Over the past several years, teens and young adults have become increasingly educated on the inequalities in our society. From the wage gap to cultural appropriation, adolescents have become more aware of the prejudices everyone faces — and social media is the perfect platform for people to learn about equality gaps and how to get involved with them. The intersections of race, class, gender, disability, and other identity categories are crucial in understanding and addressing inequity. Here are a few people who spend their time educating the population on these issues and more.
Amandla Stenberg — This 17 year old actress (who is best known for her role as Rue in The Hunger Games) is an avid activist, particularly via social media. Stenberg speaks out against a number of issues, but focuses on race, gender, and sexuality-based discrimination and inequality. Amandla released a video on April 15, 2015, which addressed cultural appropriation, specifically with black culture and black hairstyles.
John Legend — Most people in this day and age know who John Legend is for his music and pop culture following, but not everybody knows how strong of a stance he takes on intersectional issues. He has used his large following to bring attention to police brutality, institutional racism, and gun control by addressing these issues on his Twitter account (which has 7.9 million followers.) He has also made himself very vocal on issues surrounding gender equality, including co-hosting “The Sound of Change,” a charity concert that raised money to improve the lives of women internationally.
Zendaya Coleman — This Disney Channel star has taken to the internet and interviews to stand up against prejudice. At 19, Coleman often focuses on internalized misogyny, race-related prejudices, and self acceptance. Most prominently, Coleman called E! Fashion Police host Giuliana Rancic (and the majority of celebrity media) out on the double standard black women face when they wear locs or natural hair, versus when white women wear the same hairstyles. In Coleman’s experience, she was ridiculed and told she probably “smelled like patchouli oil and weed” by Rancic when she wore locs on the Oscar’s red carpet; when Miley Cyrus, a white musician, wore “locs” at the MTV Video Movie Awards, she was praised and told her hairstyle was “high fashion” and “the new trend.”
Rowan Blanchard — Blanchard first came into the spotlight when she landed the role of Riley Matthews on Girl Meets World. She has used her fame to spread knowledge of intersectional feminism and the oppression that marginalized groups face every day. As a woman of color, this 14 year old addresses almost everything — from racism to abortion — and does it in a way that an average 14 year old would not be able to.
