To be honest, I'm getting tired of opening magazines and newspapers only to find endless opinion editorials and columns about why Skins US is a bad, bad show. The word 'bulwark' has been used so many times that it's stuck in my head and keeps popping up at random moments. My mind works in funny ways, yes I know. I am a proud 'Skinhead'; for Skins UK that is. I can't stand the US version. I can't think of a better word to describe how I feel about Skins. I could go on and on about the pure awesomeness. But then again, this is just me. A lot of people feel like it's just another unnecessary tv show.

I have a problem mostly, with these columnists and PTC parents with their knickers in a wad, who are constantly talking about Skins and how it's a bad influence on their kids. The most irritating comments are those that claim Skins is a delivery system for the vices that they claim to be bulwarks against (There goes that irritating word). To those parents, adults in general, who claim that Skins is infecting the youth, I have one question - How exactly do you know what your kids are doing when you're not watching?

I am strongly against decisions made by people who don't know what the hell they're talking about. It's like a disease; it's everywhere. In healthcare, reproductive and social justice, in the so-called democracy. I am yet to see any rule that has been made by an affected person to remedy a situation. Or maybe I haven't looked hard enough. I honestly don't know. The UK version was written by Bryan Elsley, along with his then 19 year-old son Jaimie Brittain. A few episodes were even written by some of the cast. You want realistic? There, you got it. Maybe a few things were made up, but I'm pretty sure that having these teenagers write scripts for episodes was for the sole purpose of infusing the show with reality.

Your kids might be sweet little angels. If they are, good for you. You have done a good job parenting. If they have been sweet as honey thus far in life, is a TV show really going to turn them into monsters overnight? I assume these well-mannered angels are a product of common sense and good parenting. If they possess the good sense to stay away from drugs and alcohol, seeing Eura or whatever her name is walk home all disheveled after a night of partying really isn't going to turn your baby girl into a streetwalker. Here's another question - As a parent, are you really so unobservant as to allow your teenager sneak out night after night to party until dawn? Don't blame the show, blame the lack of attention and communication.

Skins UK in my opinion, did a very good job. For me, it's kind of a behind the scenes tour of teenage life. British teenage life at least. It's not all about partying. The show explores issues of a deeper nature, personalizing them and giving them a voice. The show says to me, "This is what life is like for British teens. It's the good and the bad. They do drugs, they drink, they have sex, they get pregnant, they party like animals. This is what happens when the lights go out and the parents are asleep." Tony is the perfect example for the fact that one can't judge a book by its cover. Yes he's cheeky, but isn't he incredibly smart? He's just as bad as the lot of them but he knows when to call it quits and focus on the important stuff.

Maxxie and Anwar who are best friends in the UK version are an example of the serious nature of the show. Maxxie is gay, and Anwar is a Muslim. There's an entire episode dedicated to their relationship and the issues that must be reconciled due to their differing beliefs. Since MTV copped out and made the US version of Maxxie a feminine, lesbian cheerleader, we're never going to see that happen innit? Tea and whatshisface aren't best friends. I hear the girl is good but I wouldn't know. I refuse to watch it. It's so bleh.

Speaking as a young person with a brain in her head, if a person's personality is so weak that they could be swayed enough by Skins to think wild, destructive behavior is cool, it means parents have a lot more work to do. We are surrounded and immersed daily in a society suffused with sexual pressure, but still there are those who choose to wait until marriage. They aren't drinking from a different water source or breathing different air. They don't have two brains. There are far more alarming and outrageous things that teens could copy. Stop coddling your kids 'cos when they eventually get free, they'll go wild like animals in a zoo. I attended a girls-only boarding school for three years where the principal constantly talked about boys were no-good and told us to stay away from them. When some of my schoomates were let loose, the events that followed were scary.

So PTC and all you other adults out there, take a chill pill and put all that energy to good use. How about making comprehensive sex ed available for your teens instead of all that abstinence-only, you're-worthless-if-you-have-sex crap. Focus more on strenghtening the individuality of our youth. Teach them how to put their minds to good use. How about that eh?