3 Things Millennials Went Through As Teenagers That Would Make Gen Z Cry
The '90s and early '00s were a whole lot different...
cottonbro studio | Pexels If you were a millennial teen in the late '90s and early 2000s, you know that just watching movies and TV was a completely different experience. Back then, well, the meanness of "Mean Girls" was just totally accepted. This was, after all, a generation of teens that followed in the footsteps of movies like "Heathers." That's not to say that kids weren't sensitive to bullying, but mindsets and bad habits don't change overnight, and there were plenty of questionable acts that were socially acceptable then that would never fly today. And that's a good thing! That being said, there was a whole lot about being a millennial teen that would absolutely make Gen Z break down in tears, and that's not lip service.
Forget cancel culture and political correctness. Millennial teens were raised on a cocktail of body shaming, low-rise jeans, and bullying. Gen Z today might love the aesthetic, but life back then just wouldn’t match their vibe.
3 things about millennial teen life that would make Gen Z cry:
1. There was no cancel culture.
The 1999 hit "American Pie" is the perfect example of millennial teen life. It's a high school broken into cliques that exemplify the division between popular and not popular. And seriously, let's not forget that the sole purpose of all the female characters in the film was as objects of lust for the teen boys.
Then there’s "South Park." It still exists today, but back then, it was absolutely merciless, joking about religion, disability, and race. Yes, it was meant to be a criticism of societal norms, but it was definitely not meant for teens, and yet they watched it without understanding the bigger picture.
When millennials were teens, radio was still popular, and the king of radio was Howard Stern. While the famed personality has changed his ways over the years, it's hard to forget that he basically built his fame on bullying. Bullying was comedy back then. Not only would he relentlessly torture his guests with harsh criticisms, but he would especially degrade women. He really suffered zero blowback for his actions because you simply didn't cancel anyone back then.
2. Bullying was just a part of life
Millennials were taught that "Sticks and stones might break my bones, but names will never hurt me." That's how adults taught them to deal with the rampant bullying that was simply part of life. Adults took the view that it built character and made kids and teens tough and able to handle the harsh real world. Basically, it gave kids the green light to mean to each other and there were no repercussions.
In a piece written for Talked, Emma Reliason, who holds a B.A. in Psychology, explained, "Millennials grew up in a day and age where emotions and feelings weren’t talked about the way they are now. If you were knocked down on the playground, you were given a Band-Aid and an ice pack." She went on to say, "Back then, bullying was featured on TV shows, and in movies, and almost became a constant source of humour in entertainment. There wasn’t nearly as much education around the devastating mental effects of bullying, so this kind of torment was often left up to the children to resolve themselves."
"Gossip Girl" was wildly popular, but the show basically glamorized bullying. Remember "She's All That?" The ugliest girl in high school couldn't possibly become prom queen. That was the plot of the entire movie. Bullying, as Reliason explained, was so ingrained in the social culture that it was integral to entertainment, and literally no one was safe.
3. Living in a body larger than size small was a crime against humanity
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Let’s just look at how magazines portrayed Jessica Simpson. In 2009, a photo of the star went viral from a performance for Radio 99.9 Kiss Country’s annual Chili Cookoff. At 120 pounds and a size 4, Simpson was lambasted for being fat. That bullying continued for years, and she wasn't the only celebrity whose weight became fodder for tabloids.
America Ferrera was typecast as the fat girl in basically all her roles, from "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" to the most egregious "Ugly Betty." In "The Devil Wears Prada," Stanley Tucci's character Nigel tells Anne Hathaway's character Andy, who happened to be eating soup for lunch, "You do know that cellulite is one of the main ingredients in corn chowder."
We can also take a look at how the media portrayed Britney Spears during her personal struggles. TV shows mocked her haircuts, mental health, and public breakdowns. They even called her a "whale," after her 2007 MTV Music Awards appearance.
Basically, you were either stick thin or you were fat, and there was no room for curves, muscles, or health in the mix. Diet culture was a way of life, and it has led to an entire generation that still struggles with body image issues.
So, is it a good thing that times have changed? YES. But Gen Z needs to face the fact that Y2K wasn't as cool as they make it out to be.
Matt Machado is a writer studying journalism at the University of Central Florida. He covers relationships, psychology, celebrities, pop culture, and human interest topics.
