Parents' Guide to Girl Talk

GIRL TALK follows high school debate students in the unusual program run by Boston's Newton South High School. There the older, more experienced varsity debaters coach the younger novice members. The method has built long-running team spirit and instilled in all the members a responsibility toward one another to bring the team's supportive culture forward as older members graduate and leave the team in the hands of younger students. Against that backdrop, the film focuses on the bias female debaters face as they compete in a traditionally male-dominated field. One debater comments that she has been taught to be obedient and listen, to be respectful and never say "I disagree." She has learned much from an activity that requires logical disagreement, formulating arguments, and questioning everything, on the spot and under pressure, in front of judges. Although 40% of high school debaters are female, 0% of the females are ranked nationally. As one male debater points out, this is not because female debaters aren't as good. The implication is that judges' intrinsic bias plays a huge role. Judges seem to look down on higher voices and shorter stature. Judges also comment on the length of girls' skirts, their shoes, and their makeup. Adept female debaters are sometimes deemed too aggressive by judges, who, it's implied, would not call out boys for the same problem. The Newton debaters coach girls on the team to seem assertive without seeming aggressive because debates are often judged based on "perceived dominance" rather than actual dominance.