Or partying with the Amish! Seriously, an interesting documentary on the Amish custom of allowing teenagers to embrace “English” (as they call the non-Amish) society.
Apparently, the Amish allow their children to mingle with the “English” when they turn 16. They are then allowed to explore our society until their 21st birthday, at which point they must either join the Amish church or leave Amish society. This documentary follows a couple of Amish teens and attempts to explain Amish culture.
Interestingly enough, during this time, Amish males tend to adopt “English” clothing while Amish females retain their traditional dress. So the documentary treats us to shots of bonneted chicks partying to rap music and punk amongst other things.
It’s a really balanced piece, IMHO, because it shows not only what the kids are doing, but what the elders thought of the whole thing. I have to say that I think that the Amish are quite progressive in some areas. They allow their children to experiment with sex and other things without looking down on them. Surprisingly enough, 90% of Amish children choose to join the Amish church.