LitPick Review
"Supergirls Speak Out" by Liz Funk is a nonfiction self-help book with all the suspense of a fiction book. It follows the lives of about four identified Supergirls and several anonymous others. By defining what an overachiever is, Funk unravels the mystery of perfection in adolescent girls and how deadly it can be. She also delves into the subject of gender roles. In the twentieth century, girls are pushed to be excellent academics and pretty ideals. So, not only do female teens spend hours studying and overworking, but they also spend hours laying out outfits and straightening their hair. There is also an intriguing chapter on female dynamics and contradictions. For instance, many Supergirls don't know how to act around boys. If they are too smart, boys turn away (so the stereotype goes), and if they are too pretty, boys just use them. Many other engaging questions are prompted throughout the book, covering the controversial issues of depression, eating disorders, and more.
Opinion:
Funk's book is remarkably honest. It provokes readers to look inside themselves and try to love who they are. Girls need to stop dieting, stop trying to please others, stop looking for negative attention from guys, stop thinking they're never quit good enough, etc. While the book may have been more interesting if more girls' stories were included and there were more universities discussed, it is still a page-turner. The book successfully covers the pressures of high school, college, and the workplace. At the end of the book, there is an author interview that discusses Funk's own past as a Supergirl. There are loose sexual associations, but nothing is graphic (they are for the purpose of portraying negative ways to get attention). In the end, girls learn that they should embrace their femininity and ditch the like phrases.
