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In defense of Moxie
Unlike many reviewers, I loved it, and here’s why
Warning: contains spoilers
I’m reading a lot of negative #Moxie reviews, and they’re pissing me off. I loved Moxie, and no, it’s not just because I adore Amy Poehler, who directed the film. As an ardent feminist who tells women’s stories for a living, I believe that some of the critiques I’m reading are truly misguided.
“‘Moxie’ is a CliffsNotes guide to fighting the patriarchy. In its hyper-condensed view, all you need is a tank top, a Bikini Kill song and a mass walkout and voilà! The struggle is over.”
This is so unfair. Where in the movie does it suggest that “the struggle is over”? The members of a high school’s feminist club give each other a platform for sharing their stories and calling out injustice — and a rapist. The movie makes it clear, given the insidious misogyny evident in their school (and, by logical extension, their world), that these girls will be fighting an uphill battle — the struggle is certainly NOT over. But unity can give them strength.
Intersectional feminism and peanut butter
