Let’s talk about the term Manic Pixie Dream Girl.
It’s still being thrown around to this day as a derogatory insult aimed at women who break from the conventional mold. For instance, if a woman has any spark of eccentricity, individualism, or free-spirited charisma, she’s automatically dropped into the category of the MPDG.
Initially, the term was a well-intentioned criticism of female characters in fiction, who solely exist as a quirky prop to drive the male protagonist’s narrative further. Coined by Nathan Rabin in 2007, this term was not a critique of the unconventional and free-spirited women themselves, but instead a reproach towards male writers who’ve crafted these female characters that solely exist to “fix” the lead guy.
Instead, the term Manic Pixie Dream Girl has gone way (WAY) off the rails, where it’s now used to shame females who step out of line or swim against the tide. But how come when women are offbeat, they’re shamed, but when men have these same qualities, they’re worshipped? Think about the likes of David Bowie, Tim Burton, and Harry Styles. When they stray from convention, it’s liberating. It’s artistic. It’s admirable. Yet when women do the exact same thing, the chorus of criticism comes rushing in, dismissing their imaginative sense of wonder as “cringey” or “insufferable.”
Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s
To play contrarian for a moment so that I can offer the most nuanced perspective possible, perhaps the criticism boils down to execution. While David Bowie’s eccentric persona feels authentic and genuine to who he is at the core, Zooey Deschanel’s “adorkable” penchant for strumming her ukelele at inappropriate times has a more performative/artificial bend to it.
But why should a tiny handful of moderately grating fictional female characters come at the expense of every woman who is genuinely deemed “different”? I’m seeing this more and more, not just with the half-baked criticism of offbeat female characters, but with real-life women who walk the road less traveled.
Belle From Beauty and the Beast
Growing up, when the Manic Pixie Dream Girl critique was in full bloom, I felt secretly ashamed of the fact that I was an unconventional female. I felt like I couldn’t express myself as a free-spirited and atypical girl, without being labeled as an eye-roll within the Manic Pixie trope.
Since the beginning of time, women have been told to get in line and follow the herd. In the 1600s, women who showcased any remote sense of whimsy were accused of witchcraft and often sentenced to death because of it. In the Victorian Era, women were highly encouraged to lack passion and curiosity, while instead taught to become one with the furniture. Blending in like a beautiful lamp shade, to be seen and not heard. During the mid-century, women across America were frequently lobotomized for simply marching to a different tune. And now, in these seemingly more progressive times, we’re still finding a way to shame and punish women who walk the road less traveled.
Julie Delpy as Celine in Before Sunrise
Sure, we’ve come a (very) long way since being burned at the stake for our eccentricities. But still, the whole concept of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” being a shameful insult towards outré females just showcases society’s discomfort with women who are not normal.
In the words of philosopher Osho, “Creativity is the greatest form of rebellion ever known.” When I think of the women who are labeled “manic pixie dream girls,” they embody creativity far more than any other persona. They’re passionate, free thinking, innovative, and extremely comfortable in their abnormality. If anything, it’s about time these characteristics in women should be celebrated and admired rather than scorned.
