I think I’m pretty fun. I know how to relax, and I like beer. But I am not the "chill girl," I never will be and that’s OK.
A few weeks ago, my friend sent me a "Saturday Night Live" clip of Cecily Strong impersonating the "one-dimensional female character in a male-driven comedy." She said things like, "I’m not one of those girls who just eats salads. I like burgers and wings and beer. I just have the body of a salad girl."
It was then I realized what Hollywood’s "chill girl" really is. She isn’t just a female friend who you consider fun and cool. She is an imaginary creature born from the mind of a male screenwriter in the early ‘90s and then recycled for years to come. She is thin, but she loves pizza and hotdogs. She lives and breathes football and video games. Her smile is supportive, and her words, just like her clothes, are few and far between. She is the unattainable combination of an actress’ looks and the mind and eating habits of an overweight 25-year-old bro. She’s our modern-day unicorn.
Examples include Cameron Diaz’s character in "There’s Something About Mary," Linda Cardellini’s character in "Grandma’s Boy," and Mila Kunis’ character in "Ted." All three have similar "chill girl" traits: a love of stereotypically male activities, very little emotional depth, and of course, an infinite supply of hotness. Sure, she might love shotgunning beer, but never once do we see her participating in the farting contests her male co-stars indulge in. She remains tantalizingly feminine and deliciously uncomplicated. Perhaps most importantly, she is the perfect foil to the hijinks of the male lead. She is always there to give looks of mild disapproval and the occasional eye-roll so the audience knows just how wacky the male lead really is.
Even more frustrating is the opposite of the "chill girl" in these types of movies. The dreaded "high-maintenance girl." The one who constantly texts her boyfriend to see where he is. The one who has nothing to talk about except shoes, clothes and other people. Her sole purpose in life is to nag her laid-back boyfriend with unreasonable demands.
I understand both the "chill girl" and the "high-maintenance girl" are character profiles created for big blockbuster comedies that are targeted toward mostly male audiences. I also realize the goal of a movie where someone accidentally uses semen as hair gel is not to create realistic multi-dimensional characters.
What bothers me about the "chill girl" and the "high-maintenance girl" is not that they exist in movies. It’s the fact that a large number of guys actually seem to believe these are the only two types of women in the world. Even worse is the "chill girl" is a title treated like some kind of prize, while the "high-maintenance girl" is the ultimate buzzkill and destroyer of male fun. It saddens me that many consider the perfect companion to be comprised of little more than attractiveness and the ability to watch football and laugh at her boyfriend’s jokes.
Perhaps I find it so irritating because there doesn’t seem to be a "chill girl" equivalent in movies targeted toward women. Sure, there’s the occasional movie like "27 Dresses" where the male love interest writes about weddings for a women’s magazine. For the most part, however, the male leads are still stereotypical "guys" with ample scenes of discussing their dating lives over basketball or watching football with a few beers. I have never seen a romantic comedy where the male love interest just happens to love stereotypically female activities, like painting nails or shopping.
Ultimately, I wish Hollywood would do away with the gender stereotypes. There’s some progress that’s been made; "Trainwreck" did an excellent job creating complex male and female characters and remained hilarious. The female lead was feminine and hated sports, but she was sexually independent, opinionated and funny. The male lead was a sports and beer enthusiast, but he was sensitive, deep and interesting. They are realistic because most men and women fall somewhere outside of the incredibly simple gender caricatures depicted in movies and sitcoms.
In conclusion, no, I’m not the "chill girl." I HATE sports. I loathe them. I only eat burgers on days when I run 5 miles, and I am usually still plagued with guilt about it afterward. Oh, and I lied earlier. I don’t like beer. But I am also not some crazed she-devil whose sole purpose in life is to irritate the people I date. I have goals, needs, interests and opinions. I’m not the "chill girl." I’m a person. And that’s OK. You know what? It’s better than OK. It’s great.
Namwan Leavell is a UF economics senior. Her column appears on Fridays.
