Believe it or not, the kids are alright!
Perhaps, not entirely but really, who is ever completely alright? What I mean is, we’ve got this! We’re doing the best we can. It may be hard to fathom but this generation isn’t the worst there ever was (someone out there has parents who attended Freaknik ‘97, just saying). While there are a few things we’re getting absolutely wrong (nothing revolutionary there) it would be a low down dirty shame to negate the things we’re getting all the way right as the youth.
Self-Expression:
The means of expressing oneself has always been pushed to its limits with each generation. Notable ceiling-breakers in the world of unapologetically being yourself that come to mind are artists like Grace Jones, David Bowie, Lady Gaga and Brenda Fassie, to name a few. Not only did they use shock value to generate discourse, change narratives about otherwise “taboo” lifestyle choices, they stood their ground firmly, ignored the naysayers going on to transform pop culture and society as a whole.
These days the youth is even louder about championing individuality in every way possible. Your identity is something that you have to live with for your whole life and this generation would rather be proud about who they authentically are, rather than conform to the rules set out by our forefathers. From something that appears to be as simple as the way we dress to something much more complex like sexuality (remember it’s a spectrum), we are smashing preconceived notions and barriers one pronoun at a time.
Accepting diversity:
With individuality being of utmost importance to us youngsters, accepting diversity, I believe, would be second on the list. We’re constantly being bombarded with a plethora of different personalities, styles, cultures and languages and something quite special about this generation is how open and receptive we are to people that aren’t like us. This leads me to how this generation doesn’t take kindly to shaming of any kind. Be it slut shaming or fat shaming, we will call you out on it. This isn’t the 1920s where women have to pretend as though sex is this discreet act that should be done when the clock strikes 8pm with the only man she’s ever set her eyes on since she was 13. No ma’am, those days are gone. We acknowledge our agency and the power we have over our bodies and sexuality. It’s not wrong to be someone who is sexual and vocal about that. It’s not a secret. Period! Stars like Lizzo have become advocates against fat/body shaming proving to the world that what you look like or what size you are should not determine whether people respect you or not, what opportunities you should be afforded or whether or not you are desirable to the masses.
Demanding accountability:
One of the things I am most proud of about this generation is our determination when it comes to demanding accountability for one’s words and actions. In an age where social media makes the world go round, it’s very easy to hide behind a screen and spew hate without fear of any repercussions. However, there have been a number that have been made examples out of. It’s imperative to note that social media is not just fun and games; people with real lives and emotions exist beyond the screen and what you say may and will be used against you. I mean, people have lost jobs, scholarships and businesses because of the offensive views they pander on social media. All it takes are enough people to report you to your superiors and it’s game over, your livelihood is now in jeopardy over some characters. On the other hand we have the “cancel culture”. What was once a driving force behind social change has turned into a controversy. Many believe in cancel culture while many also believe that it is selective. Who gets to decide who gets cancelled or not?
How important is it to separate the artist from the art and is it truly possible to do so? Do you stop stepping in the name of love when R Kelly comes on? Do you secretly indulge in The Cosby Show reruns? These are just some questions that have people divided. Call it arbitrary or wishy-washy, cancel culture has created dialogue around topics that would have been swept under the rug a few decades ago.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing how special we are as millennials and Gen Zs. Between fighting social injustice, hosting streaming parties for the artists we stan, prioritizing our self care and mental health and achieving our goals during a pandemic, we aren’t doing too shabby.
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