Teen Gothic

What I'm about to write isn't just about recounting my memories, but about addressing the countless questions that so many young people ask themselves: "What does it mean to be goth?" and "Am I goth enough?"

I wouldn't say I'm an old goth, but I was goth at a time and in a place where it had a very strong meaning. By the 2000s, we were already far removed from the original movement, but there was a revival. I was lucky enough to experience it in a European capital at that time. There were parties, bars, bands, and artists. Since we didn't yet have smartphones, social media, etc., if you were part of that scene, it was truly because you wanted to be, because you'd been introduced to the right people. There was this network aspect that really gave it its underground feel. You didn't end up there by chance, but because you were looking for something unusual. All social classes mingled.

Naturally, it attracted all sorts of strange characters. We all came from completely messed-up families, many had experienced terrible things. And I think what united us psychologically was the desire to confront the darkness. We had experienced violence, perversion, things that were very traumatic for teenagers, and we drew our strength from a kind of revenge. Yes, we dressed in black, yes, we shocked people, yes, we listened to music that talked about death, that blasphemed and talked about sex and cemeteries, yes, people gave us dirty looks in the street, none of that scared us, we liked playing with fear, maybe because we were often very afraid in the development of our personalities. It was therapeutic, in a way.

I'm not judging the young people who want to rebuild this movement, which has already been alive and dead several times. But seriously, if you want to keep this going: don't worry about whether you fit in. Don't be afraid to be disruptive, to be the only one saying something, don't try to play it safe, but don't be mean either, but accept that it's a playground for what makes you uncomfortable. If you go there trying to please others, you'll miss out on what creates the energy and you won't experience anything worthwhile. What will connect you to others is breaking boundaries together, including your own. You're not there by chance, so go for it, and see what happens. Go on an adventure, don't be afraid, you're going to rock.

If you don’t know who buck-tick is it’s a Japanese “Gothic rock” band from the 80’s. I’d recommend kiss me goodbye and Dress as first time listens.

I'm tired of not being able to dress or even say that I'm goth because it's going to be taken in a more sexual way than anything else, I'm tired of posting a picture and having weird people write obscene things to me. No matter how alternative you make yourself look, there's always going to be someone who comments something sexual and it's disgusting. Internet culture has greatly distorted the meaning of being goth and now everyone who claims to be interested in that type of people is only talking about e-girls with black lipstick and tight black clothes.

I’m sure I’m not the first person to ask this, and I probably won’t be the last, but I find post-punk “purists” very confusing and want to see what you guys think. Essentially I’ve heard people argue that modern goth music “isn’t goth” and is rather something else entirely, but why? I never see anyone call modern rock bands anything but rock (ignoring sub-genres), but none of them sound like the Stones or, hell, the Beatles. Why do some people hold our music to the same standard when the point is for it to keep evolving? I mean wouldn’t the same thing over and over again get stale and boring after a while?

I got to college in my small midwestern town and It literally sucks being goth here I swear. I put on the cure for someone who "listens to everything" and I get weird looks. I decide to actually get dressed up for a day and I get once again WEIRD LOOKS. I like love myself and everything about me and being goth but goddddd I got told going to college and no one will care what you do and how you look but I get here and It like. Anyone else in a small town know how to get over goth stage fright lmao????

Maybe I'm just oversimplifying it, but it really seems like only one core tenant needs to truly be met to claim oneself as goth: listen to and appreciate the music. If the music isn't goth, there's nothing wrong with that, but the subculture is based around the music.

Bonus points for the makeup, the clothing, the philosophies, the books, the movies, etc. But being goth is really so straightforward, at least in my mind.

I always wondered this ever since I started to get into the goth scene. As a black goth, I get called shit like whitewashed, wanna-be white, school shooter, satan worshipper, etc. Plus, I go to a catholic school so the insults are like times ten. Some of my aunties even call me "fast" for wearing black & red (idek why…)

I wanted to know what was the goth experience like for a POC during 70s to 90s, maybe even the 2000s (even though the 2000s really isn't that old). I'm curious lol.

I am not intending on starting a flame war in the comments, I am only curious as to individual feelings.

I'm Indian. Have been in love with the subculture for years, been religiously listening to the music for as long as I can remember. But, in my vicinity, I absolutely don't know anyone with the same music taste T__T I listen to tons of other genres so I have friends with whom I can make conversations about music but, almost no goths, at least not that I know of. It sometimes gets very lonely since there's no presence of any community here. Irony is that the metropolitan cities in India have underground scenes for metal, hip-hop and other genres but, it's difficult to find people who actually listen to goth. Kolkata, the city I'm from, is internationally known for some of the most brutal underground death metal/black metal projects and those scenes here are thriving. But, absolutely nothing for goth. I see people posting about going to goth clubs and all that, and I wish I could experience that once. Some day, maybe!

Plus, dressing up gothic here is such a chore. I want to explore the fashion aspects of the subculture but, the constant fetishization has led me to stop dressing up like that completely. All I get is thirsty remarks from creepy men or get stared at publicly. The humid weather here isn't really conducive either. Are there any fellow Indian goths here?