Moxie Girls Fight Back!

I recently attended a workshop called Identity in YA: Representing All Teens through Library Programming. One of the facilitators of the workshop was Christine Pyles, Youth Services Manager from the Euclid Public Library in Ohio. She recommended the book Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu  for students interested in feminism, social justice, and civil protest. So I ordered Moxie; I read it in two days; I absolutely loved it.

Vivian is a high school junior. After awakening to some disturbing facts at her school - the football players get away with everything, dress codes only affect girls, and sexual harassment is just part of everyday life - Vivian forms Moxie, an anonymous school 'zine that invites other girls to band together and fight back.


My favorite part: the Hearts and Stars...

The parts about dress codes made my blood boil...

I glance down at my boring jeans and plain gray t-shirt. Each time a girl has been called out by an administrator, she's been forced to stand up like some doll on display as the administrator scans her carefully. When Kelly Chen had to stand in math class, her cheeks pinked up so quickly that I felt myself blushing out of sympathy. I'd rather die than have the whole class's eyes on me analyzing my clothes and body.

The dress code checks go on all week, and I find myself wearing my biggest, baggiest shirts and sloppiest jeans to avoid getting called out in front of everyone. Each time a girl has to stand up in front of the room for inspection, I find myself sinking deeper into my desk. On Wednesday morning, after we recite the Pledge of Allegiance and the Texas Pledge, Principal Wilson's pinched twang cuts into second period announcements. 

"You may have noticed we've put an emphasis on dress code this week, and we hope y'all will adhere to the rules and regulations detailed in the student handbook about modesty and proper dress." As he speaks, I notice a few girls near me roll their eyes at each other. I glance at my shoes and grin. Principal Wilson keeps talking. 

"Please remember that when you get dressed in the morning, you're coming to a learning environment, and we expect you to be dressed as a student, not a distraction. Ladies, I'm especially talking to you to keep tabs on your outfits and remember that modesty is a virtue that never goes out of style."

Moxie addresses mysogeny and rape culture head on, in a teen appropriate way, and with a nod to how many ways it affects our day-to-day lives.

Get this book for every teen you know. 

Be sure you discuss the ending Note From The Author.

Check out the additional resources:

feministing.org
rookiemag.com
bitchmedia.org
therepresentationproject.org
bust.com
thefbomb.org
scarleteen.com 

This is a great book for teens, and Amy Poehler has aquired the movie rights to Moxie. Be sure to read the book before seeing the movie. 

The past year has not been an easy one, but books like Moxie inspire us to fight back.