On a constant basis I see goths who take themselves way too seriously. They argue that you are not Goth unless you wear all black yet preach about "being yourself". They say the cute little Monster High Dolls are not Goth and are mainstream. (I do not care who knows those dolls are so cute! What is so mainstream about a vampire who swoons at the sight of blood?) I may not be the gothiest goth in the graveyard by some standards but I love who I am. I used to think in my baby bat days that I was supposed to be this deep and dark creature of the night. I am far from deep and dark. I love to read about serial killers yet pictures of cute bats sends me into screams of joy.
If I always took myself so seriously I would just be no fun at all. I do long to make real life gothy friends but if I strictly based my friends on the clothes they wear....I would have few friends indeed. I do have moments of depression where I laze in pajamas and cry. But we all need this moment once in a while. I prefer to bounce around in combat boots and smile.
If you skulk around all miserable...then you are just perpetuating the stereotype that all goths are miserable. Some stereotypes are fun to embrace such as hanging out in cemeteries and Halloween being the equivalent of Goth Christmas. I look back at pictures from my childhood and think about how my mother should never cut hair. I look back and remember how I would try to be "sooooo goth". This caused me to go into a rut and I moved away from the attire but kept the same interests. I realized I do not have to be in a dress code all the time. The clothing does not define me....I define me! I do not wear all black because I have to...I wear all black because I want to.
Also what would you like to see more of on this blog? I am trying to change this blog and improve it.
You GO, girlfriend!! We are who WE are, not who someone else thinks we should be. Goth is NOT about stereotypes or being cookie cutter cutouts, thankyouverymuch. I'm starting to be rather grateful that I didn't go through the babybat phase in my teens or 20s, as I would have been sooo miserable trying to "fit in". Isn't avoiding all that junk the point of subcultures in the first place????
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, I agree that Monster High is certainly goth, even though they have been accepted by the mainstream, which is probably why the Goth Nazis are bitching about it! I don't collect the dolls myself, but I do collect some of the fun accessories, like MH printed tape to put on my letters and envelopes. :-)
I have also seen coffin shaped goodies. I see them as something easily DIY-able. I have seen a cute Monster High coffin shaped suitcase that would look incredible painted black with spiderwebs painted on. I see them as something refreshing that teaches kids that being different is not scary. There is even a doll that has a side shave hair cut! (Venus McFlyTrap) When I did work study (basically a teachers aid for a kindergarten class) some of the girls loved Monster High and they said I should be a doll. Even one girl thought bats were cute and Halloween was her favorite holiday. (Future Goth me thinks!) My baby bat phase was confusing at first and as I reached my 20's I realized that being Goth is not about a dress code. It is about embracing the darkness and finding beauty in it. For me that is what Goth is.
DeleteHey its that chick from BAM. Yeah i agree goth is a lifestyle. Im kinda the only "true goth" at my school. There are a couple of posers who wear the clothes and mope around school and ill see them out and about in jeans and gucci handbags and im all like "Youre all a discrace to my society" I tend to lean more toward the lolita styles. (Hoop skirts, pettie coats and pigtails. stufff like that.) The room at my old house was all decked out in black out shades (the sun hit my window and would wake me up at like 6 am and a girl needs her beuty sleep.) but then we had to move and i cant really do much except rearrange my little shrine in the corner. I think its kinda funny that goths get pegged as bad apples. The other day i was on the bus and this little girl looked at my Black Butler necklace and my decked out black appearence and was all like "My mommy does witchcraft too but i know that's not real" it was funny. I hate being so tan because most goths are so so pale and i just feel like i dont have the full affect sometimes. *sigh* Oh well...I like your blog btw. Its pretty wicked sweet :)
ReplyDeleteYou do not have to be pale to be goth. :) We goths are most of the time the most polite and kind people. I used to want to be tan because I felt ashamed of my pale legs but I realized that I should just embrace my skin the way it is. Oh my house is Halloween all the time!
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