Claire Louge, age 16, Ithaca, NY, February 15, 2003
Robin Bowman
Claire Louge, age 16 There’s so many mixed messages aimed at teenagers. Like for example with sex: the media will be “Oh, have sex!” and stuff like that. And you know, since America was always a Puritanical society, we’re being bombarded with two different messages. “Don’t have sex” and “Have sex.” There’s so many mixed messages and the media has such a powerful impact, but then your family does too, and your friends do too. Yes, I’ve had a boyfriend… (laughs). With me guys are so frustrating; I don’t understand them and I don’t think I ever will. Because frankly the guys in our grade have no sex drive. They don’t want girls. They are just not interested. I don’t understand this because usually it’s the guy pursuing the girl but now, like this year especially, it’s the girls pursuing the guys! I don’t understand that at all! It’s impossible, but I would just love to have peace in the world. It would be so perfect if no one was always angry at each other, and always fighting. It’s ridiculous. In this protest, that’s what we’re trying to do. But that’s impossible. We can’t have no war in the world. Because there’s always going to be conflict, differences of opinion. And those opinions are going to clash and people are going to argue. You know with something like this protest, I couldn’t protest alone. I don’t think I could have a really big impact by myself, just one person, because to act in large numbers is essential. I think the feeling of being really loved or accepted
makes me the happiest. |