History Main / AffirmativeActionGirl

[-[[caption-width-right:350:"[[ComicBook/TheWasp I'm]] just glad there's finally [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers another girl]] on the team!"[[note]]The top picture illustrates how the roster (and EvolvingCredits) looked in episodes 27-30, while the bottom comes from episodes 31-33.[[/note]]]]-]

** The Wonders of the World, the equivalent of the JSA in ''ComicBook/Earth2'', intitally only had one female member, Hawkgirl, before adding Power Girl and Huntress when they returned to Earth-2.

* ''ComicBook/TheFlash'': Somewhat downplayed as the idea of the Flash Family is OlderThanTheyThink; there had been multiple speedsters since UsefulNotes/{{the Golden Age|OfComicBooks}} who were loosely connected to the JSA, and by the Silver Age Jay Garrick, Barry Allen, and Wally West (then only Kid Flash) were an informal 'family'. When the Flash Family aspect got more focus and became a more solid unit in the 90s, Jesse Chambers/Jesse Quick, daughter of Golden Age speedster Johnny Quick, was introduced, and even briefly became Wally's chosen successor as the next Flash. TheSmurfettePrinciple aspect was downplayed somewhat by how much Wally's girlfriend-late-wife, Linda Park, helped out, and sometimes also had Bart's cousin XS, a speedster who works with the Legion of Superheroes, as a slightly looser member.

* ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'s adopted sibling was a boy in the comics. For ''{{Series/Supergirl 2015}}'' the character becomes Kara's stepsister Alex. This adds a third female protagonist in addition to Kara and her boss Cat Grant. Additionally the show received complaints about having no women of color in the first season, so the second (where Cat is PutOnABus) adds Maggie Sawyer and Miss Martian.

** [[Wrestling/ImpactWrestling TNA]] originally had the Knockouts Championship but later expanded things to add a set of tag team titles for the women too.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' initially boasted only one female protagonist, ComicBook/TheWasp. About halfway through season one, viewers met her friend [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Carol Danvers]], in an episode that ended with Carol gaining Kree superpowers. By season two, Carol assumes the superheroine identity of Ms. Marvel, whom [[Characters/MarvelComicsTonyStark Iron Man]] recruits into the Avengers.

* {{Inver|tedTrope}}sion: In the AnimatedAdaptation of ''WesternAnimation/{{WITCH}}'', the producers added Blunk to increase the number of male characters (originally, they had only TheOneGuy in Caleb). Also in the second season, Matt (Will's boyfriend) was given a much bigger role, making them affirmative action ''guys''.

* Typically, the only female recurring character in the ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'' series is Peach. In the spin-offs, they literally throw in as many female characters as they can find. While many of the additional characters in the Mario Spin-Offs (Daisy, Baby Peach, Rosalina, Birdo, and more recently, Pauline) could be accused of being Affirmative Action Girls, only Toadette and Baby Daisy were created specifically for this purpose.

* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64'' has only one playable female character, Samus. ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee Melee]]'' on [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] added Peach, the Ice Climbers (one of whom is female) and Zelda (who can transform into Sheik), essentially adding four female characters. ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl Brawl]]'' added Zero Suit Samus (a transformation for Samus similar to Zelda and Sheik), as well as Ivysaur (whose bud type actually confirms it as female, oddly enough), putting the total female playable character count (should you count Zelda/Sheik and Samus/Zero Suit as their own fighters) to 6 out of 39. Then came ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'', which split Zelda and Sheik as well as Samus and Zero Suit Samus into separate characters, finally giving those characters their own roster space, while simultaneously removing the Ice Climbers and Ivysaur. This would balance things out if they didn't add in the Wii Fit Trainer (who has a male alt-skin, but the female is default), Rosalina, Palutena, Lucina, and (as DLC) VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}, as well as multiple characters with female-alt skins such as Wendy (Bowser Jr.), Mii Fighter (two times over, technically, as only the Mii Gunner is female by default), Robin, the Villager, and Corrin, adding ''ten'' new female characters in one installment. It's for this reason that the fourth installment has received praise for being much more gender-accepting. Meanwhile, ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'' [[TheBusCameBack brought back]] the Ice Climbers and Ivysaur and giving a female skin to the Pokemon Trainer, while at the same time adding in Daisy, the Inklings (with the female Inkling as the default) and Isabelle, while DLC character Byleth comes with a female-alt skin, as well as Min Min, the Aegis and Alex as a skin for Steve.

* ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing'': In the original UsefulNotes/Nintendo64 version, the only female character was Pipsy the mouse. In order to even the balance a bit (and fill the empty spots left by [[ExiledFromContinuity characters Nintendo no longer had permission to use]], along with making the game less of an InNameOnly addition to the ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'' franchise), Diddy's girlfriend Dixie Kong and her younger sister Tiny Kong were added to the UsefulNotes/NintendoDS version.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' initially boasted only one female protagonist, ComicBook/TheWasp. About halfway through season one, viewers met her friend [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Carol Danvers]], in an episode that ended with Carol gaining Kree superpowers. By season two, Carol assumes the superheroine identity of Ms. Marvel, whom ComicBook/IronMan recruits into the Avengers.

* ''Manga/OnePiece'', Nami was the only female member of the Straw Hats for the entirety of the East Blue Saga. Once they get to the Grand line, they are quickly joined by Vivi, who serves as a GuestStarPartyMember for the Baroque Works Saga, and then Robin, who permenantly joins the crew almost immediately after Vivi leaves. Of course, both Vivi and Robin are both well rounded and beloved characters who are vastly different from both each other and Nami.

* The cast of THQ's cancelled ''Avengers'' video game pretty much exclusively consisted of characters featured in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] (ComicBook/IronMan, [[Characters/MarvelComicsSteveRogers Captain America]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsBruceBanner the Hulk]], [[Characters/MarvelComicsThorOdinson Thor]], ComicBook/BlackWidow, [[Characters/MarvelComicsClintBarton Hawkeye]] and [[Characters/IronManHeroes War Machine]]) with the lone exception of [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Ms. Marvel]], who would have appeared as an unlockable character.

*** ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'' is the first series in the entire franchise to ''start'' with a female Rider in the cast, Kamen Rider Valkyrie; and she was the first woman to take part in the franchise's SwissArmyHero gimmick by being able to switch between two forms. However, she's eventually DemotedToExtra and left on the sidelines more often than not. If you're willing to stretch gender definitions, Naki also becomes a Rider late in the series (the character is androgynous and, as an android, has NoBiologicalSex; while the actress identifies as non-binary); but only transforms a few times.

*** ''Series/KamenRiderRevice'': Ikki and Daiji's little sister Sakura is a karate student that can hold her own against {{Mooks}} and human criminals, and that's before she gets her own TransformationTrinket and becomes Kamen Rider Jeanne. It's considered the first time that a female Rider was a main character, as she and Daiji are both series {{Deuteragonist}}s. She's also the first one to get a SuperMode.[[note]]Valkyrie technically got one before her, but A) it was in a spinoff and Jeanne's is in the actual show, and B) Valkyrie's was a PowerupLetdown and she got badly beaten.[[/note]] Sakura's FriendlyEnemy relationship with Aguilera also leads to [[spoiler:Aguilera making a HeelFaceTurn and becoming a Rider herself, so the series gets ''two'' regular female Riders]].
*** ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'' involves a DeadlyGame that recruits both men and women as contestants, though most are just nameless {{Red Shirt}}s that get eliminated or even killed offscreen. Of the Riders that actually get screentime, men still outnumber women at around four-to-one, but the cast is still large enough that the women include a main character (Na-Go), a few short-term {{Mauve Shirt}}s (Letter, Lopo, and Hakubi), and even a major villainess (Beroba). Though some of those are downplayed since they aren't really Action Girls -- Hakubi could defend herself decently, but she hadn't gained the strength and experience that everyone else had at that point and eventually got overpowered; while Letter was a RedShirt whose only purpose was to get killed off (but so are some of the male Riders, avoiding sexism on that front).

* The O5 X-Men, created in the days of TheSmurfettePrinciple, are joined by [[Characters/X23LauraKinney X-23]] in ''ComicBook/AllNewXMen''.

* The cast of THQ's cancelled ''Avengers'' video game pretty much exclusively consisted of characters featured in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] (ComicBook/IronMan, [[Characters/MarvelComicsSteveRogers Captain America]], Characters/{{Incredible Hulk|BruceBanner}}, [[Characters/TheMightyThorThorOdinson Thor]], ComicBook/BlackWidow, Characters/{{Hawkeye|ClintBarton}} and [[Characters/IronManHeroes War Machine]]) with the lone exception of [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Ms. Marvel]], who would have appeared as an unlockable character.

* ''Comicbook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica'':

** The Wonders of the World, the equivalent of the JSA in ''Comicbook/Earth2'', intitally only had one female member, Hawkgirl, before adding Power Girl and Huntress when they returned to Earth-2.

* Comicbook/BlackWidow was the only female Avenger for [[Film/TheAvengers2012 the first film]], but in ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', Characters/ScarletWitch is added to the line-up. If one counts the supporting cast, [[Characters/SHIELDDirectors Maria Hill]] was the only significant woman helping the Avengers out in the first movie.

* The cast of THQ's cancelled ''Avengers'' video game pretty much exclusively consisted of characters featured in the [[Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse MCU]] (Comicbook/IronMan, [[Characters/MarvelComicsSteveRogers Captain America]], Characters/{{Incredible Hulk|BruceBanner}}, [[Characters/TheMightyThorThorOdinson Thor]], Comicbook/BlackWidow, Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}} and [[Characters/IronManHeroes War Machine]]) with the lone exception of [[Characters/MarvelComicsCarolDanvers Ms. Marvel]], who would have appeared as an unlockable character.

* The second season of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Until then, Katara was the only woman in the [[ThreeAmigos main cast]]. Then [[DarkActionGirl Azula]], [[EmoTeen Mai]], [[CloudCuckoolander Ty Lee]] and [[CuteBruiser Toph]] all arrive in the first six episodes, and suddenly the gender ratio for main and recurring characters is four male, five female. Though she appeared as a minor character in season one, Suki may also count as seasons two and three increase her prominence. Incidentally, Toph and Azula were [[WhatCouldHaveBeen originally conceived as guys.]] The genders were swapped somewhere down the line, presumably to let this trope happen, and because swapping Toph's gender was hilarious.

* ''VideoGame/LeagueOfLegends'' with its increasingly enormous playable roster has an already pretty-even gender ratio, though fan request and Riot's own interest for more diversity has led to female champions taking affirmative positions in originally uncommon roles. Examples include [[LadyOfWar Fiora]] (designed out of demand for a female [[MasterSwordsman melee duelist]]), [[ThePaladin Leona]] (a female [[StoneWall tank]]), and [[BadassPreacher Ill]][[AmazonianBeauty aoi]] (a female "[[TheJuggernaut jugger]][[MightyGlacier naut]]"). There have interestingly also been a few [[GenderInvertedTrope gender-inversions]] of this trope, such as [[ShotgunsAreJustBetter Gra]][[{{Cowboy}} ves]] (made out of demand for a [[RatedMForManly manly]] ranged marksman) and [[BarrierWarrior Br]][[HuskyRusskie aum]] (a manly support).

** ''Literature/HarryPotterAndTheOrderOfThePhoenix'' adds Tonks to the team of good badass adults we're used to as well as Ginny Weasley and Luna Lovegood to the main group. Although Ginny was in the story before this book, she had only been either a background character or a DamselInDistress (in [[Literature/HarryPotterAndTheChamberOfSecrets the second one]]). Here she becomes a proper ActionGirl and joins Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville in the fight at the Ministry. Luna as well then makes the main group have three girls and three boys. On the evil side, we originally had [[PsychoSupporter Bellatrix]] as the DarkChick. Alecto Carrow then appears as another female Death Eater, but this trope fits Bellatrix's sister [[MamaBear Narcissa]] better; she technically appeared earlier and she's only the wife of a villain, but her role gets greatly expanded in the final two books, culminating in [[spoiler:a HeelFaceTurn that allows Harry to kill Voldemort]].

*** ''Series/KamenRiderRevice'': Ikki and Daiji's little sister Sakura is a karate student that can hold her own against {{Mooks}} and human criminals, and that's before she gets her own TransformationTrinket and becomes Kamen Rider Jeanne. It's considered the first time that a female Rider was a main character, as she and Daiji are both series {{Deuteragonist}}s. She's also the first one to get a SuperMode.[[note]]Valkyrie technically got one before her, but A) it was in a spinoff and Jeanne's is in the actual show, and B) Valkyrie's was a PowerupLetdown and she got badly beaten.[[/note]] Sakura's FriendlyEnemy relationship with the DarkChick Aguilera also leads to [[spoiler:Aguilera making a HeelFaceTurn and becoming a Rider herself, so the series gets ''two'' regular female Riders]].

*** ''Series/KamenRiderGeats'' involves a DeadlyGame that recruits both men and women as contestants, though most are just nameless {{Red Shirt}}s that get eliminated or even killed offscreen. Of the Riders that actually get screentime, men still outnumber women at around three-to-one, but the cast is still large enough that the women include a main character (Na-Go), a couple of short-term {{Mauve Shirt}}s (Letter and Lopo), and even a major villainess (Beroba).

* In the adaption of ''Film/{{SWAT}}'', a new character was added, Chris Sanchez, a woman who has repeatedly applied to join SWAT but was rejected for being a girl, with her number of police brutality accusations (Actually just perps who were embarrassed at being taken down by a girl) given as a reason for not allowing her to join. And then came Creator/SamuelLJackson...

* ''Film/XMenApocalypse'': Characters/{{Mystique}} was the only prominent female mutant in the previous two [[Film/XMenFirstClass First Class]] [[Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast movies]], and Agent [[Characters/XMenMutants Moira MacTaggert]] was absent in ''Days of Future Past''. Moira is re-inserted here, and significant roles are given to Jean Grey and Storm.

Compare AffirmativeActionLegacy and TwoGirlsToATeam. See also MoreDiverseSequel, which she can contribute to.

** Prior to the show's [[ShiftedToCGI transition from scale train models to CGI]], Isobella was [[TheSmurfettePrinciple the only female member of the Sodor Construction Company]]. Although Isobella wasn't carried over from the transition, Season 23 introduced two new female members to the team: Brenda the Bulldozer and Darcy the Digger.* An interesting case that stretches between the ''Series/{{Thunderbirds}}'' of the 1960s and the most recent 2015 remake ''WesternAnimation/ThunderbirdsAreGo''. In the original series a female character by the name of Tin Tin was added to the cast to address the imbalance between the male/female character ratio -- only for the show to do nothing particularly interesting with her. The remake reconceives the character as Kayo, who is given a more delineated skill set and a backstory of her own -- resulting in a much more interesting and important character.

* The 2012 ComicBook/{{J|usticeSocietyOfAmerica}}SA reboot makes Comicbook/{{Hawk|man}}girl into a founding member along with Characters/{{Wonder Woman|TheCharacter}}. Bonus points since she's a Latina [[TwoferTokenMinority as well]].
** Prior to this, the original Characters/BlackCanary, Dinah Drake, was also commonly made a founding member (or at least, a member who joined early into their tenure), and nowadays Liberty Belle (Libby Lawrence) has been increasingly featured as a founding member too (a carryover from her having lead the All-Star Squadron, which was basically the JSA merged with other teams active at the time). Retroactively, Hippolyta has been featured in place of her daughter.

* During ''[[SuperheroSchool Super School's]]'' first run in ''ComicBook/TheBeano'' there were originally four super kids three male one female and then ComicStrip/{{Banana|man}}girl was added to the cast balancing the sexes quite a bit.

* ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'':