Aimee

What would you spend $50 on right now?

Hm, if there’s a cheap domestic flight to some city in NZ, I’d take the flight and go walk around. 

What’s the last thing you googled?

Decalcomania.

Ok give me your life story to date?

I was born in China, but I moved here when I was one. I’ve been here, in this house, for like 15 years. I do ballet and hip hop, I like maths and physics. I’m in the Rewa Allstars, I’m a house captain and I write for Villainesse. I go to Manurewa High School, which has made me so aware of the cultural dynamics in NZ. It’s interesting because there’s such a Pasifika influence in that school, the eurocentric beauty standards don’t apply there. Then I travel to the inner city and it’s so different!

Does South Auckland feel really different in comparison to the city?

I feel in South Auckland you’re really aware that you’re surviving despite circumstances, rather than somewhere like on the Shore where you’re surviving because of the nice circumstances. And like, there’s this insta-saying that goes, “South Auckland Is Not Auckland.” It’s referring to the media portrayal of South Auckland. Growing up in South Auckland you see all the headlines that say, “Guman in South Auckland!” But when there’s something positive it’s like, “An Auckland high school!….” 

What’s the most pressing issue facing young people in NZ right now?

We do this thing in NZ where we have to be fine. We’re not encouraged to reach out if we’re having issues, it’s met with, “Oh you poor thing, you’ll get better…!” It’s band-aiding. And there’s also this thing with tall poppy syndrome where, especially with young women, we don’t like to play up our strengths. 

Well, obviously you’re really successful and a high flyer. I know we like to think we’re post-sexist these days, but do people still find smart successful women intimidating?

Yeah that was my ex. What with me being intelligent and artistic and dancing, if I went to an art show or maths comp he’d be worried I’d meet someone who was ‘on my level.’ And he said he felt like he was another slot on my schedule. It’s why I don’t want a relationship again because I just feel like at this stage you shouldn’t sacrifice that much for a boy. I wasn’t willing to. 

So is the feminist struggle still real for young women?

Yeah, yeah it is. We’re getting to the deeply ingrained stuff on gender now. And unless you’ve felt it yourself you’d think everything was fine. But it’s the little stuff that shows these deep systems still exist, and we need to get to the foundation which holds up these racist sexist systems. 

Your generation are characterised as triggered snowflakes – do you think that’s fair?

Unfair. We’ve just got a good grasp of human and civil rights. They’ve just never seen a generation so righteous and confident about it. We know what we’re doing, and we know what we’re doing is right.

What’s the biggest mischaracterisation about 18 year old girls?

The idea that we’re one dimensional. You know people think, “Oh she’s the school slut/drama kid/the nerd.” There’s no idea that a girl can get top grades AND like sex AND masturbate AND play guitar AND be all these different things at once. We just have narrow labels.

Ok, what will success look like to you when you’re 30?

Ah, I’ll be living in NZ. I want to work and travel abroad, I want to be doing something I love…The dream is to be a writer. It would be nice to be married, but I don’t imagine it as necessary to be happy. Right now, it’s not important for me to be in a relationship. I do so much that it’s easier not to be.

Give me three words to sum up how 18 feels right now?

Uncertain, fun and intrepid – there’s a lot of stuff happening that you’re scared of but you’d never want to turn back!