Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: The Atlantic Out Loud
Episode: Fast Times and Mean Girls
Description: What the great teen movies tell us about American adolescence
By Hillary Kelly
From the July 2025 issue.
Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You’ll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices