Zooey Deschanel: ‘It’s sexist to think that somebody can’t act in a girly way’

Zooey Deschanel

Here are some photos of Zooey Deschanel at the Fox Eco Casino event on Monday evening. I am digging her summery white dress that would have looked bland if not for the bow-tied leather belt and the cool lace detailing at the bottom. It’s all in the details, you know? Zooey is great at hunting out cute, vintag-y dresses like this one. The pink shoes are a bit much with the butterfly wings, but overall, this fits Zooey’s signature style.

Zooey sat down with the newish MAKERS website, which is run by PBS and AOL and celebrates the “pioneering contributes by women” covering the last five decades. She talks all about sexism in Hollywood and how girly girls are often considered to be unintelligent and incapable of fending for themselves. Zooey has previously spoken in terms of feeling dismissed because she dresses in a very feminine manner and likes to wear pink. Now she’s discussing how this attitude extends into Hollywood roles for women:

Zooey Deschanel

On sexism: “It’s sexist to think that somebody can’t act in a girly way or speak the way I want to speak or to assume that I’m not a strong and intelligent woman because of my appearance.”

On The New Girl: “I was attracted to The New Girl because I hadn’t read a part this great for a woman in a really long time. I liked the fact that this was a female character who was emotional, who was girly. It was so refreshing to get to do a role that is sorta the clown. That was something that I could always do but never had the chance to do because, you know, you’re playing someone’s girlfriend or friend who’s shaking their finger and normal.”

On her teen years: “I did the opposite of what people do. I was a wild, crazy kid and then I became sort of composed and disciplined as a teenager. When I was 17, I wrote a letter to Vogue about an article they titled, ‘America’s Beauty Ideal.’ I don’t think any woman should have to feel as if she needs to shove herself into an ‘ideal’ to be beautiful. Beauty should be something that is celebrated and something that is enjoyable, not something that people should feel uncomfortable about achieving…”

Her early career sucked: “As soon as I got my driver’s license, I was out there after school driving myself to auditions. I was terrible for that first year of auditions. I was nervous, and I would shake. I was terrified, so I sort of needed to get my sea legs. My audition legs.”

[From Makers.com]

I think it took a lot of balls for Zooey to write a letter to Vogue at age 17. I’m sure the magazine didn’t even glance a second at the contents since it didn’t fit their agenda, but how many other 17-year-old girls would have bothered to make such an objection? Not many.

Zooey is already hard at work on the third season of The New Girl. She did movies for several years, so she probably relishes the stable schedule provided by television.

Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel

Photos courtesy of WENN

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41 Responses to “Zooey Deschanel: ‘It’s sexist to think that somebody can’t act in a girly way’”

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  1. T.fanty says:

    It kind of depends on the definition of “girly.” She’s clearly using it as an aesthetic, whereas when it’s used in the pejorative sense, it generally denotes a social adherence to a mindset that is passive, submissive and superficial. Or is that the problem?

    • Ann says:

      Exactly! Girly as in deferring to men, being all “giggly” and “cute”. That kinda girly is so fucking annoying.

    • tifzlan says:

      I think they’re interrelated. The girly aesthetic is often painted as weak and superficial and girls who are girly are often dismissed easier than girls who aren’t as girly. I mean, guys can’t say they like the color pink or even wear a pink shirt without being called a “pu$$y” or some other equally sexist term so i definitely think they have some effect on each other.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      There’s also “girly” as opposed to “womanly.” She might have trouble being taken seriously because her style has a childlike quality about it. I like the way she dresses, but I can see how it could be considered unprofessional, especially now that she’s in her 30s.

    • tealily says:

      I think the problem is that people equate the two things. You can wear funky clothes and bows and like makeup and glittery nail polish WITHOUT being passive and submissive. “Girly” =/= “Submissive.”

  2. Anna says:

    I want both of the dresses she’s wearing here. But girlfriend needs a new talking about aside from ‘stop saying that I cant wear pink and like kittens and still be strong and intelligent.’

  3. Lucy2 says:

    Looking forward to her show coming back.
    Sometimes her interviews bug a little bit, but for the most part, she knows who she is and should be respected as is, and is consistent in saying she’s not going to change to fit someone else’s ideals. Overall it’s a good message.

  4. n m says:

    This aging cryptstir needs to get over herself and realize she is 33 years old and therefore “girly” hasn’t applied to her for about ten years now. So much second hand embarrassment. What an idiot!

    • Steph says:

      its funny because I think what zooey is saying she is against in her interview is exactly what you are doing to her here. Who cares if she is 33 and likes kittens and blah blah blah? Her point was that everyone should feel absolutely free to have their own aesthetic without being judged. And then you came here and judged her. Who the eff cares? Its her body. She is not hurting you or anyone by dressing that way.

      • n m says:

        Why do I care? Because I feel it sends a sinister message that she feels it necessary to look negative ten to be cute. Madonna releases her first album when she was 25. How often do you see that today? Remember Miley. Cyrus cover when she was 15? Yeah, I think a 33 year old petrified to look 33 is part if the whole trend of demonizing anyone over 30 and the accompanying serialization of younger and younger celebrities, which I find disturbing.

      • paranormalgirl says:

        I doubt she’s “petrified” to look 33.

  5. Bianca says:

    Actually, I completely agree with her. I think people are convinced that the way you dress perfectly matches the way you are, so wearing girly dresses makes you vapid bimbo and wearing leather jackets makes you a badass. I sometimes like to dress in a feminine, vintage-y fashion and even if I understand that doing so I’m projecting a certain image of myself, that doesn’t really give people the right to judge my character. I’d wear Zooey’s pink shoes any day and I’m a feminist who listens to grunge-rock. A friend of mine walks around in full goth gear and loves baking adorable cupcakes. What you see is only a part of what people are – humans beings are nuanced.

    • Norman Bates' Mother says:

      Agreed. But it’s even worse when people judge you for the way your face looks naturally – for example when people look at a total stranger for the first time and say he looks like a total douche or she looks like a bitch. I have droopy eyes (I don’t know if that’s a correct term – I mean, the far corners of my eyes are facing down) and thin, arched eyebrows – I don’t pluck them because I would only make it worse. I’m a calm, patient and optimistic person but people always assume I’m either very tense and angry because of my eyebrows or chronically depressed because of my eyes.

  6. Pastyousayyouneverknew says:

    I respect her for not being like everybody else but I’m kind of getting tired of hearing her repeat the same stuff over and over again. Move on to talking about something else that matters to you, Zooey.

  7. Hannah says:

    To be fair to Vogue Mag: They actually published the letter!

  8. j.eyre says:

    I think I understand where she is coming from and I am appreciative of her using “girly” instead of “feminine.” With feminism under attack and so many of the brain-trust that makes up young celebrities proclaiming they don’t call themselves feminists because the want to be seen as feminine, “girly” is an okay descriptor to get her point across.

    I also love what she has to say about beauty ideals.

    • LilyRose says:

      I think it’s important that she is saying it. Framing feminism as suppressing femininity is one of the most successful derailing tactics used to dismiss the movement. I see the value that someone that looks and dresses like her, speaking about feminism, brings to the table. Hopefully it dismantles the myth that feminism and femininity are mutually exclusive. They are not, in case it wasn’t clear.

  9. carol says:

    i agree with her, but she is clearly using her Manic Pixie Dream girl thing as a persona and also she is still annoying

    • tealily says:

      I don’t think she’s doing that at all. She’s always come across as very level-headed in real life. I mean, she’s talking about how she “became sort of composed and disciplined as a teenager” and you always hear about how well she handles her money. She’s not known as a party girl, and she settled down and married (then divorced) kind of early. Her public persona is the exact opposite of the “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” character.

  10. Kiddo says:

    I think if you ALWAYS look a certain way, you are going to be pegged/typecast as that character. If she staunchly adheres to a form of dress or genre, then she may be limiting herself, rather than someone else determining that for her.

  11. Mika says:

    I think what makes her “girly” appearance look ridiculous is the fact that she’s a grown woman in her 30s but acts like she’s in her pre-teen years. She’s THAT kind of girly.

    • OhDear says:

      Good point – I think what people are objecting to is that she comes across as childish/cutesy (aesthetically and in terms of some of her interests), not that she’s interested in things that are traditionally associated with women (e.g. Hello Kitty v. makeup).

      • lizziebee93 says:

        So, what you are saying is that a woman her age cannot like Hello Kitty and Barbies and such? I think Mariah Carey might be side-eyeing you from wherever she is at the moment.

      • n m says:

        Nailed it. Just because I call her justly immature doesn’t mean I’m sexist.

      • OhDear says:

        Lizziebee – It’s one thing if someone likes things like Hello Kitty or Barbies, it’s another of she’s built her image around being cutesy and quirky. Mariah Carey’s not defined by her love of Hello Kitty.

        For the record, I have nothing against Zooey D. But I don’t think it’s mostly because of sexism that people criticize her image.

    • tealily says:

      Please clarify what exactly makes her immature, though. She’s smart, articulate, professional, and fiscally responsible. How exactly does she “act” like she’s a pre-teen? Because, to me, it sounds like you are still talking about her clothes.

  12. Maple Goodness says:

    I totally agree with Zooey. It isn’t right that when a person dresses in a girly or feminine way that they are perceived to be unintelligent, weak or passive. It is truly embedded in our society to think of the female as ‘lesser than’ and so women often feel they need to prove that they are strong, intelligent and capable. When a person dresses girly, emphasizing her femininity through her attire, she is seen as even lesser or more inferior. This is not only unfair but misogynistic.

    I also do not believe that because she is in her thirties she is obligated to dress ‘grown up’. She should dress in a way that is being true to herself and I love that she continues to dress in the way she likes regardless of what anyone thinks.

  13. Lucy says:

    I love her! And totally agree with her. I don’t think she’s saying that dressing in a more “mature” way is wrong and she’s right, she’s merely speaking from her position. And yeah, she’s a grown-ass woman. Which means, she’s absolutely free to make her own decisions. WHICH MEANS, that if she wants to go around dressed as Tinkerbell or something, then so freaking be it. PS: Can’t wait for New Girl!!!

  14. Runs with Scissors says:

    “I think it took a lot of balls for Zooey to write a letter to Vogue at age 17.”

    Ever wonder why there is no female equivalent to “balls?” Maybe “guts?” Anyhoo, this example seems to be part of the point she’s trying to make.

    Have to wonder though, why a woman in her thirties would EVER want to be called “girly.” And why she would sign on to a show called “The New Girl” and then complain about sexism.

    “Girl” = inexperienced, naive, coming from a place of diminished or un-evolved power. WHY would she want to work so hard to associate herself with that?

    Sexism is inherent in the language we all choose to use. She should be able to dress however she wants to, yes, but she seems hell bent on cultivating an image based on self-infantilization.

    • bijlee says:

      Why do people say it takes balls to do something? They’re so vulnerable and men are easily taken down with a swift kick to them. Why do people say it takes balls to do something courageous? Makes no sense.

      “but she seems hell bent on cultivating an image based on self-infantilization”

      This is why I can’t get down with her. The woman is beautiful and has a wonderful sense of style, but she purposely acts like a child! It’s like the hipster version of the no longer “young” person who wants to be down with the kids so he or she acts like a looney bin and goes on drunk ragers or sh-t like that. She just wants to be seen and young and adorkable. It’s not how she dresses, it’s her whole I’m so precious act. It’s annoying. Talk about something new woman! Talk about something new.

  15. Jo 'Mama' Besser says:

    She’s reaching peak whining.

  16. lenje says:

    The Deschanel sisters have the most gorgeous eyes.

  17. picopink says:

    She trys too hard to be ‘quirky’, that’s what I think rubs people the wrong way. It seems like she works at it, instead of just naturally being herself imo.