Oh teens

Because I focus my library studies on children, tweens and teens, I have to focus on the things they love.  That means constantly being barraged with silly defenses of Justin Bieber's overalls, screeching about what One Direction socks they still need to buy, and their love/hate relationship with TSwift.  Currently, they have moved into full on hate mode. 

I am not shy about my disdain for Swift's songs.  I can't stand them.  But I just defended her to the teens in a heated argument.  

You see, in addition to learning everything that's happening in the pop culture world and what's happening on Glee (which I'm thankful for, because I checked out of that show this year), I also hear their thoughts on social media.  I say this without exaggeration: it is their whole life.  They can't function without it.  In some ways, it's great - they do their assignments, they use all the databases (yay libraries!), they keep in touch with teachers, friends, family.  Great.  In other ways, it is downright scary.  "They can't break up, because then it'll be on Facebook, and she'll look bad."  "She broke up with [him] and now she's writing on [this boy's] wall like such a slut." No! No No No NO NO.  Say it isn't so.  But it is so.  Unfortunately.

But with this idea of what a "relationship" and "sluttiness" must be, they have twisted ideas about Swift's dating life.  Yes, celebrities will always be widely publicized and scrutinized, it's a sad part of life.  And obviously, Swift's alleged dating of a now sacred boybander is unleashing the beasts inside fangirls.  But dating a lot of people does not make her a slut.  

And that's my new goal as a future librarian/current semi-librarian.  I want teens to understand that dating just one person for your entire life (though it works out for a few people) isn't the way the world works.  And while it's perfectly okay to be upset that their favorite boybander is no longer single (my heart was broken when Nick Carter was with Willa Ford), Swift doesn't need to be labeled as a slut.  

You can, of course, make fun of her songs.  I do.