Queer As Art issue 2 April-May-June 2017 | Page 16

Molly Bolt is smart as a whip. A
deadpan smartass who doesn’t care
about being “natural”, about doing what
girls are “supposed” to do. She doesn’t
care for religion, either. Have you ever
wondered if Mary and Joseph even liked
each other, if they bickered? Molly did,
because a Nativity Play in school is more
an opportunity to produce realistic
theatre than it is a sacred mission. Liking
girls is not quite a cosmic reveal - her first
kiss makes her stomach weird, the good
kind of weird, that’s alright and that’s it.
In fact, most of the book’s soul-searching
regards her upbringing as an adopted
child. lesbians I know look like any other
woman. However, if you're hot for a truck
driver I know just the place.”
Molly seems invincible, with a
reckless attitude - until, slowly, she’s on
the verge of breaking, tired of being
“written off” by those who stopped being
her friends after she comes out to them.
“Written off” by lovers who won’t accept
the fact that themselves are girls who like
girls. “Written off” because she uttered
the word “lesbian”. She talks about her
sexuality in passing, like she always does,
because it’s a fact of life and not an
abomination, not a betrayal of same-sex
friendships, not a fundamental
misunderstanding of men. She doesn’t
shout it out loud for the whole world to
hear, but she doesn’t lie, and her
sexuality is not played for angst. "Let's stop this shit. I love women. I'll
never marry a man and I'll never marry a
woman either. That's not my way. I'm a
devil-may-care lesbian."
"Madam, I am a full-blooded, bona fide
lesbian. As for the way I look, most
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Molly could have collapsed a
thousand times, every time the all-
American ideal slammed the door in her
face. Her college scholarship doesn’t get
renewed “for moral reasons” while her
girlfriend is sent away on a conversion
therapy.
But then Molly pulls herself
together and moves forward. That no-
nonsense attitude is what makes Molly a
fresh, compelling character.
That’s why Rubyfruit Jungle stands
out, because it’s not a book about a
woman coming to terms with her
s e x u a l i t y. I t ’s a b o o k a b o u t a n
unapologetic woman, not a stand-in for a
young reader confused about sexuality,
religion and morals.
Arguably, Molly Bolt isn’t a flag-
bearer and expresses her annoyance of
labels on several occasions.
“So now I wear this label 'Queer'
emblazoned across my chest. Or I could
always carve a scarlet "L" on my
forehead. Why does everyone have to