The Roundup

It's been awhile since I've posted - I've been dealing with some medical issues and watching the Olympics. However, I'm back and ready to bring y'all some more radical youth rights theory. I'm starting right now with links to some important youth rights stories, including those celebrating our nation's youngest Olympic heroes who defy the demeaning stereotype that young people are incapable of the focus needed for serious achievement.

Olympic gold medalists in gymnastics Gabby Douglas (16), Jordyn Wieber (17), McKayla Maroney (16), Aly Raisman (18), and Kyla Ross (15) show the amazing accomplishments young women are capable of despite living in a society that denies them their full civil and human rights. These amazing individuals all began training in elementary school.

Katie Ledecky (15) is an Olympic swimming champion and the youngest Olympian in all of Team USA. 

Missy Franklin (17) is another amazing Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer. 

On a less inspiring note, Virgin Airlines is providing an example of what I mean when I talk about age apartheid.

My friend and an incredible youth rights theorist, Katrina Moncure, has written an excellent blog post problematizing the ageist social panic surrounding young women supposedly reaching puberty earlier.

A small but to my knowledge largely unprecedented step in the right direction on youth rights from the Canadian legal system.

Disability rights activist Lydia Brown, who I got to meet for the first time recently, has written a beautiful blog post about her disability rights advocacy which sums up a lot of my own feelings about my advocacy on youth rights issues. Lydia is a brilliant theorist when it comes to disability rights issues and I encourage all of you to check out her blog.