When Mark came out to his parents as trans, he wasn’t expecting the reaction he received from his father, a U.S. Congressman. He was against Mark’s transitioning, so the deal was, Mark and his mother had to move to another town and Mark had to promise to stay under the radar and hide his true identity.
Mark has found a group of close queer friends at Utopia High School, but only two know the truth of him being trans. When a younger gay friend who has been bullied is suspended for punching his tormentor but nothing happens to those who have been bullying him, Mark is outraged, at the school’s refusal to take a stand, as well as his failure to recognize what was happening. The reaction of the candidates for student body president don’t impress him, so Mark decides to become a late entry into the race.
Of course, this isn’t staying under the radar, so his father is furious. As Mark and his friends—political junkies fueled by Scandal and The West Wing—scramble to mount a strong campaign, he knows there’s a risk his secret will be discovered. But he also feels a sense of responsibility to queer kids to try and make sure they’re protected, although the election brings out things in him he’d rather ignore.
I thought The (Un)Popular Vote was a really great story, and despite my distaste for current politics, I do love a good student council election! This was emotional and thought-provoking, too, with a truly diverse cast of characters. Wow, am I glad I didn’t go to school in the era of blogs and the internet!
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