Emilia Clarke is Tired of ‘Game of Thrones’ Being Labeled ‘Anti-Feminist’

It’s a sorer point with each passing year, but Game of Thrones has never been particularly kind to even its most powerful women, despite author George R.R. Martin’s insistence on the fantasy series reflecting certain medieval realities. That said, Emilia Clarke has had enough of the HBO drama being labeled “anti-feminist,” pointing out that Game of Thrones depicts women of all strengths.

Even as the coming sixth season seemingly features Daenerys unseated from her place of power in Mereen, once again captive to the Dothraki that first sparked her transformation into a feminist icon, Clarke tells Entertainment Weekly that the range of women has proven the show’s greatest strength:

There’s so much controversy. Yet that’s what’s beautiful about Game of Thrones – it’s depiction of women in so many different stages of development. There are women depicted as sexual tools, women who have zero rights, women who are queens but only to a man, and then there are women who are literally unstoppable and as powerful as you can possibly imagine. So it pains me to hear people taking Thrones out of context with anti-feminist spin – because you can’t do that about this show. It shows the range that happens to women, and ultimately shows women are not only equal, but have a lot of strength.

Certainly Game of Thrones reflects a diversity among women in power, though more often it seems viewers take issue with the depiction of sexual violence, than women lacking in agency. The women of Westeros are definitely poised for one of their biggest seasons yet, but will the April 24 premiere kick off the show’s best run to date?

Check out the latest trailers below.