Surge in trans teens, marketing? And lack of other youth culture?

[PurpleOva]

I have a pre-teen daughter, and we were talking about my youth yesterday. I explained to her about how I found Grunge as a teen and how it remains part of my identity today.

Along with sharing photos of Kurt Cobain rocking his chintzy dresses it got me thinking about the trans phenomenon in the youth of today, and the seeming lack of other youth culture movements for the misfits to cling onto.

Then I found this, which talks about how transgenderism is being marketed to the youth of today:

world.wng.org/content/what_s_behind_the_surge_in_transgender_teens

And this previous thread here about the youth culture link:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/2965747-Teenagers-and-the-cult-of-otherness

Just to share what's been stewing in my brain this weekend. As I was a sometimes mis-gendered, anxious, depressed and generally out of place misfit in my youth, I can see how if I were that same pre-teen and teen today that the trans community would seem very attractive..... a potential warning for our kids teenage years, which are all too fast approaching for me!

Also gaming isn't it?

Back in the day a contingient of metalers and goths liked role playing and painting tiny lead Dungeons and Dragons figures.

Lolita is just freaky. I don't get Anime but I think Cosplay is a bit more diverse. I found a youtube video about trans boys dressing as Lolitas once. Doubt I'd find it again though.

I think the anime thing connects with the graphic novels - which were very avidly consumed by a certain contingent - Geiger's artwork sort of influenced the outfits of some goths. And also steampunk.

I have to admit that I love the idea of steampunk.

I think the hentai / lolita shit is all part of that freaky sexist, pedo perviness where you can buy schoolgirls worn knickers from vending machines in Japan- ie fuck all safeguarding for women and girls from creepy perverted men.

I love steampunk too. There is nothing wrong per se with graphic novels or gaming or LARP or whatever. The real issue is how they have been a gateway for pervy old dudes to get close to vulnerable/young people. I think Jess Bradley probably couldn't even see how a cartoon of Ben 10 getting raped is crossing the line.

Yes - I agree that a lot of it has paedo overtones.

But the crux of the matter is that back in the day people could read a graphic novel, work out some elaborate outfit, customise clothes to represent one of the characters, go out on a friday night with a load of others looking OTT to see a few shit bands then onto a nightclub.

Now what do young people do?

They are hooked into the Internet gaming, watching porn, making/watching self indulgent crap on tumblr and instagram. Probably their 'best friend' lives on some other continent and they don't go anywhere to meet their people in real life.

teens are naturally narcissistic, however the trans sub-culture has intersected with narcissism in a different way to other sub-cultures as it is about identity - rather than presentation/ music or interests.

So in order for the sub-culture of trans to work, it is essential for the narcissist teen (or many times, adult) to insist on an acceptance of their identity - with no compromise.

For previous teen sub-cultures, the very fact it was derided by adults gave it more credibility and stamina. This time around, any derision is seen as an attack not on their culture, but on their internal identity. Much more hurtful and personal.

Being trans has become a part of their internal world in a way that being Goths or mod or grunge never could. Then, there was always an awareness that you could take off the clothes and return to normal society any time you wanted. Today's teens don't see how it is possible to take off their "transness".

I suppose the people with all the facial tattoos were making the statement that they never intended to return to normal society. These days every man and his dog has neck tattoos. You now have utterly mainstream commercial band members from Boyzone or One Direction sporting the looks of hardcore alternatives - there's no clean cut mainstream to rail against. I was particularly annoyed about 10-15 years ago when Top Shop started selling band T Shirts as fashion items. There used to be a time where people actually listened to and loved music - not just liked the look of the band's artwork to accessorise their outfits.

I'm not sure teens are naturally anything - but I think we are socialising them to be the 'me generation' as part of a consumer culture.

They are hooked into the Internet gaming, watching porn, making/watching self indulgent crap on tumblr and instagram. Probably their 'best friend' lives on some other continent and they don't go anywhere to meet their people in real life

I'd also note that many university assignments now involve making videos, writing about their selves or similar introspective crap in the name of 'student directed learning'.

This time around, any derision is seen as an attack not on their culture, but on their internal identity. Much more hurtful and personal.

Yes, but something feels amiss about it doesn't it?

There have always been politics and philosophy weaving through the alternative scenes - vegans, nihilists, feminists, anarchists, etc, - but this scene/tribe really is about the pomo crap isn't it?

I remember a bloke at a festival having a go at a friend of mine for having dreadlocks but eating a burger as being contradictory. My friend was/is pretty politically superficial. This exchange happened because in alternative scenes there was a lot of variety and depth in terms of commitment to various causes, but it really was all about the culture - the music, the clothes, etc. Now everyone has to agree with the ideology first and foremost.

I'd also note that many university assignments now involve making videos, writing about their selves or similar introspective crap in the name of 'student directed learning'.

Oh God forbid!

There’s lots of youth culture out there - much of it is influenced by youtubers (Phil and Dan, Luke Cutforth) but not all of it. There’s comic cons, anime, PlayStation games, bands (Twenty One Pilots is popular with my teen). Goth is still a bit of a thing - my teen regularly sports black nail varnish and eyeliner at the weekend. Lots around for a geeky teen.
Yes, there is so much rubbish about identity on tumblr and yes there is a lot of self-indulgent self- labelling going on. What teens need is better critical abilities to navigate everything.

A few bad eggs ruin the bunch. Don't paint with broad strokes. Lolita clothing is about dressing modestly

Hentai, yes. Lolita, no. Lolita is a fashion. It's about dressing modestly and being cute.

Zombie thread alert!!!!

For any prospective posters. This thread was from 2018.