Ok, the bats I can get behind, but I digress.
I realize that this has been covered before on other blogs, but I just began to look into it and discovered that I has some pretty strong feelings about it. Namely, that this isn't Goth.
*Small rant: before I get all sorts of comments about "everyone has a right to their opinion of what Goth is!" yes, I agree. I also agree that everyone should have a right to their opinion of what Goth isn't. Everyone has the right, feel the equality.*
I can't find the 'Goth" in this. Ok the bats, but that's about all I've seen. It doesn't have any of the traditional markers of a Goth offspring.
Something I've noticed is that this seems to be consistently referred to as a trend. Such as here. While I understand that Goth itself has been touted as a trend by the mainstream before, we were underground first. I wasn't aware of this thing until it showed up on tumblr in droves and in online retail stores. It maybe that I just wasn't aware of its existence before then, but to me it seems like it was created more in the mainstream than the subculture.
And what is with the upside-down crosses? I wonder if all these people buying them from retail chains have any idea of the symbols connotations in religion. It has been used in the Catholic Church as a symbol of St. Peter, who was crucified upside-down at his request because he didn't think himself worthy of dying in the same manner as Jesus. It has also been used as a Satanic symbol. Most people recognize it as Satanic, so you should be prepared for assumptions being made when you wear it. (Even if they are true, because the term Satanist means different things to the mainstream population and true, honest to darkness Satanists.)
Either way, it is a religious symbol that means something to somebody, therefore it does not belong on your ass.
But, even if I can't see Goth here, maybe it's not a bad thing that this is being called Goth. It's bright, happy, and therefore contradicts a lot of stereotypes about Goths that really don't do us any favors. Like we are all depressed and suicidal, for instance.
But please, can we not be so shlumpy as to wear baggy sweatshirts? Please?
Ok, I've had my say, now it's your turn. What do you guys think about this?
And I'm talking to you too, my new followers, welcome!
