Gothy Mcgotherstein

[Guest Jeannine Bean]

I just realized something. I turned thirty on the tenth of August. And I still walk around looking pretty goth, or punk a lot of the time. When I go to work, I have to wear a tie. I dress in some pinstripe slacks, a really tight shirt with darts, or a purple shirt or something ruffly and lace, and I usually wear really narrow ties with punk-ish argyle patterns or hearts and skulls or something...

Then I thought about it. If I walk into a goth club back home, it's about the only scene which is not only gender queer but like UBER gender bent. It's essentially normal to see a guy wearing a skirt and high boots and a cute T shirt, and you might see the girl next to him with as many peircings as him, and maybe they both have mohawks. Or transversely, you could see women dressed up in combat wear, alongside men dressed similarly. Basically, it's unremarkable to see ANYTHING. If you come across skirts (NOT KILTS) actually MADE for men, they're probably marketed as goth.

I talked about this with my girlfriend and she said she remembered in high school almost everyone who was "coming out" or was visibly queer spent at least some time in the goth clique.

So yea... if I dress in normal men's baggy clothing, I look at myself in the mirror and I see an obviously cross-dressed woman. I have no way to cnnect with that image or to relate through it to others. However, since everyone is looking to connect to some kind of masculinity in me (based on my "cultural genitals" that people perceive).... I keep a goth or punk edge and it gives ME an androgynous jumping off place to find a way to meet them smewhere and we can all hang out.

But the rest of you. I know there's some Goths and Punks out there. Do you connect with the almost ungendered or pangendered or uber genderqueer quality of goth? Also, do you use the style as a way to connect with people in a way you can both find common ground with (since people tend to freak out if you connect as obviously trans, and you can't connect as whatever it is that society tells you you are) ?

I'm curious now if this is a "use" of this style.

Jeannine

[Guest darlene lynn]

I was born way back before goth, but I think each fashion era that comes along initialy starts out to identify the culture it comes from. But as ours main stream the original design and it becomes more mainstream it does get used as a way to fit in with and/or to meet others with like ideas. So I was from the late 60's and early 70's my fashion era was flower child / hippie..Great guestion

Right on Man!!(couldnt resist the timtation)

Love

Darlene Lynnette

[Guest Evan_J]

Interesting question . And I admit I almost skipped answering it because I'm neither goth nor punk nor have I ever been. HOWEVER, the circle of friends I had in school were. And , while there was a point where we "split off" away from one another (I just wasn't punk and they just weren't like me) I have to consider that the reason I was able to be friends with them for as long as I was was because there was a sort of tolerance "built in" to tolerate "anything" outside of the status quo.

[Guest Isobelle Fox]

I was never goth or punk in the traditional sense. I sort of had my own rather tragic fashion sense when I was younger, and kinda still do. But I do think of myself as an electro-punk girl. I've been a devoted fan of industrial music for almost 20 years, and have been experimenting with and making it myself and occasionally doing live shows, for almost as long. I don't really have the "look" and I don't hang out with a particular crowd or anything, but its part of who I am and always will be. I dont think anything in particular drew me to it, though. I have noticed the prevalent androgyny, but Ive never thought about it really. Personally, I think its really healthy.