Straight Edge - Not Just Another Trend

For a clean-lifestyle movement born in the "Just Say No" era, straight edge has received little attention since its origination. Mention on MTV and commercial success for straight-edge bands has recently brought the movement a little closer to the mainstream. This, combined with differentiating beliefs among the ranks, has some of its members fearing that their life's philosophy might be lost to a trend. They think their message of substance-free living may be overshadowed by the fashion and music styles, therefore cheapening the movement. To Ball State University sophomore Zach Guttery, straight edge is "to abstain from self-destructive behavior." What exactly constitutes self-destructive behavior is constantly debated.

Being true to one's beliefs is the heart of what divides straight edgers from other people and also what divides them among themselves. While the original philosophy was simply no drinking, no drugs and no sex, it has grown, changed and splintered off into different directions. While abstaining from alcohol and drugs is universal, sex, vegetarianism/veganism and political issues are interpreted in different ways. The differing opinions on what it takes to be straight edge has caused division throughout the group.

"Clean living" is not specific and therefore widely open to interpretation. Some straight edgers believe in not having sex, some in no promiscuous sex and some do not see sex as having anything to do with being straight edge.

Vegetarianism and veganism are widely integrated into straight edge, sometimes to the point that some people do not consider a non-vegan person truly straight edge. Some vegans consider the hormones added to meat to be drugs, making it impure. Others consume no animal products because of their opposition to harming animals. Activism for animal rights has also become a part of straight edge.

Some straight edgers have integrated more political issues into the movement, including abortion, woman's rights and minority rights. Their activism most often includes protests, boycotts and publishing zines addressing the issues.

With different people incorporating different ideals into being straight edge, today's definition of straight edge is completely dependent upon the person defining it.

Hardline is a lifestyle usually considered to be separate from straight edge, and in some ways, it is a step beyond. Sometimes described as militant, hardliners are vehemently straight edge and usually will not associate with non-straight-edge people, viewing them to be on a lower level.

Straight edge began as a youth movement in the early '80s. The term straight edge comes from a song of that name by Minor Threat, one of the earliest and most influential hardcore bands. Singer Ian Mackaye is credited with coining the term, as well as for much of the early straight-edge philosophy expressed through Minor Threat's lyrics.

"That's the main way the views are expressed, through the music," Guttery says. "I can listen to other music and say 'that's a good song,' but nothing gets my blood pumping like hardcore."

The successes of the hardcore bands Earth Crisis and Snapcase have brought the music forward into the mainstream, and the movement is integrated with the music. Straight-edge hardcore music is important to followers of the lifestyle because it reiterates the beliefs, providing a unifying agent. As freshman straight-edge Bryan Grimes put it, every straight-edge kid wants to play in a straight-edge band.

"After a while, I began believing in the message of the music, and it helped me a lot to want to quit my smoking and stuff," Grimes says. "Hardcore is the medium for the art; it's a way of us reaffirming what we believe."

Unlike grunge and alternative, two distinct fads combining style and music, straight edge is much more than a fashion trend. Those calling themselves straight edge are swearing to be substance free for the rest of their lives, which many would consider an admirable pledge for today's youth.

"I don't like it being a fad," Grimes says. "It's kind of the 'in' thing."

Though it is an important part of the movement, being straight edge goes beyond listening to hardcore. It is the strong belief in a clean lifestyle that gives the movement its intensity and strength, not listening to a certain band or wearing a certain T-shirt.

"You can listen to Green Day and be straight edge, as long as you believe in the ideals," Grimes says. "As long as they're straight edge and they're true to not doing any drugs, that's all I need."

Many true straight edgers feel commercialization threatens to rob them of their strength and credibility by drawing people attracted to the fashion style more than the lifestyle. Spreading the message is part of the movement, and loss of respect for those claiming to be straight edge could hinder that practice.

Wearing the letter X on the backs of the hands is a straight-edge pastime originating from early hardcore shows. Underage people would be marked similarly to show that they were not of drinking age, and it was adopted as a symbol of being straight edge.

"I've seen kids that have Xs on their hands; they don't know what it means, and they're smoking," Grimes says.

There is no typical garb for straight edgers, whose appearances are as varied as their beliefs and interests. Big, baggy jeans, running shoes and T-shirts with straight-edge slogans are common. Short hair and piercings are often seen, as are necklaces and pins reading "vegan" and "straight edge."

"Not all straight-edge kids have to look 'straight edge,'" Grimes says.

Guttery's appearance does not make his lifestyle obvious. His baggy jeans, running shoes and striped T-shirt are not much different from the clothing of many other college students.

"Some [straight edgers] just stand out more than others," he says.

True straight edgers have mixed feelings about the movement's sudden popularity. Grimes feels doing something you don't know anything about and, in turn, twisting its true meaning makes those truly involved feel bad, as well as look hypocritical.

Guttery disagrees.

"I think it's a good fad, but I hope that the kids that are coming into it are true," Guttery says.

A unique side of the straight-edge movement is that, while its current members are intense and firm in their beliefs, there are great numbers of former straight edgers to attest to the movement's high turnover. Called "sellouts" by remaining straight edgers, they often have a different perspective on the movement.

Indiana University student Doug McClintock was straight edge for about a year and a half during high school. He adopted the title because the movement fit his already substance-free lifestyle and gave him an answer for the majority of his peers, who drank and did drugs. He left straight edge behind because of changes within himself and changes he saw in the movement.

"I realized the folly of trying to impose my beliefs on someone," McClintock says. "I think if you look at the movement as a whole and make a big generalization, you'll find that most of the kids who are straight edge disregard people who aren't."

He also made the personal decision he wanted to drink.

"As I got older and started becoming more objective, as people do, and I looked at myself, I decided that I was being very closed-minded," he says.

He felt that if he was of age and could be responsible, it should be his choice to drink.

Another catalyst was McClintock's chance meeting with the members of Earth Crisis at a friend's house in Connecticut.

"They were constantly trying to live up to this image that they've created of how straight edge and how hardline and how damn cool they are, and it really pissed me off, and that's when I think I first started getting disillusioned with the whole attitude of the straight-edge scene," McClintock says.

McClintock thinks straight edge today is "absolutely, vastly" different from the original beliefs and attitudes.

"The original attitude was 'we're proud that we're this way,' and 'don't disrespect yourself by doing drugs and drinking alcohol.' It's become more of an elitist type thing; they just want to be better than other people." McClintock says.

"Straight edge is great as long as you're not intolerant. Anything is great as long as you're open-minded," he says.

Grimes' involvement with straight edge comes from a different perspective. Grimes became straight edge after going through rehabilitation for cocaine addiction and quitting smoking. He has also been vegan for three years.

"I've done my experimenting," he says. "I know what it's like. I have no want to ever drink again, to ever smoke again."

The reason some straight edgers leave the lifestyle is the interest in experimentation. As Grimes put it, curiosity killed the cat.

"People want to know what they're missing," he says. "Drugs lead to apathy, and apathy is the root of all evil in today's society."

Straight edgers are often met with contempt by those who have chosen different lifestyles.

"Straight edge gets a bad name because a lot of people take the militant attitude," Grimes says. "Conflicts are so abundant with kids wanting to confront us about what we believe. Kids are always trying to beat us up for some reason. Maybe they think we're a threat to them. They'll swing, and we'll just take out the mace, spray them and leave."

There is an almost tangible difference between simply being substance free and taking the name straight edge. That difference caused Indiana University junior Gregg Holtsclaw to reject the label straight edge, despite a completely substance-free lifestyle and heavy involvement in music.

"I'm not really into anyone who has a certain set ideology or a martyr complex," he says.

Holtsclaw works in record distribution and runs his own record label. The first release off the label, Ape Records, was a 7-inch four-band compilation that featured Failsafe, a local straight-edge band.

Living substance free, Holtsclaw agrees with the basic straight-edge lifestyle. He thinks as a group, however, straight edge is too political, too unrealistic and has too much inner dissension to ever be a truly coherent movement.

In Holtsclaw's opinion, the straight-edge movement involves rejecting American white patriarchal society. He sees that attempt at separation from societal norms as unrealistic.

"You can't escape what you are," he says.

Despite recent fad popularity, Holtsclaw doesn't see the straight-edge movement becoming much larger or stronger.

"They can't apply what they think to the world," he says. "How can you change anything if all you do is preach to the converted?"

While straight edge may be a matter of opinion and debate, it can function as a starting point for personal growth.

Indiana University junior Seth Stevens has been straight edge for five or six years.

"I didn't know there was actually a term for kids that didn't do drugs," he says. "I was already like that, and it kind of fit me."

Stevens, also a vegan, became an activist for human and animal rights after becoming involved with straight edge. He is very active in the Animal Defense League. He says that straight edge can inspire kids and provide direction, but often the message gets lost, leaving just music.

"I expect more from kids who are straight edge," Stevens says.

He mentions self-education and being aware of the issues as being very important.

"It's a political stance on things... too many people ignore human rights," he says. "They talk a lot but don't really do anything."

Stevens sees those who leave straight edge behind as disappointing but says it is an individual issue.

"I think it's completely realistic to be straight edge forever," he says.

Straight edge may have many different sides, but the basic belief in clean living serves to unify those genuinely involved. More importantly, it can be the first step toward a more proactive lifestyle.

From that perspective, Stevens was not entirely negative about straight edge becoming a fad.

"Straight edge by itself isn't much," Stevens says, comparing it to a seed. "Maybe it will plant the seed in more people," he says.