Young Teen Freaks Review

"It’s not about being 'cool,'" Jax says, finally putting his safety pins away. "It’s about being human in a way that doesn't fit into a box. If that makes us freaks, then I hope we never grow out of it."

In a culture of "constant surveillance," the most radical thing a teenager can do is be unpredictable. They aren't rebelling against their parents—many of whom were 90s ravers or 80s punks themselves—but against the pressure to be a "brand." young teen freaks

As the meeting winds down, the group isn't talking about revolution or fashion. They’re talking about where to get the cheapest film developing and who’s hosting the next "noise night." In this basement, away from the prying eyes of data-miners and "For You" pages, they aren't freaks at all. They’re just kids, finally finding a place where being "weird" is the only requirement for entry. "It’s not about being 'cool,'" Jax says, finally

The air in the basement of the East Side Community Center smells of stale Red Bull and industrial-strength hairspray. It’s Tuesday night, and the "Young Teen Freaks"—a self-assigned moniker for a rotating collective of sixteen-year-old skaters, digital artists, and noise-punk enthusiasts—are holding their weekly "Manifesto Meeting." They aren't rebelling against their parents—many of whom

Ironically, while the Freaks pride themselves on their analog hobbies—zines, cassette tapes, and film photography—their community was forged in the dark corners of the internet. They met on Discord servers dedicated to obscure hyperpop and "weirdcore" aesthetics.