Adulteens

14 at the time, but made to look like an adult

Both Merchants of Cool and MissRepresentation showed that girls are often expected to mature into fully fledged women (by which I mean sexual) at very young ages, sometimes even before they hit puberty. The caricature of the "mook," on the other hand, acts dumb and immature. However, all teens are limited in their portrayal in the media.

In teen TV shows such as Riverdale or 13 Reasons Why, the characters are, the vast majority of the time, played by adults in their 20s or even 30s. These actors and actresses so often look older than the teenagers they are portraying. They have passed through the awkwardness of their teenage years and normally have more adult faces than actual high schoolers.

For girls, this simply reinforces the standard that they must mature as quickly as possible, in order to emulate the idols they see on TV. For guys, however, these actors create a double standard -- adolescent males are expected to retain the boyish immaturity and gaiety of youth while simultaneously developing the features of adults. In other words, their emotions are stunted (perhaps to even younger than their actual age) while physical maturity is encouraged at an exponential rate.

Adolescence is probably the most superficial and awkward time of a person's life. Teenagers stand on the cusp of adulthood but are not yet free from their childish ways of old. Teens are stuck in a strange limbo, belonging a little bit to both sides, but, more accurately, to neither at all.

We have zits. We have bad skin. We are tall and bony, or short and stout. It's an awkward and unattractive phase of life for most people. But we never see that reflected in the media. Every so-called teenager knows how to perfectly apply makeup, has no pimples, and has the 'perfect' body type (six-pack for guys, toned -- but not too toned -- for girls). Basically, not realistic at all.

We need people we can identify with. We should be allowed to embrace our ugliness, not have it hidden behind fake portrayals of teenagers. Just once, can magazines and movies have a 'teenager' that's imperfect?

Say it clear, say it loud. We are awkward. We are proud.

Definitely not high-schoolers IRL