The Real Reason Judy Blume Is as Relevant Today as Ever
New documentary and book-to-movie adaptations reveal how the iconic author stands the test of time.
“We must, we must, we must increase our bust.” Recite that line, and millions of women—young and old—will get the reference. It’s from Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, a 1970 book by Judy Blume that clearly captured an 11-year-old’s coming-of-age angst and confusion about religion and puberty (the movie based on the book hits theaters April 28). Blume and her young adult and adult books (29 in all! More than 90 million sold!) have made a huge difference in the lives of so many (boys and men too) that it’s no surprise that her fans are eagerly awaiting the release of Judy Blume Forever, which premieres on Prime Video April 21. The documentary about her life and influence explores how a New Jersey housewife became an author who dared to delve into taboo topics around growing bodies, teenage sexuality, relationships and religion.
“I grew up as a good girl with a bad girl lurking inside,” Blume, who is 85, says in the documentary. “So by the time I started to write, I really had a lot to get out. I could be fearless in my writing in a way that maybe I wasn’t always in my life.”
Related: Get Your First Look at the Inspiring Trailer for Judy Blume Forever
And fearless she was, writing about menstruation (Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret), bullying and self-esteem (Blubber), Asperger’s (the Fudge books) and depression and grief (Tiger Eyes). When Blume’s daughter asked her to write a book about teenagers who fall in love and “do it” but don’t come to some tragic ending, she wrote Forever, a book that actress Kathryn Hahn told Parade was much-beloved contraband when she was growing up. “I remember a very dog-eared and highlighted copy of Forever we had to hide from the nuns. All the girls in my Catholic high school would pass it around,” Hahn said.” It was very informative and formative, because we didn’t have many other ways to talk about sex. So thank you, Judy Blume.”
When people would ask Blume when she was going to write “a real book,” meaning for adults, Blume responded with “I am writing real books!” But she tackled more adult themes in Wifey (about shaking off the reins of conventional wifehood) and in Summer Sisters (about friendship and betrayal).
Celebrating Judy
Judy Blume Forever was the brainchild of director Davina Pardo, who was inspired on a road trip with her children five years ago while listening to audiobooks. “Judy’s voice filled the car,” she recalls. “It felt very visceral seeing my kids listen and giggle at Fudge and then hearing it again for the first time in so long.” From there, Pardo set out to find out more about the author’s life, realizing the power of the woman behind so many people’s favorite teenage books. “My filmmaker curiosity took over and I decided to reach out to Judy,” she says.
Blume, who has since retired from writing and runs her own bookstore with her husband, George Cooper, was hesitant at first. “She said she was tempted, but not sure. She loved her life as a bookseller in Key West,” says Pardo. Co-director Leah Wolchok was brought in and once Imagine Docs signed on, Blume was ready to open up her past to the world. “I knew once I decided to do it, I'd have to be honest about my life and my work. Otherwise, there was no point to it,” Blume told Parade.
Related: Everything You Need To Know About Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret
The 97-minute documentary explores Blume’s writerly beginnings and her tremendous fandom. “She’s had almost a singular impact on readers,” Pardo says. “Her relationship with readers is unique among living writers today.” And that’s the part of the documentary—where she’s emotionally going through boxes and boxes of mail and treating each letter with tenderness—that Blume likes best: “I love it when the focus is on the kids who wrote to me over the years,” Blume says. “Kids opened up to me in a way that they couldn’t with their parents. And I would answer.” (50 years of Blume’s reader correspondence was donated to Yale University archives in 2017.)
The documentary also dives into Blume’s never-ending fight against book censorship, standing up to conservative Pat Buchanan on Crossfire in 1984 and her work with the National Coalition Against Censorship. (Many of Blume’s books are still getting banned in communities and libraries today.)
The filmmakers, who recently saw Judy Blume Forever with Blume and a live audience at The Sundance Film Festival, were blown away by the emotional response. “Judy comes to the film with such an emotional openness, and you can't help but respond in that way as an audience member,” says Wolchok. Seeing her life play out on screen, Blume told Parade, was “both weird and wonderful. It's an honor, of course, and the directors have done such a good job but it's not easy for me to watch,” she admits. But for her fans, the documentary is a gift, just like her books were. Thank you, Judy Blume.
Related: 222 of the Best Books of All Time That Deserve a Spot on Your Bookshelf
