You Should See Me in a Crown

“Britt’s parents own the biggest print shop in central Indiana, and G somehow roped them into volunteering an obscene amount of supplies for the campaign. They’re honestly my favorite type of ally: the kind that puts their money where their mouth is” 

The question of allyship is one that occurs repeatedly in the text. Gabi dresses Liz and helps strategize her prom campaign; Stone creates an algorithm to help track Liz’s popularity on social media; and Britt designs posters for her campaign. Without being asked to do so, Britt and her parents offer Liz help and resources to which they have access. In doing so, they demonstrate their care for Liz and their dedication to helping her.

“But that’s just it, I’ve never tried to hide it. Not exactly. I just…never made it a thing. Being into girls has never been a huge point of contention for me or my friends. Hell, when I came out to my grandparents, the only thing Grandad asked me was, ‘So are we giving up them waffle fries at Chick-fil-A now? Because, I’ll tell you what, them things are the closest I’ve ever felt to Heaven’” 

Johnson makes a deliberate choice to have Liz’s friends and family accept her sexuality without question. In doing so, Johnson crafts a distinctly modern narrative, wherein a character’s family and friends love them for who they are, no matter what their sexuality may be. Liz is also allowed to experience growth and challenges separate from a traditional coming out narrative, in which self-acceptance of one’s sexuality is the primary conflict. In the book, Johnson is more focused on external sources of pressure that result in feelings of insecurity and uncertainty. Liz’s family has never pressured her to keep her sexuality secret; it is the school and the conservative administration and their power to disqualify Liz from the competition that keeps her quiet.