Goth: The Gothic Subculture

“I am goth and proud. It’s not just a subculture. It’s a way of life. It’s not about depression or accessories or wearing all black (goths wear colors too). It’s about how you choose to express yourself” (unknown). Many people believe that goths are violent, abusive, murderers, and even satanists, but really they are a group of people who choose to express themselves in their own way. The gothic subculture is an accepting and family like culture that should be accepted by the community.
First, to know the basics of goth subculture, we need to go through the history, definition, and types of goths. The best place to start is with what goth is. “Goth in its simplest form is a subculture. A group of people who feel comfortable within
So why did they become the way they are? According to Preston A. Elder, “Most goths become goths because they have been spurned by “normal” society because the way they want to live their lives does not fit in with how most people are told to live theirs.” Which is true; goths live differently from other people. They also have a different perspective on life that most people don’t have. “Goths are free thinkers, people who do not accept the moral rules of society because they’re told ‘This is how it is’ or ‘This is what God says!’” (Elder 1). Each goth has distinctive characteristics that separate them into the different types (from my research i have counted at least 23 of them). The Trad goth is basically the original goth. They value the traditional scene from it’s earliest days and hang out in public goth pubs or clubs. They listen to bands such as “Bauhaus, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Birthday Party, The Sisters of Mercy, and anything played in the infamous Batcave club” (Balanck). The Trad goth fashion is based off of punk. They wear fishnets, leather jackets, piercings, heavy makeup,
They “focus on the dark, sensual, and mysterious world of gothic created by Victorian Literature and subsequent movies” (Balanck). Romantic goths are typically emotional, creative, and dreamy types. They dress in velvet and lace, flowy clothes (often victorian or medieval inspired) and they love poetry and literature. They listen to bands like “Love Spirals Downwards, All About Eve, Faith and the Muse, The Sisters of Mercy, The Cure, Bach, and Wagner” (Balanck). One last type of goth is a Cyber Goth. They “like bright neon colors, worship futurism and technology, and listen to dance music that is as different from Gothic Rock as possible” (Balanck). Now, you may say, “why are they goths then?” Well, the lyrics to the music they listen to are too depressing and deep for other people. Also, they have a hint of goth in the way the dress. Cyber goths fashion includes “insane pony falls, goggles, futuristic rave-inspired clothing, towering New Rock Platforms, and miscellaneous glowing bits and places” (Balanck). Other types of goths include The Fetish Goth, The Hippy Goth, The J-Goth, The Rivethead, The Perky Goth, The Mopey Goth, The Death Rocker, The Baby Bat, The Corp