One girl was asked about a significant case in the highest court of the land, and she picked “the one with Johnny Depp and Amber Heard.” Someone thought it was a good idea to include a bracelet station and cupcake decorating as opening night icebreakers. Nonetheless, the worst political judgment in “Girls State,” the documentary follow-up to the award-winning “Boys State,” is when Missouri’s Governor agreed to participate in the boys’ concluding ceremony but would not attend girls’ at the same place and time. Other divergencies between them are also present.
Sponsored since its inception by the American Legion Auxiliary & American Legion, respectively in every state except Hawaii, Boys State and Girls State programmes bring together high school juniors for a week long period where they can create their government that includes appointments of Supreme Court justices or election of governor. As well as its predecessor this documentary is perceptive with regard to these young ladies so impressive because of their dedication, seriousness of purpose, & true public-mindednesses. It further reveals us some touching naïveté (one says she wants to be President of the United States, a broadcast journalist, and a rock star), and their embarrassingly accurate imitation of what they have absorbed from careful observation of some of the failures of our national politics. However few participants figured out that teachers may tell you a candidate gets more votes by showing competence and reliability and topic sentence stating policies/principles; nonetheless we have learned that with an impassioned address thanking voters about how powerful, perfect right owners they are this may not always be true.
This film was made in spring of the year 2022, immediately following a leak of the Supreme Court’s draft decision in the Dobbs case which showed that the highest court planned to reverse Roe v Wade but before they made up their minds and announced their decision. Inevitably, this became an issue of great interest for young girls gathering to discuss some most intricate and polemical policies and politics. For example, one of the highlights of the film is its another very clever plea against Missouri’s abortion counseling law, as argued forcefully by two young women and thoughtfully taken into account by seven robed “judges” and it is also worth noting that one of the most vibrant characters who express views supporting the same law as though she does not have her own thoughts is Tochi Ihekona from Nigeria with immigrant parents.
The historic pictures are shown at first; each one has an important political assembly with only one woman present among her colleagues such as Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on a trip with her fellow judges or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice sitting in the oval office. Then comes Girls State podium voice saying: “A lot has already been said about abortion.” One girl declares herself Glynis Johns from Mary Poppins who calls for women’s suffrage using “softest, floatingest” voice speaking softly yet exuding strength. According to another speaker, she is “powerfully feminine,” advising other participants not to be too loud.
There is strong cohesion within this large group. Though competitive still they are thinking through where they stand on different issues. They listen politely even when combing and plaiting one girl’s hair during a discussion. “My dream scenario would be kumbaya,” says one such participant looking for more consensus unlike their male counterparts who were mostly concerned about politics rather than governance. The boys notice unfairness gone unnoticed before due to this being the first time that both the boys’ and girls’ programs were merged into one. In fact, the boys can walk shirtless outside the cabin but the girls have to adhere to a dress code used more than 40 years ago. And then there are cupcakes and being ignored by the governor. Having been told that “the two programs were incompatible for comparison,” an unsuccessful candidate makes a name for herself in investigative journalism by asking tough questions and coming up with surprising revelations that demonstrate how these two groups should have been compared long time ago. It is just thrilling to watch their integrity, passion, and urgency for self-improvement.
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