Media Review: Served Like a Girl

According to a recent report from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the number of homeless women veterans increased by seven percent from 2016 to 2017 compared to a one percent increase among the male veteran population. Served Like a Girl, by Lysa Heslov, situates discussions of the growing plight of the homeless women veteran population against the backdrop of the Ms. Veteran America pageant. The pageant, founded by Army veteran MAJ Jaspen Boothe, was created to bring awareness to the deficit found within existing veteran housing programs and to encourage financial support for the development of transitional services specific to the needs of women veterans. The documentary follows four pageant contestants, the master of ceremonies, the pageant director—also the first pageant winner, and the founder of the pageant as they prepare for the 2015 competition.