The Special Girl Trope - Moving Beyond a Male Creation

Idk but this video was very healing.

There's no special girl.

It's the simp that idolizes the girl that sees her as special. In reality, every girl can be the special girl in someone's eyes.
It's not really about the girl, it's about the way the guy sees the girl.
Sadly.

do we really think baby from dirty dancing is applicable? johnny hated her guts at first 😂

Hey! Could you guys do the "Attractive brown girl" trope?

If "special girl" knew she was special before she met the guy, I have a feeling she probably wouldn't entertain him or at least look more into his character. But the lead always has a way of making her feel like she's truly pretty, funny, or charming for the first time in her life and it's like the first time getting high. Hooked (and doomed) from the start.

I think this is mostly a tool to set protagonists apart from other characters. I think the issue comes when people think of the trope as anything more than it really is

As someone who saw legally blonde as such an inspiration throughout my academic journey, struggling through college and deciding I could get a PhD and accomplish this dream, there is something that puts a lump in my throat about Emmett saying “what if you’re trying to be something you are?”

Strongly disagree about Katniss. I love her. She fakes a romance to survive, just wants to be left alone, runs from the dog monster & even forgets "the guy".

When the final announcement happens (part 1), she immediately draws her weapon, while P. doesn't even consider a fight. She does not want to harm/leave him, because she knows the village would hate her for returning alone. Also she doesn't hold anything against him. She's... neutral? He saved her once, so friendly-neutral? Not in love, though. Loved hunger games for the lack of romance.
Also, she doesn't want to become an icon/leader of the resistance movement. She doesn't trust anyone, is a traumatized mess, has anger issues, doesn't care about her appearance and makes enemies - fast.
At the same time, she tries to protect people. She is smart, strong, has survival skills.

Best character for me!

As if there have never been any "special guy" tropes. LOL.

The only thing I appreciate about 50 grey of grades is that she was over 18.

I think Age of Adeline is a good example of the good kind of love.

I didn't realize how cringe and corny Twilight was lol. And I loved those movies.

Lol the first fanfic I ever wrote and unknowingly I made my Mc the special girl. I don't want to brag but I made her like me. I'm kinda happy that I'm special lol. Also, i kinda felt that the trope I chose is boring but having seen this video, i feel better.

Special girls are just basic bitches

Christian Grey is 100% an abuser. Full stop.

I would like to know your take on suits show character i .e Donnna Paulsan. And one Bollywood movie Kabir Singh which generated a lot of talk about hero being toxic yet its a love story. @thetake

thanks! enjoyed a lot!

Oh look and they're all white. Except maybe the Virgin Mary cuz she's Jewish.

What’s the difference between a special girl and a manic pixie dream girl

Ok i need some advice, is my boyfriend a love bomber?
Every date he wants to progress our relationship alot while i'm not even that sure of my feelings, i mean i like him now a bit but when we first met i didn't really and it just like he wants us to do so much and i'd like to take it slower and stay in the same stage for just a bit longer. But then he's so good at getting me on his side and I end up doing whatever he wanted... I didn't know my will was that weak, or well experimenting in life is good right? Idfk...
Also i wanted to break up for a while, relationships are fucking exhausting especially as a newbie to them and I started to cry when i couldn't preform like I wanted to and he should just get a better girl but then "ur perfect" "i don't want any other girl" "please don't say you want to stop seeing me" is he trying to make me feel special?? Should i fall for it?? Nah he's so sus frfr "your my soulmate and we're destiny because i know i'm hot and i've got my apartment i could get girls but i chose you" yeah yeah i don't want diabetes be fr with me, AITA?

Why do women need to be constantly crucifying each other? If a girl claims that she's 'not like other girls', why do we need to destroy her like she's just killed a cute puppy? Let other women be and if they think they're above others, ignore it and let the poor disillusioned creatures grow and mature in peace.

This video essay is frankly a hot mess. You mention the toxic relationships like found in the invisible man but fail to mention how Edward and Bella was absolutely a toxic, abusive mess. One of THE BIGGEST abusive red flag was Edward cutting Bella's brakes because he didn't want her to see Jake even though she was clear with him "hey he's just a friend."

You also didn't mention (speaking of twilight) the reason why Eddy couldn't read Bella's mind (it's mentioned in the book and movies) given her vampire power.

Christian and Anastasia was also 50 shades of abuse. There's SO MANY instances of abuse in those movies AND books. The girl did NO legitimate research into the bdsm community and the books/movies are universally HATED in the bdsm community. Seriously, please watch The Secretary if you want to see a remotely accurate bdsm dynamic movie.

Many, many, many fans also vehemently don't like how Katniss ended up with Peeta. They don't see it as a legitimate romantic relationship (rather forced PTSD bonding). Many classify her as a loveless aroace. If you actually look at the behind scenes for the book, she was having a very rushed timeline near the final 25% of the book. Writing quality wise, we really see this drop off. For me, this is why I choose to not accept the epilogue as noncannon.

The character of Catniss stands out from the special girl; she had developed survival skills before entering the Hunger Games to feed her family, sacrificed herself for her sister and she is a fast learner. She does not fit the definition :)

But something that gets me on my nerves is that no matter wether the girl is normal and nothing special, or strong and talented, NO ONE IA EVER CONTENT. Just enjoy what you like watching. Girls are amazing one way or the other.

They represent unreal love. Things like this don't really happen. When I watched Twilight, I saw Edward as overbearing, controlling, a stalker and in these movies the man is always a rich bachelor that doesn't want any woman until he finds the "special girl".

I was reading the Gemma Doyle series today and was JUST thinking of this. Tired of this trope.

Virgin Mary came from one of the twelve tribes, and her family was always linked to god, that’s why she was chosen as the mother of Jesus :)

"How true love makes us all special" Yes, godamit, to the right guy you are NOT LIKE OTHER GIRLS! Yes, I SAID IT!!

i how u talk movies made by women for women as men promblem

I actually completely disagree with this video. In my opinion, Cinderella and Belle actually aren't 'special girls' because they have full characters of their own and would be able to exist within a different story and still be interesting without their princes. The story would be different, but I feel like they worked to make themselves 'special,' and whether or not they got a man out of it is irrelevant.

Bella Swan, on the other hand, is definitely a 'special girl' because she's seen as special despite having done nothing at all. She would not do well in another story because her character revolves COMPLETELY around Edward. Without him, her life can only be described as blank pages (literally. That's what the book did). She has nothing special about her other than the fact that Edward thinks she's great.

Dakota Johnson was NOT unknown. Ayfkm???

Drinking game, take a sip everytime the narrator says the word 'special'! 😆

you know the video is legit when they cite Legally Blonde

Mary in the Bible never consented to having Jesus

Katniss is a step above the rest, as while she eventually ends up with "the guy", it was never her goal. She was always a unique character with her own personality and she was never given her "special" status by being a love interest, it was becuase she decided to show compassion and never gave up her humanity even in the Games. She even subverts the expectation of her being the vunerable or weaker character through her stoic facade and special skills

Great video ❤

Thank you so much for this analysis, it was incredibly interesting to watch ❤

Only things that make these women "special" to these guys is because they're susceptible to being easily manipulated into being with a predator.

SPOILER ABOUT PAM AND JIM YOU GUYZZZ

I once read these leads were as "characterless" as possible so female readers could just imagine themselves in the story. It is something that also happens with videogame avatars.

The "special girl" is a tempting fantasy. However even as a fiction writer it never crossed my mind that to feel special you need a man's special attention. To me that "special" feeling always has to come from within. The ability to sense bullshit and the ability to figure out who is trying to manipulate you, is what makes you special. The characters who can see through lies are special to me and I often write stories about such characters.

Sad facts: those special girls on screen that very unlikely to find their special guy in real life are still so out of my level.

I think the guy who makes a "special girl", idealises himself through idealising her. It is some kind of narcissism. Idealisation and the follows devaluation. The same goes for both sexes.

Dont put Katniss in the same group as the rest of these cringey good for nothings.

Why wasn’t the fabulous Elizabeth Bennet on this list as well? 😭

Can I just say that this adds to the internalized misogyny in women. They think beautiful women are shallow and uninteresting whereas if they feel inferior, it means they “deserve” something. In reality, we all have insecurities as well as preferences for how we look and dress. It’s very toxic in general, not just in relationships

One thing I wonder is why no one comments on the special boy trope aka the original hero archetype. Harry Potter. Bilbo Baggins. Frodo Baggins. Percy Jackson. They were all chosen ones. With Harry it wasn’t even disguised. That was his title in the later books. The majority of fiction is written as escapism and so the author has their target audience in mind. Authors have shifted their audience, in time, to not erase female characters. Which was normal once. But now females are considered worthy (read, profitable) of being the main character. When you compare male special characters to female special characters, though, their traits aren’t so different. Only the biases of critics and the authors themselves differ, depending on their education on the subject.

the thing that makes girl special and irresistible to a guy isn't that complex . rather its her femininity and warmth... no man wants strong with male characteristics . he's one already.