The New York Times Editorial Staff - Teen Activists

Students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School joined hands with local activists during a rally in Greensboro, N.C., in August 2018. The rally was part of a nationwide tour to register voters and pursue stricter gun laws.

Through walkouts, marches, die-ins, sit-ins, rallies and clapbacks on Twitter, teenagers proved to be informed and motivated. Several teens emerged as leaders of the gun control movement. Emma Gonzlez, David Hogg and Sarah Chadwick, all of whom survived the Parkland shooting, became the faces of the cause. Emma Gonzlez and David Hogg would become the most visible, enduring the most criticism and personal attacks, while Sarah Chadwick became known for her amusing and unapologetic action on Twitter.

While the activists may have been expecting opposition from lawmakers, they would also face the emotional burden of fighting for change after having experienced trauma and loss. Activism as a teenager is particularly challenging, as the journey from adolescence to adulthood is difficult in itself. The Parkland teenagers, and all teenage activists, must weigh their activism against their last years of childhood. Emma Gonzlez and David Hogg both faced insults and threats. David Hogg was the victim of a swatting incident, during which someone called the police to his home to investigate a false claim. Teenagers on opposing sides of the gun control movement also faced challenges. Those not in favor of stricter gun laws found it difficult to speak up and navigate classrooms so heavily dominated by gun control activists.

The ultimate outcome of todays teenage activism is not yet clear. Whether change will occur in gun control or not, the issue is ingrained in the nations identity: This is the largest teenage movement in the 21st century so far. Teenagers have carved out a space for themselves in a political and social conversation by defending their rights to life and liberty. As the tools of activism evolve and teen activists continue to be vocal about climate change, L.G.B.T.Q. rights, gun control and more, only time will tell how society will respond to the concerns of these young activists.

CHAPTER 1

From the Individual to the Collective

Teenagers in the United States are vocal on many issues. They protest high school dress codes. They reject obligations to participate in national anthems and pledges. They sue their government over climate change. They both protest, and fight for, the rights of L.G.B.T.Q. students. The teens of the 21st century do not always agree with each other, but they are motivated and well-equipped enough to generate buzz and, perhaps, to generate change for issues that affect individuals and society as a whole.

Baring Shoulders and Knees, Students Protest a Dress Code

BY AL BAKER | JUNE 6, 2012

THE FIRST HINT of the looming rebellion came from the lips of Hao Yang, 17, as he practiced ballroom dancing outside Stuyvesant High School on Wednesday morning, the first licks of sunlight casting a long shadow that made a perfect dance partner on the wall behind him.

Its Slutty Wednesday, said Hao, a senior from Brooklyn, who is headed to Carnegie Mellon University to study electrical engineering.

Today.

Within minutes, a demonstration materialized on West Street, in Lower Manhattan, opposite the entrance to Stuyvesant, one of New York Citys most prestigious public high schools: Scores of giddy students, who had mostly come up from the nearby subway portals, were massing under a tree.

Were not coming in, like, naked, said Andreas Petrossiants, 17, left, with Gil Spivak, also 17. This is acceptable to wear by societys standards.