teenagers

How Our Generation Is Approaching Gender in a Totally New Way

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Women are used to fighting assumptions and gender stereotypes—but even the staunchest feminists in their 30s and older might be unfamiliar with some of the terms in the latest discussions about gender and sexuality. Millennials and teens today are eschewing labels and gender restrictions in ways and in numbers that haven't been seen before in the mainstream. They're exploring uncertainty, identity and non-binary genders, they focus on individuality, and their discussions revolve most often around education and acceptance. Click through to read more and to watch an interview by Teen Vogue with some fresh faces from Calvin Klein's ck2 campaign—because accepting one another as we are is empowering to everyone.

teenvogue.com - Teen Vogue caught up with the cool kids of Calvin Klein's ck2 campaign to talk about what it means to live label free. Dancer/rapper Victoria Brito aka Vickatrillion, Kanye muse Luka Sabbat, and twin models Kelsey and Baylee Soles each talk about why gender stereotypes are limiting, proving that you don't have to identify as gender fluid in order to understand gender fluidity.

"As a woman, sometimes they just expect you to dress a certain way and act a certain way, and sometimes you aren't recognized for other things besides femininity," says Kelsey. "Each day I try to be a different character. I'll be really feminine one day, or really masculine another."

In February, Calvin Klein launched fragrance ck2, a sequel to the 1994 unisex classic CK One. CK One was the world's first unisex fragrance, and the original campaign became part of the '90s zeitgeist. Now, the gender-free ck2 is celebrating fluidity and coexistence by embracing how millennials are able to explore their relationships, friendships, and sexualities without judgement or labels.

 

Life Advice for Young Women from Huffpost Women

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We loved this list from Huffpost Women about advice we should pass on to young women as they enter adulthood.  It's great advice for anyone at that tumultuous transition from adolescence to young adulthood. Still, it's heartening to see so many empowering messages addressed specifically to young women when they might most need inspiration, encouragement and words of wisdom. 

It's also nice to see a focus on real-world advice to set young women up for success, as well as an embracing what truly makes each young woman wonderful and powerful. Check out an excerpt and the list of tips, and click through to read an explanation of each tip. 

huffingtonpost.com - I'm no expert on teenage girls, aside from the fact that I was one once -- but I gained a 17-year-old daughter a few summers ago, and as the mother of two young boys I wasn't 100 percent sure what to expect. Most people told me it was going to end horribly (including a few members of her family), but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, and that summer was as much a learning experience for me as it was for her.

I learned that if kids are given the opportunity to rise to the occasion, they most likely will. She was amazing and made me truly believe that our future is quite bright with lovely ladies like these on the verge of entering the adult world. I could make a list a mile long, but a lot of life is best learned along the way, so they'll get there. For now, here are 10 pieces of advice for her and others just like her to get adulthood started off right:

1. Get your college degree.

I'm serious. Live there, commute, or go back to school if you've quit, but just get your college degree. The wage gap is real. The differences will be subtle in the first few years, but once you're in your 30s, the wage gap is very, very real and will get exponentially larger over time. Also, education matters -- imagine what would happen to racism, sexism, and crime in this country if we had more educated citizens? Be one of them.

The tips:

1. Get your college degree. 2. When in college, pick a major that will get you a job. 3. If you have something nice to say, say it. 4. Keep your credit score impeccable. 5. Self-confidence is sexy as hell. 6. Get rid of the frenemies. 7. Don't assume that because someone has money, they have class. 8. Men are terrified of you. 9. Your parents love you, no matter what. 10. Be a beautiful person.

Read more about every tip here!