The portrayal of
women warriors in
literature and
popular culture is a subject of study in history, literary studies, film studies, folklore and mythology, gender studies, and cultural studies. The archetypal figure of the woman warrior is an example of a
counter stereotype, opposing the normal construction of war, violence and aggression as masculine. This convention-defying position makes the female warrior a prominent site of investigation for discourses surrounding female power and
gender roles in society, particularly in
feminist film theory. The powerful female hero is a figure central to a particular branch known as
Amazon Feminism, as well as
Buffy Studies.