You’re not like anyone I’ve ever met. You’re so quirky, so free. You don’t care about what anybody else thinks. You wear fun clothes and show me a world I could never see. Your quirks could be painful but let’s face it- you’re hot. You’re more than just a girl- you’re a manic pixie dream girl.
Coined by film critic Nathan Rabin, the manic pixie dream girl “exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures”. But is she a unique tour-de-force or is she simply neurodivergent?
From Amelie’s obsession with sensory pleasure to the Gilmore Girls’ never-ending stream of quick conversation, when you pick up on why these characters “aren’t like other girls”, it all falls into place. The term neurodivergent encompasses a range of various disorders and learning difference (including but not limited to Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia and dyspraxia), but in essence, it means that your brain is programmed differently to others. For women in media this means one of two things.
You are either othered or fetishised.
Neither are really ideal.
When fetishised in media, the rough edges of being neurodivergent get sanded down. No meltdowns, no thirty-minute search to find your keys every time you leave the house, no saying the wrong thing at the wrong time with the right intentions.
Instead, these less attractive traits of neurodivergence are brushed aside. Rarely mentioned and , god forbid, never labelled as neurodivergent. The traits shown most often are those most attractive to the male gaze. A liberating disregard for social cues, a fascinatingly fast mind and a curious way of looking at the world differently. A way the neurotypical leading man could never fully grasp.
Her energy is quirky with a fair few infantilising elements (think aloofness, coloured tights) but often remains hyper-sexual despite this (I’m looking at you, every character played by Zoey Deschanel). While on screen, the effects of this are somewhat worrying but can ultimately be chalked up to the average male fantasy. It’s the translation of this trope off screen which is more worrying.
A study published in 2022 shows that nine out of ten autistic women have been victims of sexual assault. This is two-three times higher than an allistic woman.
There are multiple factors that contribute to this. Largely, it is thought that most sexual violence is systematic and targets the most vulnerable, with autism contributing to a person’s vulnerability. Although the manic pixie dream girl isn’t the only portrayal of neurodivergent women, it can feel the most potent.
As a neurodivergent woman, I have heard the “you’re like no one I’ve ever met before” line more times than I’ve had successful calls back from my GP. I’ve also felt the resentment grow when my quirks turn from charming to grating (no matter how many times I interrupt you, I’m always listening!). Growing up, these characters were everything to me. They were women I could truly identify with. But having outgrown my Scott Pilgrim vs. The World phase, I wish they were shown to me in a different light. Neurodivergent, imperfect and whole.
Words by India-Rose Barge
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