Black and Blue

It's tough be a teenager. Lots of angst about your identity, role in the world, homework and fashion choices. It was really challenging to try to keep up with the uber-hipsters at my high school whose styles gave the school a reputation for being super cool and perhaps a bit outrageous. This was the late '80s when people were covered in rubber bracelets, stomped around in Doc Martens and frequently dyed their hair black or an oh-so-natural fluorescent shade. Imagine, to my surprise, that high school kids now are taking on many '80s inspired fashion statements, albeit with a bit of a 21st century twist. Fashion has often been a tool for political and social messages whether it's a statement stamped proudly across a shirt, to a color choice or just what you do or do not wear (such as fur). Do Something, the youth activist organization, has taken those generic rubber bracelets that I grew up with, which are making an appearance again amongst teens, but they added an important social message. Do Something is selling a packet of 3 bracelets in blue and black to remind teenagers of the shocking statistic that 1 in 3 of them are abused in a relationship. Yes, 1 in 3 teenagers today are in an abusive relationship. I certainly was unaware of this unbelievable statistic and like domestic abuse, it's something that needs to be brought to light, addressed and stopped. Teenagers are often loathe to call out a friend or stand out from their peers. Do Something's 1 in 3 campaign offer lots of easy ways for teens to make this a priority issue in their communities. Wearing the bracelets is a fashionably cool to say no to teen dating abuse. Whether or not you're a teen, supporting this campaign will definitely make you hip.