In The Chase, Kennedy critiques the misogynistic tendency to conflate traditionally feminine-coded interests with superficiality. Through Kennedy’s characterization of her protagonist, Summer, the novel argues that a passion for fashion, sorority life, and social extroversion can coexist with intelligence, loyalty, and emotional depth, challenging reductive stereotypes. Summer’s journey forces those around her, and even Summer herself, to confront the sexism inherent in a perspective that equates femininity with a lack of substance.

The narrative establishes this gendered prejudice through the initial judgments Summer receives from others, most notably, Fitz. On New Year’s Eve, Fitz inventories everything he perceives as a flaw in Summer to convince himself not to pursue her: “she got kicked out of Brown for partying too hard. She’s a party girl. She’s in a sorority […] She’s...fluff […] not serious about anything. She’s surface level” (27). His assessment is based on stereotypes associated with her background and interests. Fitz assumes her family’s wealth and her penchant for designer clothing signify a lack of depth, judging her interests and personality without seeking to understand the person behind them. These initial reactions—echoed by her Kappa Nu sorority sisters and her classmates—create a context in which Summer is constantly presumed to be less than she is simply because she embodies a bright, sociable, and style-conscious femininity.

Kennedy systematically dismantles these superficial judgments by revealing Summer’s intelligence and values across the novel. In Summer’s History of Fashion class, she demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of her chosen field. During a class discussion about Coco Chanel, she enters into a nuanced debate with Nora about Coco Chanel that touches on the challenges of separating the art from the artist: “People accused her of being too conservative, but […] she revolutionized the industry. She showed the world that fashion [is] a way of life […] fashion is everywhere—‘It’s in the sky and in the streets, it’s in how we live and what we do.’ That’s a philosophy I believe in” (122). This intellectual engagement surprises her peers and challenges the appearance and personality-based assumptions of those around her. 

Kennedy reinforces Summer’s loyalty and emotional depth through her actions. She fiercely defends her friends, such as when she confronts a woman calling Brenna derogatory names in a bar, insisting that “We’ve spent years fighting to not be viewed as sexual objects or be judged and shamed […] It’s bad enough that men still do this to us. When you do it too, it sends the message that it’s fair game for women to be treated this way” (186), directly challenging systemic and internalized misogyny. Kennedy’s novel illustrates that Summer’s extroverted personality and traditionally feminine-coded interests do not preclude a capacity for deep loyalty and courage.

Across her arc, Summer’s personal reckoning with these stereotypes highlights her own insecurities. Overhearing Fitz’s comments deeply wounds her. Her confrontation with him allows her to assert her own worth. She defends her identity, arguing that her interests do not negate her substance and acknowledging the ways these assumptions cause pain: “I’m not fluff […] Yes, I have a stupid amount of energy […] I’m obsessed with clothes. Yes, I was in a sorority, and yes, I like to dance and have fun with my friends […] That doesn’t make me superficial, Fitz. […] you just assumed there was nothing more to me than parties and shopping. I’m a loyal friend. I’m a good daughter, a good sister. You’d spent, what? Ninety minutes in my presence? And you think you know the whole story?” (138). The pain Fitz’s misjudgments cause force him to re-evaluate his biases, and his eventual admiration for Summer’s intelligence and artistic talent—particularly her fashion sketches—provides a complete reversal of his initial assessment. Through Summer’s resilience, the novel makes a clear case that judging a woman’s depth based on her embrace of traditionally feminine pursuits is a fundamental misreading of her character.