Today, I have no voice. Literally. We’re passing a little cold around our house, and it seems to have hit me the worst. (Hence the late post today – sorry about that!) So yesterday afternoon as I was teaching my second class of the day, my voice disintegrated into nothing. I didn’t realize how much I use my voice at home – I have two children, a puppy, and and older dog. I constantly interact verbally with these four small creatures. Not to mention my husband delighting in my silence – it is a very occasional thing around here that he gets the the last word – and even rarer that he gets the only word!
So what, you’re probably asking, does this have to do with teenagers or sex?
Well, because it reminds me of when I was a teenager. I talked a lot then too, but I wasn’t listened to very often. It hurts not to be listened to – either because of your age or your vocal cords.
My brother, 17 years old, is feeling like teenagers are discriminated against. My stepmother tells me that he voices his distress over this loudly and somewhat belligerently – just like I used to do! She said she was actually surprised and impressed that I still am focused on teenagers. When my teenage self that I would make teenagers my life’s work, she didn’t take me seriously.
Teenager’s voices are overlooked, ignored, and not taken seriously. I’m tired of this trend. It’s one of the reasons I do the work I do.
