Over 20 years after its release, 10 Things I Hate About You still stands out for its unorthodox rom-com heroine Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles), who embraced ‘90s feminism to provide a refreshing update to Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. But over the years, the film has attracted controversy over some of its more outdated ideas—not least that a woman like Kat really just needs the loving embrace of a hot guy like Heath Ledger’s Patrick. Should we still interpret the film’s ending as empowering to women? Here’s our Take on the deeper message of 10 Things I Hate About You, and why Kat is still a rom-com feminist icon today.