The Teen-Girl Supreme Court’s Approach to Reproductive Rights in Girls State
Filmmaker couple Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss came across the Girls and Boys State programs, where teenagers create mock governments over a week, when boys in the 2017 Texas program voted to secede from the U.S. Moss notes that this act of rebellion was symbolic of the state of the country during Trump’s election. Due to this secession decision, Boys State became the first of two documentaries the couple made about teenagers in the program. They always intended to also focus on the girls’ perspective: “We have two teenage daughters, so there was a personal aspect to making this film,” McBaine explains.
Abortion was a significant issue that arose in both films. McBaine recalls how the boys felt uncomfortable discussing the topic. She thought it would be interesting to have an all-girls space where the conversation would be led by girls, which was one of the reasons she was excited about Girls State. In Girls State, a Supreme Court is formed during the mock government trial to hear an abortion case. The Missouri event marked the first time Boys and Girls State were held concurrently.
During the casting process, McBaine and Moss interviewed hundreds of girls over Zoom for four months. This allowed them to gain insight into the teenagers by observing their home environments. They looked for kids who were passionate about government and their interests. “We’re looking for kids who know who they are, and that’s not everybody at 17,” says McBaine.
The filming took place around the time of the historic Dobbs decision, which overturned abortion protections from Roe v. Wade. As the film is released, Kamala Harris, a female presidential candidate, is advocating for the reinstatement of those protections. Moss comments on the convergence of history with the film’s themes, highlighting the reason they make nonfiction movies: to delve into culture and politics.
This story was originally featured in an August issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.