The Feminist Agenda of Jemima Kincaid

Jemima Kincaid—“white. And straight. And wealthy”—sees the world through a feminist lens: prom at Chawton, her fancy private high school, is a heteronormativity fest, and she finds the annual Powderpuff football game problematic. Jemima’s a member of the Senior Triumvirate, the three students who run school government, and she has a great idea: turn the senior prom into a “Last Chance Dance,” where people submit their choices for a date and are matched when the picks overlap. What could go wrong? Plenty, of course, given all the other factors in play. Jemima has a crush on the Triumvirate Chair, “golden-haired and broad-backed” big man on campus Andy; elections are coming up, and the only candidates for Chair are Andy’s lunkhead brother and last-minute candidate Jiyoon, Jemima’s best friend. “Asian American” Jiyoon comes from a working-class background, and she’s mad that Jemina is blind to the idea that someone like her could have that much power at Chawton. Hattemer (Here Comes Trouble) hits timely notes: Jemima is a loud-and-proud feminist, but what does her white privilege blind her to? When she judges the way other girls dress, is she noting unfair body and dress standards, or is she slut shaming? And where does sex and attraction fit in? Jemima finds out that nothing—relationships, feminism, school power arrangements, not even the tried-and-true binary of virginity—is as simple as she thought, and readers will find her journey into ambiguity enjoyable and thought-provoking. Ages 14–up. [em](Feb.) [/em]