Raising Girls in Public
by Contributors
This week has been the week of concern for young girls everywhere. From the death of Whitney and the fear of the consequences for her daughter to the examples of Too $hort and RiRi, it is no question why many are in distress. In an age where youth regardless of gender are tuned into the media almost as much as they are into school, there has to be a bigger to do about the lessons they are being taught. It cannot be a question of whether or not the intent is to represent a role model but more so a realization that youth will emulate who and what they perceive to be cool. Like it is said, with great power comes great responsibility.
To paraphrase, Too Short recently did a video interview with magazine, XXL, where he advised young boys on how to "turn girls" out. After public outrage, he later released a statement to the effect that he understands that his persona is not positive and balances himself by giving to charitable organizations. Wow. So here we have a message that it is okay to be raunchy and disrespectful to women underage girls as long as you give to charity in the same day. What a message and I cannot believe that he is fully behind his statement; he must think more deeply than that, right?
None of us are perfect but why not be more accountable and transparent. Why not tell us that you are deeply conflicted about your views on women, that you may not have seen positive relationships in your life, that you may not be the person to seek advice from. It's not a perfect message but it is more easily discerned for children.
In the same vein, I would love to see Rihanna give us more than a "F U" tweet about her decision to reconcile with Mr. Breezy. If anything, her willingness to flaunt a relationship young girls saw her in turmoil over sends a muddled message that they deserve the same. If it is a battle of the mind and the heart, that is a worthy and valuable message for girls with the same dilemma. But when it is shown off as a active choice to live carelessly what can we expect from our girls?
advice, examples, Girls, role models
The Black Youth Project is a platform that highlights the voices and ideas of Black millennials. Through knowledge, voice, and action, we work to empower and uplift the lived experiences of young Black Americans today.