Moxie

A large portion of these chapters are taken up with the development of Vivian’s Maturity, Agency, and Independence, most notably in her relationship with Seth, including several scenes in which they kiss. Vivian’s sexual awakening, though in its early stages, goes hand-in-hand with her awakening social conscience and sense of agency. With Seth, she experiences desire and pleasure in a safe, supportive, consensual relationship with a partner who considers her needs, experience, and wishes with respect and affection. Things progress along a course that she feels comfortable with and that she gets to control. Seth never pressures Vivian for more contact than what she is interested in, and they discuss their experience, hopes, and expectations. This, alongside Lisa’s progressing relationship with John, gives an example of what a healthy relationship can look like.

Vivian is still learning how to handle romantic relationships, however, and in some respects is still naïve. She enjoys what she and Seth have in common in terms of beliefs, likes, taste in music, and so on. Vivian is puzzled by her mother’s claim that she and John can disagree on issues such as political beliefs but still have affection and esteem for one another; Vivian’s idea of a relationship is complete harmony along with attraction.

Her relationship with Seth sharply contrasts with the nonconsensual, uninvited contact of the bump ’n’ grab. Vivian demonstrates that girls can feel threatened or attacked even by contact that isn’t be defined as sexual; uninvited touch is a violation of their bodily integrity and agency. What Claudia experiences is legally defined as sexual assault: Mitchell forces sexual contact on her without her consent; then, she reports the assault to a school official compelled by law to take action to investigate and address the complaint. Instead, Claudia is dismissed. Her distress is deemed irrelevant, and the incident is described by the principal as a joke instead of a crime. The suggestion that she should see Mitchell’s sexual aggression as a compliment reduces women to sexual objects who exist for the pleasure of men. Telling Claudia to forget about the incident dehumanizes her because it conveys that Mitchell has more right to her body than she does. Being devalued and silenced makes her reluctant to approach other authorities for fear that she won’t be believed.

Principal Wilson, misusing his authority, responds to the latest Moxie uprising with intimidation and threats. Instead of dealing with the girls’ complaints of assault, which the bump ’n’ grab is, the principal punishes the girls for reacting. He makes the issue about destruction of school property, which he values over the bodily integrity of his female students, and he pressures another student to lecture the girls on “ladylike” behavior, which means they should be quiet, compliant, and not take offense at unwanted contact. “Ladylike” ideology firmly keeps women subordinate to men and emphasizes that their role is to please and attract.

Mitchell’s conventional and unimaginative critique that feminists hate men and are probably lesbians is another way to deflect and undercut the legitimacy of feminist complaints. The destruction of property is a debatable claim, given that the stickers can be removed. Instead, the principal uses his position of authority to intimidate and silence, and the his threats of expulsion put high stakes on the girls’ resistance and imperils their chances at college, which offers both a future and an escape from this oppressive environment. The risk of punishment is one many activists face when those in authority deny the validity of their experience, deny redress through established channels, and actively protect the circumstances causing harm and inequality.

As she deals with these obstacles, Vivian looks to the adults around her for cues on how to react. On one hand, her model is Meemaw, a true Texas lady—kind, soft-spoken, and good in the kitchen—who permits the “boys will be boys” attitude to perpetuate while she negotiates her own relationship with her husband on terms acceptable to her. Vivian sees that her mother has often sacrificed and compromised her own needs to give Vivian a stable childhood. In contrast, Seth’s parents are very comfortable with prioritizing their own desires and expecting Seth to adapt. Then there is Principal Wilson, who actively protects and supports his predatory son. Vivian faces a dilemma: For her own safety and that of her friends, it appears that she needs to continue to accept and comply with the prevailing culture, however unfair. But Mathieu warns of the danger of this approach via the line by poet Audre Lorde, a celebrated Black, queer, feminist, whose claim “your silence will not protect you” is a warning and rallying cry.