The Sad Shutdown of Teen Vogue

I wasn't supposed to be a fan of this magazine. Yet for the last decade, I would talk about it on stage, subscribe to their stories and routinely turn to their articles as a chance for me to understand a culture other than my own. Teen Vogue helped keep my thinking non-obvious. Now they are being shut down and folded back into the larger Vogue magazine family, and editor-in-chief Versha Sharma (who led the rise of the media platform) has exited the company:

Sharma’s leadership had helped redefine Teen Vogue from a glossy fashion spinoff into a respected outlet for political commentary and cultural reporting. Under her direction, the site became known for smart, youth-driven coverage of climate activism, reproductive rights, and social justice. Her departure, paired with the loss of key reporters, has many questioning whether that edge can survive inside Vogue.com.

This was a perspective that is largely missing from most media. There isn't a "teen" version of any other publication (that I can recall) which offers a more progressive and thoughtful take on the stories that should matter and inspires thoughtful reflection among people under 18. As social media overtakes much of the media diet for people of all ages, this sort of long form credible journalism is more necessary than ever. I'm sorry Teen Vogue is being folded into Vogue and probably losing the things that made it so compelling. I do hope that something else will come and offer that perspective instead. If you know of any platforms that do this which you could suggest, I would be grateful ... and I can share it back in a future edition of this newsletter too.