Shocking to absolutely no one, an episode of Abbott Elementary, once again, healed a broken part of my inner child. School years are seldom a joy for most kids, but there’s something about the bullying and woes we dealt with as kids that’s specifically painful if it went unnoticed. But how this show continues to ensure that the teachers see everything and do all that they can in their power to improve the experiment continues to be everything. It makes an episode like Abbott Elementary’s “Goofgirl” wholeheartedly healing.
So much of it is in the title: when a girl student joins Gregory’s goofballs and the boys all mistreat her, it’s up to Gregory to continue establishing inclusivity to ensure that their behavior evolves for the better—to ensure that these kids grow.
Abbott Elementary’s “Goofgirl” Shines a Perfect Light on Inclusivity
Teachers like the ones at Abbott are the ones who leave a mark on us. They’re the ones who help us see what we’re too scared to catch ourselves, and they’re the ones who help us find the path that’s genuinely best for us. (Shoutout to my eighth-grade tech lab teacher, who suggested I join his stage crew class because he knew I’d be too shy to pursue it myself. I don’t know if I would’ve had the courage to pursue a career in the arts and film if he hadn’t seen my potential.)
That’s what Gregory, Janine, Melissa, Jacob, and Barbara continue to do for these kids. They see them. They respect them. They give them the safe space to explore what’s fun and fulfilling, so they can continue finding joy later on.
Beyond this, Janine’s fashion club being a hit with Ava is also everything because we’re currently living in an era where fashion is becoming synonymous with cruelty again. We’re reverting instead of going forward. Fashion has, and always should be, inclusive. We shouldn’t be creating solely for a single body type, nor should we be policing what people wear, because it’s all about expression in a way that should help people feel good about themselves.
Black outfits are chic, yes, but there are thousands of gorgeous colors that people continue to put off because they’re not as cool. They’re dorkier. They’re childish. But with fashion, it’s not about what you wear, it’s how you wear it. It’s what works with everyone’s specific body type and what makes them feel like themselves. Take low-rise jeans, for example, and the fact that they’re coming back in style. But on someone like me, whose proportions aren’t symmetrical (shoutout to my long torso girlies), low-rise jeans look horrendous. So yeah, I’m keeping my high-rise, rib-cage jeans forever. Sorry, not sorry, Gen-Z. Keep calling us Millennials cringy all you want.
That said, exploring the history of fashion and all that comes with it is a lot of fun, so the fact that Janine, a short girl, gets to do this is my whole heart now as a fellow short girl. It works because it makes a statement about inclusivity in a way that’s subtle and significant. And Ava complimenting her by the end? Oh, I’m so seated for what’s to come because this is such an incredible bit of development on all fronts.
In the same way that the previous episode “No Phones” put plenty into perspective about how much we rely on knowing everything, “Goofgirl” interestingly peels back some of the layers to remind us that everyone has their thing, and it’s important to take time to find it. Our titular goofgirl gets to say at the gardening club, while one of the goofballs gets to go into the fashion club. It’s a big win, and it’s a needed message to showcase how important it is to give people, no matter our gender, a chance to find the things we love, let it all unfold as it should be. It’s what Abbott Elementary keeps succeeding in with hilarious episodes, and it’s always effective.
Now streaming on Hulu or ABC: What are your thoughts on Abbott Elementary’s “Goofgirl?” Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: (Disney/Gilles Mingasson)