clockworkstop:
Jess Day is Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl
By referring to Jess as an example of the Manic Pixie Dream Girl trope, you’re warping the term’s meaning beyond its true origin. What was originally used to criticize male creators for failing to produce a fully developed female character outside of their wish-fulfillment fantasies is now being used to discredit other female characters for not adhering to a specific set of narrow standards of what makes a “real woman.”
I wrote this post for my off-Tumblr blog after feeling frustrated over the frequent misuse and application of this trope, particularly in regards to New Girl's Jess Day. I thought I would reblog it over here as well in case anyone else was interested in reading! Also, for those that I did read it before, I made some minor edits.