2020 has been full of surprising and binge-worthy Netflix series; in fact, it seems like there is rarely a moment when everyone isn’t watching a particular show or thrilling movie. With infinite streaming options compounded by extended periods of free time, it seems natural that individuals turn to Netflix to both relax and catch up on the latest media trends. However, few predicted that a glossy series featuring the “black-and-white” game of chess in the 1950s would become the most-watched series of recent history. And, though the series appears to be exclusively focused on chess, competition, and cut-throat rivalry, audiences have been observant, catching onto another crucial dimension of the show’s plot which investigates what it means to come-of-age and live in a world where hard work and fair play, regardless of gender, are valued.

The Queen’s Gambit, seen by over 60 million viewers, follows fictional character Beth Harmon (played by Isla Johnston, then Anya Taylor-Joy), a stoic orphan and chess prodigy who is adopted by Alma (played by Marielle Heller), a lonely, alcoholic housewife who is abandoned by her husband very early on in the show. Though the series begins with a train of disheartening events, including the death of Beth’s birth mother and her subsequent placement in a strict orphanage home that gives kids tranquilizers with their vitamins, it quickly treks in the opposite direction, taking an unexpected turn for the better. After discovering chess during her stay at the orphanage home, Beth surprises everyone, including her adoptive mother Alma, and wins the Kentucky State Championship, beginning, what would eventually become, a long trail of chess victories across the world. And, although audiences expect Alma to convince Beth to be careful, to focus on her schoolwork, and to not get lost in her dreams of becoming a serious chess player, Alma surprisingly suggests that Beth goes to the upcoming Cincinnati tournament. The mother-daughter duo is strong, fierce, and unpredictable to say the least. Together, they take risks to further Beth’s chess career. They lie to the school, share adventurous moments in foreign cities, and support one another in the toughest of times. 

What is most refreshing about The Queen’s Gambit is its disruption of typical feminist messages we often see in media narratives. In one particular scene, during which Beth is interviewed by a reporter from Life Magazine and asked what it feels “…to be a girl…among all of those men…” in chess tournaments, Beth responds in a way that subtly undermines feminist tropes. Instead of saying something along the lines of feeling “empowered” or “strong, yet fearful,” words which echo the all too familiar trope of a female protagonist who feels powerful only because she’s winning a game notably dominated by males, Beth firmly states “I don’t mind it.” Simply put, Beth does not care. She believes that her gender has nothing to do with her independence—she’s an independent woman in a time when there are so few of them, solely by doing what she is good at and being rightfully recognized for it. 

“Chess isn’t always competitive, chess can also be beautiful,” Beth says in the series as she declares her love for a sport that is marked by the division of black vs. white and player vs. player. With this declaration, Beth reveals that her intentions for playing chess are not rooted in rivalry or competition, or a need to win against men, but to rather become the best version of herself—the best chess player she can be. Thus, instead of casting male against female as is portrayed in many feminist shows, The Queen’s Gambit challenges this traditional notion of competition with collaboration. In fact, Beth derives respect and knowledge from many of her opponents, most of which are male, and finds these individuals supporting her as she struggles to rise to the top due to self-doubt and alcohol issues. The Queen’s Gambit is a feminist show with honest themes and powerful messages on courage and resilience. However, underlying all of this are subtle revelations of a show which approaches feminist power in a wholly unique manner. Beth’s indifference to living and breathing in, what is often perceived as, “a man’s game” gives audiences a glimpse into a world where a woman can work with men and unapologetically be a whole person—both at her worst and best.

The release of The Queen’s Gambit couldn’t have been more timely, as President-elect Joe Biden has nominated numerous female figures to his inner cabinet, a portion of government in which women have historically been underrepresented. With Kate Bedingfield as White House Communications Director, Avril Hanes as the Director of National Intelligence, Janet Yellen as Treasury Secretary, Cecilia Rouse as chair of Council of Economic Advisors, and Jen Psaki as White House Press Secretary, it feels as though some parts of The Queen’s Gambit’s fictional plot is coming to life in our nation’s politics and recognition of women as integral to the future decision of American policy.

Although many parts of Beth Harmon’s world will always feel fictitious, especially given the road ahead for gender equity in all socio-economic levels of our communities, the show does not fail to bring viewers into a world that mirrors some burgeoning parts of our society—one in which everyone is given an equal chance to succeed, gender is not a limiting factor, and hard work is appreciated and rewarded.