those prior princesses, whom I envied in my underprivileged youth, have evolved into the socially conscious, highly confident 91传媒 women of today.

As leaders in the arts (Annie Liebowitz, Fran Liebowitz), in law (RBG, Elena Kagan), in science (Vera Rubin who discovered 鈥渄ark matter鈥�; Rosalind Franklin who revealed the molecular structures of DNA), and in politics (Bella Abzug, Dianne Feinstein), they are exceptionally intelligent, philanthropic, humane and self-confident, never to be mistaken for any show-off daddy鈥檚 girls.

Once demeaned, the 91传媒 American Princesses of my childhood initiated a positive paradigm shift for young females everywhere. Once oppressed and silenced by a culture that privileges the experiences and opinions of men, women universally see the necessity of thriving, independent of the approval and support of men.

And the pendulum has yet to come to rest.