Goth Misconceptions

As a "goth," I have a few expectations. I know that as much as I hate it people are small minded. I know I will be judged for how I look. On occasion, I will be gawked at in public. People will believe some of the most over used and usually untrue stereotypes about me. I know that I am setting myself up to answer quite a few questions. I realize that it may make people not want to be my friend. However, these are all risks I am willing to take to keep my notion of self. It is who I am. That being said, there are a few rumors I want to dispel.

1) We Always Wear Black: Okay. I admit, a good deal of my wardrobe is black, but I do wear many other colors too. Usually the contents of our closet are darker, but that does not prohibit us from wearing lighter colors or even pastels. We will not get kicked out of the club for wearing light blue. Goth is a heart issue. It is an attitude. Sure many of us buy into the external trappings too, but that isn't what MAKES us goth.

2) We all use grease paint and black lipstick: While many of us are quite pale, and some of use make ourselves paler with the aid of make up (I do not need any help in that department), many do not. Black lipstick is also something that is not universal. Some people wear it, and actually make it work. I do not. I might if it didn't look ridiculous on me for certain events. It is a personal taste issue on both counts.

3) We are all UBER depressed and morbid: Yeah, have you ever watched NCIS ? Abby, the gothy character is super hyper and happy. Just because we are more attuned to the darker elements in life, does not mean we are all death obsessed and mopey. Don't get me wrong, some of us are, but the over all majority is not.

4) We are all Satanist/Wiccans: Goth is not a religion. Goths have a wide range of beliefs. Some are Christian, some are Atheists, some are Jewish, and yes some are Satanists and Wiccans (just to name a few).

5) We are all underachiever teenagers going through a "Hot Topic" phase: Not so much on this one either. Actually, goths are a wide range of ages. Admittedly, there may be a quite a few teens who may "try out" the whole goth lifestyle. This does not mean that you should panic the first time your child comes home with New Order t-shirt. Ask questions, pay attention, find out why your child has made these changes. It may be they are just going through a phase. It may be they are really "goth" at heart, and they will be just fine. Make sure it isn't a sign of something else. Many goths have been that way for decades. They grew up. Some of them went to college. Many of us have good professional jobs.

This is only a short list, but I hope it is something you keep in mind. Remember that judging a person solely on appearance can be dangerous! You may be missing out on a great opportunity!