Young People and Body Art Issue 13 Home Page

Why Young People Want to Look Rebellious Angela Regina Pinto Teixeirafrom Brazil Photo: Sandy Peters One way young people express themselves is by dyeing their hair bright colors.   Angela, the mother of a 14-year old daughter, reflects on the reasons why young people want to look different and special. One day I was on my way home when I saw a strange couple. They looked young, sixteen, maybe eighteen. They looked beautiful as well, but what caught my eye were their signs of youth. They were wearing black clothes, but at the same time the clothes were colorful. The boy's head looked like an explosion. He got his hair colored bright red with pieces of metal on the ends. He wore black sunglasses. The girl's hair was blue, and she had a tattoo on her ankle. They hugged and walked in the street like all the other couples. In truth, without their colorful hair, they seemed pretty much what they were: just a young couple. Why don't young people want to look like anybody they know? I started thinking, and instead of concluding something, a lot of possibilities came to my mind. They could be showing that they are living their best years, a time to believe they are very different and very special. And, as special people, they believe themselves to be people who are able to break rules. Photos: Thomas and Sandy Peters Some young people get their hair spiked or shaved. Others get it dyed red, blue, or green. Some even get their hair braided and then decorated with small metal decorations. Maybe because they still believe they will be the first ones who have wished to change things. These beliefs about change are clear signs of youth, and, thank God, they will grow up trying. The world needs this kind of people. The world needs this kind of renovation. New ideas, new models, and new assemblies will always be very welcome. I prefer to believe that young people want to do good things. Even if they get their hair dyed and have tattoos on their bodies, they aren't necessarily suspects. They aren't always potential criminals. Some of them may belong to gangs, but I have seen criminals who don't have either red hair or tattoos. I prefer to believe they are using their tattooed bodies and colorful hair as another way to show us that they are here to take their place and to make their changes. And they will do the best they can.   More on Body Art: Why Some People Like Body Art | A Tattoo is a Beautiful Work of Art A Tattoo is Just a Picture on Your Body Return to: Young People and Body Art | Issue 13 | Home Page TOPICS Online Magazine - ©1997-2008 - Sandy and Thomas Peters - topics.mag@gmail.com