Inside Straight Edge: A look from the outside in
April 2, 2008In today’s world, the pressures of being young can be overwhelming. Eighty percent of high schoolers have tried alcohol; seventy percent have smoked cigarettes; and almost half have used some sort of illegal drug.
But there is one group taking a stand. They call themselves Straight Edge and they are a movement built around three simple rules: don’t drink, don’t smoke and don’t do drugs.
In schools and neighborhoods around America, Straight Edge has become something more: a community, a way of life. But to some, it has also become a militant-styled menace.
Over the next week the NGC Blog will highlight this culture in America to shed light on some may know and perhaps on what a lot of us dont' know. Below is the first passage from author Ross Haenfler who lends his expertise in Inside: Straight Edge that is premiering Wednesday, April 9th at 10:00p
 |
Ross Haenfler |
|---|---|
| Author of Straight Edge: Clean Living Youth, Hardcore Punk and Social Change |
|
| Author Ross Haenfler contributes to next week's premiere of Inside: Straight Edge |
Straight edge holds many different meanings to the various individuals who claim the identity. For some, it is a way of resisting peer pressure or a family history of substance abuse. Others see straight edge as a challenge to alcohol and tobacco companies, whom they see as intentionally promoting harmful substances to youth. Still others view abstinence as a means to self-actualization or growth. Some see straight edge as a wholly personal choice, but others believe that claiming the edge identity is, in part, a way of collectively challenging the status quo. Straight edge slogans, seen on t-shirts and tattoos, include “One Life Drug Free,” “True Till Death,” “Poison Free,” “XXX,” “Above the Influence – Against the Grain,” and “XstraightedgeX.”
My own involvement with straight edge began at age fifteen sometime in 1989. I had experimented with alcohol and tried fitting in with the drinking crowd, but hated the idea of having to drink in order to fit in. A friend who often sported Xs on his hands in our Spanish class lent me a Minor Threat record, invited me to a show, and introduced me to the punk rock world. The scene was filled with musicians, artists, activists, skaters, and other nonconformists - I immediately felt like I was home. Since then, I have attended hundreds of shows in many different scenes, met even more kids, corresponded with edge kids all over the world, and listened to thousands of songs by edge bands.
Like many “older” straight edgers, I struggle with several aspects of the scene. The contradiction between straight edge’s anti-sexist yet male-dominated themes frustrates me; I dislike the hyper masculinity and violence perpetrated by a few tough guys; and I think the progressive ideals movement often espouses such as environmentalism, animal rights, and anti-racism could play a more central role in the movement and in participants’ daily lives. Without a sense of creating something beyond the scene, straight edge risks being little more than a clean-living fashion trend or a nice temporary hang out for kids prior to adulthood. While there is nothing wrong with that, I think the movement can potentially be much more. Yet for all my critiques, I believe straight edge has been a positive force in the lives of many thousands of kids. Nearly twenty years after making the decision to claim straight edge I have no regrets.
My ten years of researching straight edge shows that the vast majority – likely over 95% - of straight edgers espouses a self-described “positive” lifestyle, believing abstinence provides “personal control” and a “clear mind” allowing them to make informed choices and avoid the many potential pitfalls of youth. Most are fairly typical young people, different only in their abstinence and sometimes their fashion and music choices. However, a few particularly outspoken and “militant” straight edge kids actively promote the drug-free lifestyle and engage in violent confrontation with kids at hardcore shows or others outside the scene. Some form “crews,” male-dominated cliques known for defending each other and attacking kids who use.
In the late 1990s, Salt Lake City in particular became notorious for a faction of militant kids, leading local law enforcement to consider them a gang. The media quickly picked up on the image of straight edge as a violent group or a white suburban street gang. Based on some straight edgers’ connections to radical animal rights organizations, some authorities have even suggested straight edge is a domestic terrorist group. Despite acknowledging that militant straight edge forms a minority in the group, the media have focused almost exclusively on the movement’s militant aspects. Apparently, kids who don’t drink and start fights make better copy than straight edge kids who have gone on to be lawyers, biologists, computer technicians, police officers, and yes, sociology professors.
The bad press generated by militant kids creates tension in the scene, and positive (or “posi”) kids regularly make fun of or even condemn straight edge militancy. So-called “militant” bands write macho lyrics encouraging symbolic violence while “positive” bands chastise the “tough guys” in the scene. My research suggests that it is not straight edge per se that encourages violence among these few, but that hypermasculine segments of male-dominated groups – be they fraternity members, soldiers, or athletes - occasionally engage in violent behavior. Violence is embedded in masculinity, particularly for young men.
Like any youth movement, interest in straight edge ebbs and flows, the number of kids involved fluctuates. Though it is nearly impossible to count the edge kids in the U.S. – there is no membership list, after all – they number in the tens of thousands and can be found in every city, many smaller towns, and all over the Internet. Like other subcultures, it provides a space in youth culture for marginalized kids to feel accepted; unlike many other youth spaces, straight edge also makes it cool not to drink. Straight edge is not bursting into the mainstream, but its nearly thirty-year history suggests it occupies a meaningful place in youth culture and will be around for a long time to come.
Comments (56)
who knew?
Posted by Vee | April 7, 2008 5:20 PM
cant wait!!
Posted by xrobbyx | April 7, 2008 6:52 PM
cant wait!
Posted by xrobbyx | April 7, 2008 6:53 PM
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW NATIONAL GEO SHOWS THIS....HOPEFULLY ONLY THE POSITIVE...IGNORE THE FEW BAD APPLES
Posted by netti | April 7, 2008 7:04 PM
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW NATIONAL GEO SHOWS THIS....HOPEFULLY ONLY THE POSITIVE...IGNORE THE FEW BAD APPLES
Posted by netti | April 7, 2008 7:04 PM
will this be tunning on mexican NGC?
Posted by xmacix | April 7, 2008 7:38 PM
Will we be able to Tune it at Latin America???
Posted by xSimonx | April 7, 2008 9:42 PM
Can't wait. I think NG's going to do a solid job portraying edge kids in a positive light.
Posted by xkylex | April 7, 2008 11:42 PM
finally people get to see what life really means
Posted by POSIXPAUL | April 8, 2008 5:38 PM
my friend adam is edge, and even on this show! can't wait
Posted by chris | April 8, 2008 8:21 PM
i am not edge but have many edge friends, i am hoping it is not going to spend too much time talking all about the few jerks.
i love my edge friends, and am very proud of them and their choices
Posted by alan | April 8, 2008 10:11 PM
can't wait to see what they hav to say
Posted by xalexox | April 8, 2008 11:29 PM
i lk drugs and tobacco and alcohol... there yummy i also enjoy coke :]
oops break edge?
what now?
me>XXX
Posted by xXXrevXpineappleXXx | April 9, 2008 4:47 PM
i lk drugs and tobacco and alcohol... there yummy i also enjoy coke :]
oops break edge?
what now?
me>XXX
Posted by xXXrevXpineappleXXx | April 9, 2008 4:47 PM
i lk drugs and tobacco and alcohol... there yummy i also enjoy coke :]
oops break edge?
what now?
me>XXX
Posted by xXXrevXpineappleXXx | April 9, 2008 4:47 PM
to be honest, most of you who think that straight edge isnt a heavily violent scene must not live in a large city. I have been around straight edge and an active part of it for around 7 years and majority of it is pretty violent in many aspects.
To say that "the violent few" are just a couple of "bad apples" is pretty ignorant and dumb to the truth about straight edge. I missed the documentary tonight but look forward to watching it sunday.
Posted by itswhatever | April 10, 2008 2:12 AM
I hope this is this can be momentary chance to point out the true aspects of such a respectable ideology. I think, for me anyway, "straight edge" has been slowly ripped away from it's roots and begun to turn into a fad, a collective of brutes. As I respect the core idea, I hope this brings to light what it began as and was meant to be, not what it has seemingly become to many of the new kids. I see more more straight hate.
Posted by Jess | April 10, 2008 3:38 AM
i think the show did some justice. it showed part of the edge scene in a positive light. im older being edge for me is different than for a high schooler. i think the violence is a small minority with edge kids and anytime you have a group like that there will be small sects of people that want to be violent. straight edge wasnt meant to be a movement. its a personal choice. movements are systems and systems kill. look at the hippies and how charles manson brainwashed them. just keep an open mind and dont follow others just because they are edge. the whole idea is being out of step right?
Posted by xRogerx | April 10, 2008 4:05 AM
Watched "inside Straight edge" last night. I was a bit nervous considering whenever sXe is covered in the press it is always negative. Thanks for trying to show it through a different perspective. Hopefully parents who have sXe kids will have a better idea whats up.
Posted by Frankie Undergound | April 10, 2008 2:16 PM
Like any other "expose" of youth culture you have to be prepared for the worst. Having been straight edge for going on 14 years, I've come to expect a sensational portrayal of the whole movement. It's handled almost identically every time. This round was more fair than The Rolanda Show, or Geraldo Rivera, or The Mtv Unfiltered on straight edge. Those were REALLY bad.
Posted by jerm | April 10, 2008 2:44 PM
I've been straightedge for about 3 years now. I have also been into hardcore and shows and everything else. Everything that is involved in the scene. Straightedge itself is not violent. If you think im being ignorant for saying that, theres something wrong with you. Shows and hardcore can get violent, but only in fun aspects. Also, there is a lot of respect issues in scenes. I can not believe that people are saying straightedge basically as a whole is violent. That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Why do you think straightedge has been brought about? Not just because its good for the individual. I wish people would stop and think about it instead of just opening there mouth and saying something with no regard to any actual facts. There would be no need for straightedge if it was just effecting a person as an individual, but seeing as how the individual can cause harm to more than just themselves, something has to be done. For example, if someone is drunk driving.. who could possibly get hurt from that decision? NOT JUST THAT PERSON! what happens to the innocent bystander whose walking down the road and gets hit? Those are the ignorant people. The people who dont care about anyone else LET ALONE themselves. I hope i've made my point...
Posted by Jake | April 10, 2008 4:08 PM
There was too much focus on the gang aspect and not on the kids that do this as a personal choice rather than because they want some sort of hardcore fraternity. I was bummed that the part on the vegan straightedge kids was edited out. That would've brought some actual balance to this other wise ho-hum, boring, eye-rolling snooze fest. I guess I got what I expected for a one hour crash course on a subject that is far more complex than this showed.
Posted by Carol | April 10, 2008 5:43 PM
so great that they did this. and they shot it in my home town
Posted by tarynXcore | April 10, 2008 6:12 PM
this is quite possibly the most embarrassing thing i have ever seen in my life. one kid in it is a friend of my friend, and he isn't even edge. and those kids at the end were such losers "DEFFINATLY SOMETHING TO MOSH TO"
Posted by XXXtian | April 10, 2008 6:38 PM
this is quite possibly the most embarrassing thing i have ever seen in my life. one kid in it is a friend of my friend, and he isn't even edge. and those kids at the end were such losers "DEFFINATLY SOMETHING TO MOSH TO"
Posted by XXXtian | April 10, 2008 6:38 PM
I cant wait to drink a few beers and watch this doc!
Posted by wainker | April 10, 2008 7:14 PM
i grew up in the boston straight edge, and i dont see how people think its all violence, yeh im sure NG will do an awesome job, some of the show was shot at the roller kingdom outside of boston i believe, not sure. but yeh straight edge.
Posted by bostonbust | April 10, 2008 8:11 PM
jeff hunter sucks joe voe's balls
Posted by fuckin lame | April 10, 2008 9:20 PM
Guys... this is hilarious. Seriously, this is hilarious. Calling this a gang is hilarious. I can stop saying hilarious, because this is hilarious. I watched this, and me and my buddy of mine who has never drank or done any drugs of any kind were laughing our censored rear areas off.
I kept going, "Look Rob! You can be straight edge!"
What is up with the dancing? I mean, I went through high school. I've been to Korn, 5 Finger Death Punch, shizzle like that and have moshed, but what they hell is up with the dancing? It was like professional wrestling during a concert.
I mean, I'm in a drug area, too, but I'm not professional wrestler dance fighting to stop the criminal influence.
This was just pure silliness. Guys, for the love of Xtreme Dance Fighting, please do well in school. That's your ticket out of the rugged Reno! Just make sure you never go to North Africa.
Posted by Coder | April 11, 2008 2:02 AM
Yah the reno kid in the vid Zeke sold out i hung out with him a couple of times, but last time i saw him he was smoking weed. Also coder your an idiot.
Korn and any nu-metal in general=fail if you want to mosh go see behemoth
As for violence well in reno we have a few different crews the main one is R.H.M.C I'm surprised NG didn't touch on that or mention it (the really ripped guys in the hockey masks) but they function like everyone else you start "sh!t" with me or my friends and you getting beat the hell up its never random attacks except if there juggalo's because nobody likes them....srsly bro's, punks, hardcore kids, sxe, ravers, wiggers, pot heads all of them hate ICP & affiliates.
Posted by zeke sold out | April 11, 2008 10:11 AM
finally
Posted by xchiaraxVx | April 11, 2008 10:37 AM
I found this documentary effing HILARIOUS... not only did they choose to film the lamest of straight edge kids they could find (minus the Boston guys), but they kept using odd "lingo" to refer to these people that I have honestly never heard in my life, and I've been drug free since I was 15.
I watched it with my boyfriend and we couldn't stop laughing and rolling our eyes. It was actually embarrassing to watch, knowing others would see this and base their opinions on straight edge on what they saw in this doc.
Also, it was weird that I never heard the word "hardline" even once - even though half the show was dedicated to the violence and such.
Posted by Ashley | April 11, 2008 7:04 PM
You know whats awesome. You guys actually thinking they will show the positive side of straight edge. Oh and using the word "edge" as cool lingo or just lazy turds. I for one am not EDGE. Im straight edge. The edge term has just shown how popular and how thrown around my belief and others as well has become. It's a fucking tool. It doesn't mean anything to those who have been for 6 months or a year. Most of you talk about time and how you've been straight edge for this and that and positive this militant that. Lets be real. We are just people. Like vegetarians we live a lifestyle. Who gives a **it if you are true til death or "edge". Actions speak louder than words. I personaly don't care if you sell out or not cause I chose this for me. No one else. How about you guys keep it that way. None of you are my brothers or sisters.
Posted by xLAWFULx | April 12, 2008 2:21 PM
I think that the real revolution will be when kids are able to rely on their own back-bones to support their ideals, and not have to feel as if whatever stance they believe in must be accepted by great swaths of peers in order to be practiced by the individual. Straight Edge is still far from the solution. Like other organizations, the movement is vulnerable to hijacking, as was demonstrated by the denizens of Salt Lake City.
Posted by PompousClown | April 12, 2008 2:51 PM
First off straightedge isn't a gang, it’s a lifestyle. We choose to be straightedge, we choose to live our lives positively and not poison ourselves and ruin our values. The documentary showed straightedge in a totally different view they showed gangs, they showed trouble makers. Straightedge isn't like that. We claim the name for us and no one else. Straightedge shouldn't be for the current trendies(the scene kids, the emo kids, etc...) straightedge is unique. In different states straightedge can mean so many things. In Reno straightedge is a "gang" well where I'm from it’s a lifestyle. The straightedge music is excellent its sending a great message. I personally feel that hardcore dancing looks ridiculous but its way to get rid of our emotions and just to be happy. "It's better to throw down than to throw up." I believe that straightedge is a very great lifestyle and I don't care what anyone says about it. We all claim the name in different ways. I claim it as I don't do drugs, I don't drink, I don't sell my self, I am a vegetarian. That’s what straightedge means to me. I know that the straightedge movement will lead in a positive future. Most people associate straightedge with religion, its truly whatever you believe in whatever you claim it to be. Straightedge is an amazing thing. The "x's" on the hand refer to straightedge, also the number 24 can also relate because X is the 24th letter in the alphabet. There are actually some straightedge bands that promote the lifestyle. The band xAFBx was showing a positive lifestyle in the documentary. They want to turn people around, they want to see a better future for themselves. People choose to be straightedge for many different ways, maybe someone in their family was doing drugs or drinking and they didn't want to be like them. At my school there are a lot of drug users, and the straightedge kids are looked at as the good kids. Straightedge bands are great. With straightedge you life a great lifestyle, in a positive way. Straightedge may seem like a crazy idea, but its great. Straightedge is not a cult, it’s not a current trend, its not anything negative. It’s simply a lifestyle. Enough said.
Posted by theappalling | April 13, 2008 5:42 PM
I like bane.
Posted by xNICKxMOSHx | April 13, 2008 6:33 PM
Hello National Geographic:
I am writing because I just saw your documentary on straight edge. It is appalling to me how little research went into this documentary. Being a proud non-violent member of the straight edge community for 15 years, it disgusted me to have something that I believe in so dearly shown in such a negative light. Sure there are some bad apples, but those bad apples make up maybe, at most, 5% of the straight edge population. Yet violence makes up about 85% of this documentary. Fair? Not quite. Also, I know for a fact that the burning down of mcdonalds was not a straight edge act, sure someone who was straight edge performed the act but he said to the police that it was a vegan act. In this documentary it was painted as a straight edge act. Please National Geographic, get your facts straight (no pun intended). There was also no mention of the real hubs of straight edge. Reno, Nevada? Are you kidding me? Nobody listens to straight edge bands from that area.
It is also important to note that violence is everywhere, ie football games, bars, traffic lights etc. However, violence has been brought to the forefront of this documentary and now straight edge will be defined as a violent subculture. This is just not the case. I have been to over 200 shows in the last 15 years and I might have witnessed 4 fights. My point is that this documentary focuses on few glaring examples that are not indicative of the straight edge movement.
How do you show video of Have Heart (argueably the biggest straight edge band around)and not interview them? These guys have a compelling, relevant, and positive message. Probably because it doesn't give the story that was wanted for this documentary. National geographic dropped the ball and let down a lot of kids that thought their side of the story was going to be told.
I have been a member of the national geographic society and value the articles and documentaries that are provided. After having seen this video, I am beginning to question how many other articles and documentaries have been skewed due to lack of research vigilance.
Thanks for this space to vent.
Collin
doctarate student of botany
Posted by collin | April 13, 2008 7:38 PM
To the posi kids who are so upset about every shock-umentary on Straight Edge showing the negatives. Face it guys, POSI does not sell/get ratings. You know who you are, and you know you got into this because you saw the positive aspect, that's all thats important. Stop being upset if they make us out to be dangerous thugs, realize that's what keeps people glued to the couch to watch. No one would watch the whole documentary if it showed us singing along and dancing at shows and then going home and kicking back to play video games and drink root beer (as much as that rules!).
"We don't need them, they don't need you. We got strong minds and strong hearts too. I want the world to be a better place. With my ideas, I'm going all the way."- Throwdown (pre Dave Peters!)
Posted by xKANANx from TheOC to HI | April 15, 2008 5:35 AM
edge for 3 years,
edge is rarely black and white (militant, posi) its mostly the gray area; in the middle!
i wanna go to Boston!
Posted by xSISTA EDGEx | April 15, 2008 9:30 AM
Girls can't be straightedge...
Try to be fucking girls..not tough men
Posted by joe | April 16, 2008 1:37 PM
Alot of this information is wrong, just letting you know that you are feeding false information to poeples minds. I saw the documentary and it was outrages. Why would you put up that if you dont really know what went up in 82. You dont even mention who started it all. You make the boston crew seem horable but its all reverse. We were the good guys that protected each other from the menace drugies from poisoning eachothers drugs. You should off also mention that real straight edge died along with real harcore in the 80's. What kids today claim to be edge are is the stupid mainstreem thing thats happening in false hardcore today.
Posted by your false | April 17, 2008 1:08 AM
Alot of this information is wrong, just letting you know that you are feeding false information to poeples minds. I saw the documentary and it was outrages. Why would you put up that if you dont really know what went up in 82. You dont even mention who started it all. You make the boston crew seem horable but its all reverse. We were the good guys that protected each other from the menace drugies from poisoning eachothers drugs. You should off also mention that real straight edge died along with real harcore in the 80's. What kids today claim to be edge are is the stupid mainstreem thing thats happening in false hardcore today.
Posted by your false | April 17, 2008 1:09 AM
and why do you call us straight edgers?
Posted by your false | April 17, 2008 1:13 AM
hey does anyone know when they are going to air it again??
i missed it and i really want to see it but the sites schedule is f*** up so i need some help.
I really want see the interview with xAFBx
Posted by XedXgeX | April 19, 2008 5:43 AM
To your false; straight edge can't die, it's a lifestyle not a movement. Kids nowadays may claim to be straightedge, but you can distinguish those who are serious and those who are doing it to be cool.
Posted by Jake | April 21, 2008 1:07 PM
To your false; straight edge can't die, it's a lifestyle not a movement. Kids nowadays may claim to be straightedge, but you can distinguish those who are serious and those who are doing it to be cool.
Posted by Jake | April 21, 2008 1:07 PM
who cares if you are straight edge or not. i sure don't. that's great if you don't want to party. but to those of you "edgers" who look down on those of us who live by a different set of principals, you are no better than any other person. there is a thing called moderation. BTW those silly "X's" on your hands,might as well be nike symbols. f*@king billboards. and nobody like some who thinks they are better than someone else
Posted by hedonist winner | April 21, 2008 2:57 PM
P.S. what happened in 82? was someone selling dangerous junk? cause that is messed up as well.
Posted by hedonist winner: | April 21, 2008 3:02 PM
terrible doc. A great example of authority figures getting the facts wrong when it comes to any subculture in this country.
Posted by Bold | April 21, 2008 9:30 PM
Man.
you guys to a great thing.
and publiced it to make it bad.
Miltant straightedge isnt the best, but its better thant people who drink, smoke and do illegal drugs.
And straight edge didnt die.
And real hardcore wasnt just in the 80's.
Just because music has changed dose not mean the mentality hasnt.
To all those people call straight edge a trend.
If it is, thats ok.
Just because you join something for the wrong reasons, dosen't mean you wont stay for the right ones.
Posted by xJoeledgex | April 22, 2008 6:38 PM
took*
not to
has*
not hasn't
Posted by xJoeledgex | April 22, 2008 6:40 PM
i missed this where can i view it?
Posted by Steven | April 23, 2008 2:20 AM
why cant girls be straight edge?
we have just the same right to be straight edge as guys do.
Posted by xkatex | April 24, 2008 3:50 PM
if this is the documentary i saw by natgeo it was complete BS. i havnt sat through and read anyones comments to see if they saw it but they started by saying how straight edge was a good thing because it seems that '"Kids" these days like to party everynight drinking doing drugs and sleeping with every little ho in sight (not in those exact words but along those lines) then it went on to claim that straight edge was a gang. i mean wtf at least know what your making a documentary about.
Posted by XEddieBX | April 24, 2008 5:47 PM
Hell the heck did reed get on the National Geographic Channel??????
But then again there are lots of XXXStraight EdgeXXx ppl.
Posted by jessica | April 24, 2008 10:47 PM
DEAR COLLIN
i couldn't have said it any better
Posted by theappalling | May 5, 2008 7:48 PM