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Most of the chapters in Odd Girl Speaks Out are letters
written by adolescent girl. These letters were written in
response to the author’s call for submissions from girls who
had experienced being the Odd Girl Out in school. These
girls who had been rejected, spurned, ignored or mocked now
had a chance to speak about those traumatic experiences.
Odd Girl Speaks Out is a companion to Odd Girl Out, Simmons'
earlier book of research on the same subject. It is an
anthology of prose and poetry by adolescent girls who were
ostracized by their peers. These writings create a mirror in
which other girls who have gone through this situation – or
who may be going through it – will look and realize they
aren’t alone. Because this book is essentially a collection
of stories told in narrative form, many victims of
school-aged bullying will find the book easy to read and
will probably commiserate and identify with many of the
narrators.
Simmons’ knowledge of women’s studies and political science
shows in her commentary in several small chapters. Those
small analytical chapters are short, readable and
unintrusive making the book user-friendly for young girls
who would probably be more interested in seeing stories that
mirror their life experiences. The book will enable them to
receive insights about their victims, or their own actions
in their victimization. And it will probably also show them
what they already know: that success for adolescent girls
mean being popular and being noticed, being praised or even
envied by their peers, and if popularity doesn’t come, and
if a girl is not lucky enough to blend into the background
she will become the butt of bullies. Simmons' commentary is
light and she seems to understand her readers, even
explaining why many girls simply do not buy the old “that
girl is only bullying you because she is jealous” excuse.
She explains that sometimes this may be true, but oftentimes
the bullies are being cruel for many reasons, ranging from
self-rejection that often accompanies family trauma, other
personal struggles, to examination of their own power, to
plain old cruelty.
Simmons commentary doesn’t let the victim off the hook
either. As these letters show, often a girl becomes Odd
Girl Out not because there is anything irreparably wrong
with her but because she is awkward, socially-inept, has
opened herself to being a victim of a manipulative person,
has made a faux-pas or crossed the wrong person, or has
tangled with someone who decides to turn her into a
scapegoat. It might heal many young girls to know that the
reasons for bullying vary from jealousy, hatred,
insensitive, or vengeful. Or sometimes because the bully’s
home life is in turmoil. Those letters from girls who have
moved away from the ostracism show that life goes on, even
if one enters and advances into the outside world a little
scarred. Odd Girl Speaks Out, a book written by girls and
for girls will wring a parent’s heart and might possibly
heal the hearts of young girls who feel they are alone.
Every girl who has been bullied by those in her school,
neighborhood, religious studies or church group should get
this book. Highly recommended.
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Odd Girl Speaks Out: Girls Write about Bullies, Cliques, Popularity, and Jealousy