ABOUT

Are your main concerns college debt and the season two premiere of Girls?

You're in the right place.

This is where our high school dreams of being an adult are crushed by no future job prospects and the realization that we are not Rory Gilmore. This is where Boy met World, and he's not so pleased. Stuck between a doomed future and Kimye, thinking we deserve better. And even though we don't, we don't care because we know everything (or so we think) and we're going to let everyone know it. We're the tweeters, bloggers, and social media-ites. The new adults trying make our space in the world, growing pains included. This is where it's all about Generation Me; the self-obsessed, self-entitled, and not-so-self-aware.

This Is Twenty.

Contributors:

The Democrat: Gabriela 

Could you explain your first experience with a gun and how it effected your views on gun control and the 2nd Amendment?

My dad recently bought two guns, and before this guns were something I had seen in movies and on cops, but never so close. When I see a police officer, their gun is the first thing my eyes are drawn to and I believe it's the reason they make me so nervous. Anyways, when my dad got his first gun, he came to my room to teach me how to load it in case of an emergency. I can't explain why but I didn't even want the gun near me. I felt like throwing up and my hands were shaking. I couldn't even load it because I was terrified of accidentally shooting myself.

I've always had pretty narrow views on gun control, and my experience with a gun might have reinforced it, but to me it's always been clear that the second amendment was not intended for people to buy guns just for fun. In the time the constitution was written, people had muskets that they took with them to the army. We were a country that just overcame a revolution! Of course people needed guns. The second amendment is not so you can have an semi automatic. This country needs stricter gun laws because at this point it seems ridiculous not to. 

Why Mr. Darcy?
Uh, why not? Cliché or not, Pride and Prejudice is my favorite love story. I've read the book a million times and have seen almost every adaptation. Mr. Darcy is the real deal. 

Maybe it's the rough around the edges thing he has going on. He's super rich and kind, but no one can see it except the people close to him because he's socially awkward, distant, and comes off as a snob. I read an article that compared it to the Beauty and the Beast effect, which I agree with very much.

Also, he does amazingly nice things and he doesn't brag about them, he doesn't want anyone to know. He does them just because he wants to help, but doesn't even want the recognition. He loves Lizzie, and not only for her looks but for her intellect, her wit, and for who she really is. He sees her as equal to him despite her family, wealth, and status. 

And mostly, I think Mr. Darcy is the ultimate example of asshole with a heart of gold that is my favorite type of boy.

Is Kim Kardashian helping or hurting feminism? And why do you love her so much?

People often like to complain about my girl, Kimmy K. Why is she famous, she doesn't do anything, she's so stupid, blah blah blah. I love her and I'm unapologetic about it, if you don't want to take me seriously because of it then your prerogative. 

Like it or not, the Kardashian Klan is basically an empire, they do it all and make money off it too. This family has made itself into a household name. Is it because Kim had a sex tape? Yes, maybe. But that can only get you so far. These are not stupid women. I don't care what they appear to be, but you can't be as successful as they are and be a moron. 

That said, I love Kim because in Hollywood, where beauty is being model thin and willowy and tall, she is one of the most beautiful women in the world. She's 5'2 and super curvy and she's proud of it. People criticize the outfits she wears all the time and I've actually heard people say that she doesn't dress right for her body type at times, but hello! She takes fashion risks. She wears clothes that were meant for 5'10 models on the runway and works it. Sometimes it doesn't look great but at least she doesn't let Hollywood stuff her in a box of the things she can and can't wear. Plus she's funny. 

Is she hurting feminism? I don't think so. You know what's hurting feminism? Girls hating on other girls because they're jealous. Slut shaming Kimmy because she's a bombshell and she knows it. Who said feminist have to be women who don't shave and hate men? Kim and the rest of the Kardashian's are strong, economically independent business women. Whether you like it or not. 

The Feminist: Lindsey

Who is one person you try you model your life after and why?

The most cliche, but honest answer to this: my big sister. I know most people would have some cool movie star (I do try and keep it Hepburn-classy), some high powered politician (Totally wish I was Hilary Clinton a little, as every girl should), or some powerful figure in history (Queen Elizabeth I is quite a gal), but while all these women, and many others (men included, because MLK will always be a huge inspiration to me) have huge impacts on how I live my life, none of them really match up to my sister for me.

Not only is Cristina (see: Dear MiamiGirl) one of the strongest people I know, but she's one of the most intelligent, and she's constantly sharing that with me. She's taught me not only to be open-minded about everything, but also respectful of even those who are close-minded; to constantly seek knowledge and expand my horizons in all aspects of life; and most importantly: to never judge a book by its cover... unless it is so pretty it makes you want to buy it.

How do you find the balance between femininity and feminism?

Why exactly is there a separation between the two? This is a really big misconception both men and women have about feminists and it's one I'll never quite understand. Why can't you be a feminist, and be feminine? For me, being a feminist is all about getting equality I've been denied. I don't want to be better than men, I don't think men are stupid and a**holes; I think we are all one in the same, and we all deserve the same rights. And why can't I do that while wearing small dresses, flattering tops, cute hair pins, and hello kitty everything? Why can't I live a pink-filled life, while also wanting to shatter the glass ceiling? 

So basically, I DON'T find a balance, because there is no need to. I DON'T struggle with this, and no girl should. Be whoever you want to be, like whatever you want to like, and treat everyone the way you want/are/expect to be treated. Believe in and work for equality and never let people get you down. (also written about this on Dear MiamiGirl here)

As a Disney princess-in-training and a fellow pandawan, how do you feel about Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilms? 

I think they better not screw it up! I grew up on Star Wars, literally. I can still remember the first marathon my dad made me sit through, all three of the first movies right in a row the day before Episode II came out. I was fixated. I still mourn the loss of my Padmé Barbie doll to this day. So this deal, mostly because the announcement of new movies being produced, gave me a pretty good case of the nerves.

I just really didn't get it. He can't just be low on cash! So as I'm sure fellow Star Wars fans did, the first thing I did after hearing this news was go straight to google to find out just exactly what was going through George Lucas' head. As much as I LOVE Disney… why? Why mess with the saga he had created and perfected over almost 30 years? But as he said, and I quote, "It's now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers," and I guess I can understand that. I think he's trying to share a big, amazing part of his life with others in his field, and I love that. And in reality, who else would he have sold it to? Disney and Star Wars have had a long standing relationship, so I guess it makes sense. I just hope whoever gets to take their swing at these new films (J.J. Abrams to begin with) treats this gem of a story with the respect it deserves, and does us Star Wars lovers right.

The Radical: Andrew

Is queer culture helping or negatively impacting the gay community?

Of course those who identify as queer don't have negative effects on not only the  gay community, but the social community as well. If anything they show us the diversity and complexities of sexuality while challenging gender roles and identity. I have addressed certain behaviors I have noticed in "queer culture"  on my personal blog;

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with identifying as queer but it is a problem to assume that being queer made your life so much more harder than someone else’s. And this too pertains to anybody who sees other people’s struggles as inferior to theirs. 

I’ve seen this most recently in the “queer [blogging] community” where instead of advocating or informing people of queer beliefs and culture, they are bashing other’s for their level of “privilege”. Besides that privilege talk is offensive and insensitive, it is becoming okay for people to put their suffrage on a pedestal. 

It is fine to speak about your struggles but not to put someone else’s down. This is the same idea of “gays being the new black”. No. Gays aren’t the new black because blacks are still here, racism is still prevalent. Homophobia is still prevalent. 

This battle amongst minorities of who has it worse is extremely ineffective. If your goal is to reach the top then you are not for equality. "

Its important to include more queer philosophy back into the mainstream gay community. Gender roles are being forced into same-sex couples (e.i. the submissive or passive in the relationships labeled as the “girl” or “wife” in the relationship, an obvious offense to women) where you would think they would have no place. 

What is it about the Jane Austen Book Club (movie) that you find so appealing?

Who really built the pyramids? What happened to Amelia Earhart? Where is the Holy Grail? Why do I love the Jane Austen Book Club (the movie)? Yes, the movie because I have never read the book nor attempted to. Like the greatest mysteries of the world, I really do not know why I love that movie so much. Could be because some of my favorite movies are modern adaptions of Jane Austen's work (Clueless, Bridget Jones). Could be because I love Jane Austen. But just like figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, the world may never know.  

How do you feel about DC's choice of Green Lantern to represent the gay community in the comic book community?

As a gay fanboy with a DC preference and childhood crush on Green Lantern, I was too excited when I heard the news . Though it's hard to explain, let alone understand the DC universe and the difference between the first Green Lantern, Alan Scott, and the most popular Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, it should be known that over the years the man behind the ring as changed (e.g.. John Stewart was black). In 2011, DC relaunched all it's ongoing series with The New 52 in which Alan Scott (who was believed to be died in the previous Brightest Days series) was reintroduced as being gay.

Scott's new storyline includes a boyfriend who is killed after proposing and thus Scott is motivated by vengeance and becomes the Green Lantern. Many superheroes become heroes to avenge a lost loved one, such as the obvious Batman. For DC to use such a cliche template could mean changing many perceptions of homosexuality. Alan Scott being driven by love could be seen just the same as any other superheroes who are also motivated by their loved ones, revealing that homosexual relationships are not any different than that of a heterosexual couple's. 

Much of the backlash came rom religious conservatives who believe that comic book characters could turn their children gay (an idiotic assumption and a poor understanding of sexuality) and fans who believe that revamping the Green Lantern as gay had no effect on the character and was only an attempt of political correctness. Though I believe the latter to be true, comic books are meant to reflect our progressions society. A gay Green Lantern could help younger children struggling with their sexuality and could also prevent kids from bullying others. Looking up to Green Lantern could now mean not looking down at gays. Looking up to a gay man and not see him as gay but as a hero could mean the end to sexual orientation as an label. And lets be real, in a group of hunks and Amazon women wearing tight costumes, one of them had to be gay.