Streaming Now: Girl Talk
Five girls overcome the gender biases prevalent in high school debate
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Christina Zeiders
Set in the ruthless, boy-dominated world of high school debate where tomorrow’s leaders are forged, Girl Talk tells the story of five girls on a diverse, top-ranked Massachusetts high school debate team as they strive to become the best debaters in the nation.
Their team, the Newton South Debate Team, is one of the largest in the country with a unique roster of debaters – nearly half are girls, and many are first-generation Americans.
Over the course of four years, Girl Talk gives us a front-row seat into the development of leaders, as varsity members step up each year to become captains and take on the responsibility of training and inspiring new team members.
Like every other debater, the girls must find their own voices, perfect their speaking and research skills, grapple with confidence issues, plan a winning strategy with their partner, and learn to weather the realities of fierce competition. But the Newton South girls, like other girls in debate, face an additional hurdle – they must navigate the gender biases prevalent in the world of debate.
In Girl Talk, we see five girls commit to overcoming the odds. They remind us of the value of speaking up and finding your true voice – both in the debate world and beyond.
Stream Girl Talk for free using the PBS or WITF app until May 31, or watch it on WITF TV on Friday, March 17 at 9pm.
Women’s History Month programs on WITF TV are supported by Mid Penn Bank and The Drexel Group.
