Alpha females are described as confident, intelligent leaders with a tendency to use all tools in their arsenal (sex appeal included) to get ahead and stay ahead. Despite this type of female often having a reputation as a snob or a b****, supporters of the alpha female say that she, like a true leader, refrains from that type of behavior and it is only jealous beta or omega females who use such pejorative terms.
Twilight author, Stephanie Meyer, has been praised for the strength of her protagonist, Bella, and people have even gone so far as to suggest Bella might be an alpha female. I, however, would be forced to disagree. The universally agreed-upon characteristic of an alpha female is confidence, and Bella has none. Alpha females are supposed to be used to having men run after them, and are never supposed to run after them; however, Bella constantly questions why Edward would even be attracted to her, talks badly about herself and her clumsiness, and fails to realize that many people at her high school like her--let alone take charge of them.
Portraying Bella as an alpha female is ultimately detrimental to all the alpha women and potential alpha women out there--especially the ones who have read and like the Twilight series. This is because when a girl aspiring to be a strong woman is told that Bella Swan is an alpha female and thus a good role model, she is being told that a strong woman doesn't recognize her own accomplishments and should be so reliant on men that she will fall into a deep depression if a man leaves her. This is not healthy nor is it accurate. As such, Bella should be labeled as what she really is and not falsely made into an alpha role model.