READER'S QUESTION

I am in Year 9 at school and I have had some problems with my friends because of the way I like to dress.

On a weekend I wear black clothes and lots of make up, because I like to be a goth. I have never had a problem before with anyone thinking it was strange, and although my parents do not really like it they let me do what I want and express myself as I wish.

But now I am getting problems at school because some people have started picking on me after they saw me in town.

They keep calling me names and sometime at lunch they throw stuff at me. One day a girl came right in my face and shouted “I hate Goths”.

Now I am wondering whether I should change the way I dress, because I do not want to be abused like this all the time.

I could still wear my goth outfits at home, as no one would know, but maybe outside it is best not to?

Do you think it is bad to be a goth? I think I am one of only three at my school, so it can’t be that normal. Is it best to go along with everyone else?

Please give me some advice.

Jonny, Borehamwood

LAURA'S ANSWER

Well one thing is for sure, you shouldn’t change the way you dress or express yourself because of what other people think of it.

It is merely because the style is quite uncommon upon our society and various people may feel uncomfortable or/and do not understand.

If this is a new change for you, it is also a new change for your friends.

It is so original of people to automatically feel the dislike/disapprove of Goths and call them names.

There’s not much else people could say to you without repeating themselves. Grunge, gothic, rock and metal music and style as a genre tend to have a reputation of the theme, ‘dirty’. Of course this is a great misconception.

These genres can be argued that they have been noticed for having good melody and hidden meaning lyrics. The genre is also known for the good bands which remain despite it being quite rare.

Being uncommon shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. If you have ever been to Camden, you will see all sorts of people, from teenage punks and emos to legendary rock stars!

Kurt Cobain, Marilyn Manson and Led Zepplin are some of the world’s greatest, most famous musicians.

In many schools, this style is outnumbered. It always has been. This would explain such low numbers of Goths in your school. If it were to change, the whole meaning of the gothic background would be altered.

If you feel the friends you are with now are still having problems with you, why not see if you can get talking to the other people in your school who share the same tastes as you?

If you are truly happy with how you dress, why on earth give the others satisfaction to see you change just to meet their taste approval?