The hidden
complexity

of Zooey

Deschanel’s
characters

{¥ Montreal pit bull ban an extremist solution to a

complex problem

(¥Y Stop riding your bike on the dang sidewalk

(¥ Step one to reconciliation

And more!

 

> Deschanel movies have positive feminist messages

Cazzy Lewchuk
Opinions Editor

 

ooey Deschanel is as well-
known for her image as
she is for her many roles. Her
typecast role is one of a “Manic
Pixie Dream Girl”: A wide-eyed
and quirky girl with a sense
of adventure and romance.
Deschanel’s most well-known
roles include (500) Days of
Summer, Yes Man, and New
Girl. These stories and many
more portray her character
as an MPDG—or do they?

In each of these roles, Zooey
is a character who experiences
significant change and growth
throughout the plot. While many
of her traits are definitely quirky
and special, the characters
are still three-dimensional
and complex on their own.

New Girl is about complex
emotional characters who
happen to exhibit sitcom
stereotypes. (500) Days of
Summer’s entire plot is about the
protagonist falling in love with
Summer and learning the hard
way that she isn’t his image of a
soulmate. Yes Man’s resolution

involves the protagonist taking
a serious look at his relationship
with Deschanel’s character, and
re-evaluating how he sees her.
The message of these
movies is actually pretty clear,
so it’s amazing how Deschanel’s
stereotype continues. It’s true
there are few mainstream roles
or actors like her in the market,
and that, like any celebrity,
she'll be treated for her surface
image more than her hidden
complexity. Deschanel isn’t
necessarily popular for her
acting talent or role depth; she
succeeds because of her wide

eyes, bangs, and gorgeous looks.
It’s an unfortunate truth.

The stereotype of
Deschanel and her roles isn’t
just inaccurate; in many ways,
it’s offensive and shaming
towards the entire point of
the characters, as well as
anyone with similar traits.

The characters are three-
dimensional, with their

own emotional needs and
individuality. Their romantic
interests learn to see them as
a full person, and not to turn
them into only an idea.

The Manic Pixie Dream Girl

Implicit bias really is a problem,
for everyone, everywhere

> We're all prejudiced in many ways

Cazzy Lewchuk
Opinions Editor

 

n the first presidential debate,

Hillary Clinton was asked
about racial discrimination
in policing. Clinton gave an
excellent response, stating that
“Implicit bias is a problem for
everyone, not just police.” It’s
a serious and hard truth we all
have to be conscious of. We all
have many implicit biases and
prejudices that influence our
decisions, whether we want
to acknowledge it or not.

Racism is (obviously)

a serious form of prejudice
that has shaped society for
hundreds of years. It was not
long ago that racism was firmly
ingrained in laws and generally
upheld by society. While civil
rights have come a long way,

racism continues to run deep,
both openly and secretly.

It’s not just race that is a
factor. Discrimination of any
sort—by gender, sexuality,
class, age, intelligence—divides
us and shapes our opinions.
Unless you're Jesus (and even
he didn’t ordain women),
you treat others differently
depending on their similarity
and relationship to you. You can
claim to be free of prejudice and
discrimination in your mind.
You may want to be, and you
may even truly believe you are.

However, you were raised
in a society that was shaped
by and run on bias. The status
quo enforces patriarchy. It
enforces conservative values
and suppresses progression. In
a perfect world, we would all
work together to achieve equal
and full rights for everybody,

all the time. But we don’t. We
live in a world where prejudice
runs rampant, and is profiled
either on the news, observed
secondhand, or indeed,
witnessed firsthand. If you
belong to a minority, you are
used to a society that oppresses
you. If you are on the top rung of
society—a white cis male—you
no doubt observe the oppressive
aspects of society, unless youre
in EXTREME denial or your
name is Donald Trump.

We are raised by a status
quo that formulates our world
view and beliefs. Some of us
have more progressive views
than others, but no one is free
of the regressive mindset that
we are exposed to. When we
see someone who is different
from us, we make assumptions
and judgements based on this
implicit bias. We can strive and

 

hope to eliminate the outer
bias, but the implicit will always
be the first thing present.

It’s a lot easier to see the
differences of what divides
us than that which unites
us. Working towards a truly
unbiased world isn’t just a tall
order, it’s impossible. We can
and absolutely should work
towards doing so, anyway.

Image via fullhdpictures.com

does not exist. Everyone is a
unique individual with their own
needs, who doesn’t exist to serve
as an idealistic representation
of their gender. This particularly
applies to women, who

are constantly idealized,
romanticized, and dehumanized
by men in so many ways. In

fact, this is the main message

of most of Deschanel’s roles.

By fetishizing these characters,
we do a disservice to girls in
general. It sends the message
that anyone with “quirky” traits
like Zooey is nothing more

than an image or stereotype.

 

Image via thinkstock

Recent history teaches us of the
power of these movements—of
women’s rights, racial equality,
and gay equality. It can be both
mind-blowing and terrifying

to look back at the recent past
and see how we treated those
who are different from us. But
it’s also a powerful reminder of
what we are capable of, and how
much work remains to be done.