Rosalind Wiseman

How did I miss this one? Did you all know about this and not tell me? We are so in a fight.

Turns out “Ugly Betty” is all about girl bullying, and a young woman’s struggle to hold on to herself in an environment that is a thinly veiled high school. It’s about a Real Girl up against a Perfect Girl world. And there’s more than enough material in there for a great conversation between parents and daughters.

Betty is one of the best role models for girls I’ve ever seen. As her young female colleagues sneer, roll their eyes, snicker and scheme, Betty keeps her eye on the prize: her goal of owning a magazine. Her passion and commitment buffer her against the mean girl monsoon. Betty doesn’t let the crushing fashion pressure at Mode suffocate her own style. Her persistence is an example to girls who are being persecuted by their peers.

Betty doesn’t let the pressure to conform get to her. She is a go-getter, an authentic girl in the best sense. When someone tries to close the door, she sticks her foot in it, advocating for why she should be hired. She speaks her mind and makes sure her ideas are heard. She isn’t afraid to take risks and put herself out there.

This show isn’t just for your daughter – there’s some great parenting material in there. Betty’s got a dreamboat Dad (in the parenting sense, not the hunk of love sense). In episode two, he sees Betty primping mournfully in front of the mirror, trying to change her look to fit in at work.

“Amor,” he says, taking her face in his hands, “you are so beautiful.” She pushes his hands away and rolls her eyes; she’s heard this speech a million times. “And you have such a big heart.” Betty resists, but she’s clearly comforted. Dad doesn’t try to fix it. “You’ll always be my special girl,” he says. Then he leaves. He doesn’t try to solve her problem. He just lets her know he believes in her and loves her just the way she is. This is probably the best parenting scene I’ve ever watched on television.

If your daughter’s an Ugly Betty fan, talk about Betty’s persistence and general awesomeness with these questions:

• What makes Betty able to survive the mean girls at work?
• How is Betty different from the other young women she works with? (See if you can push past the obvious superficial differences of looks – and talk about how Betty breaks the unwritten girl rules of having to be nice all the time, please everyone, be perfect, etc)
• How do Betty’s character and personality help her succeed at work?
• Who are the people that Betty trusts? What do they give her in her life?

OMG! I mean, OMB! Get your Betty on!

The new season of Ugly Betty premieres October 9, 2009.