Everything You Need to Know About “Boys State”

graphic by iseabail kelley

What do you get when you take a thousand teenage boys and put them in government? “Boys State,” A24’s newest documentary that might just explain our current patriarchal system of showmanship politics. 

To those unfamiliar, Boys State is an experience for high school boys to spend a week completing the duties of state government. During this week, the boys are assigned to parties, elect representatives, and run a simulated professional race for governor. The documentary itself is a look into one of these events in the heart of Texas and follows both some unlikely heroes and very charismatic future politicians. 

What’s really unique is the documentary’s take on partisan politics. It showcases the divide in our nation in a variety of ways. One aspect of partisan politics displayed is the opinions of the boys, which overwhelmingly swings Republican. Robert MacDougall, one of the candidates for Boys State governor, decided a strategy involving promoting the most right-wing opinions possible, in an effort to appeal to his party’s Republican demographic. Issues like abortion, gun control, and religion were frequently brought up by a crowd of predominantly white teenage boys. We got to speak to Robert and a few others from the cast of “Boys State”, thanks to the A24 College Press program. 

During the interview, Robert talked about how while he is pro-choice, he chose an anti-abortion stance for his platform in order to strategically appeal to the extreme. In many ways, “Boys State” parallels our current political climate, as well as the 2016 election. It’s not always those who have the best ideas who gain power, but those who can captivate an audience. Showmanship has turned politics into entertainment and Boys State manages to show the effect this will have on our futures. 

Sexism and the overwhelming power of the patriarchy are other issues in our political system the documentary highlights. While there is a Girls State, the decision of the American Legion to keep the event segregated by gender says a lot about how our governmental system is run. These boys, who will one day join the American political system, are being taught government in an environment that doesn’t even include women. Seeing problems like these on a smaller scale provides a valuable perspective on how systems of sexism are instilled into our youth. “Boys State” is an incredible documentary, with a unique story and a powerful message. 

BOYS STATE is an Apple Original Films and A24 Release. Now available to stream on Apple TV+.