I would like to take this time to make a special public announcement: Goth is a culture, not a fashion trend.
The subculture was born in the late 1970s and has undergone at least two transitions, according to Alicia Porter Smith, author of “A Study of Gothic Subculture: an Inside Look for Outsiders.” Music has been a key factor in the culture’s development, and Smith marks its growth by bands such as Bauhaus, London After Midnight and The Shroud.
In 1989 a new store called Hot Topic marketed music and merchandise directly to punk and alternative teenagers. Five years later a shock rock band called Marilyn Manson exploded onto the music scene, shining a spotlight on the gothic subculture that had previously gone largely unnoticed. Unfortunately for true Goths, a fad was born.
Now, I’m not saying that Marilyn Manson or Hot Topic are bad things. I am saying that the popularity of one or two aspects of the gothic culture has robbed it of some primary identifiers.
For example, what do you think of when you see someone who wears a lot of black or a man who wears eyeliner? This used to be an identifier of a Goth, but now it is a fashion statement for punk, rock, emo and suburban rebellion.
If you really want to know about the culture, then look past the fashion. Get to know people. Do some research. A great book to read is “What is Goth?” by Voltaire, a Goth singer, performer, animator, comic book writer and toy creator.
Voltaire describes Goth as the melancholy cousin of punk rock, and I tend to agree with him. He believes that Goth is a new romanticism that deals with the human condition.
“There’s obviously something about Goth that is very mysterious to most people who are not exposed to it, which makes them believe that there is something especially dangerous about Goth which, to me, seems fairly silly,” he said.
There are still aspects of the culture that remain unique. Every Goth I know loves the peace and beauty of cemeteries and graveyards. Many enjoy poetry. Few fit into any stereotype.
Fashion and stereotypes should never be used to define a culture. This Halloween, remember that black clothes, pale skin and dark makeup don’t necessarily make someone gothic. If you do meet a Goth, identify them by their humanity, not their eyeliner.