this is a speech i wrote for english class, but i actually really like how it came out and it is something i want to share! it is based on this ted talk by Chimamanda Adichie, 'the danger of a single story', and i was to write a speech about a single story from my experience.
Hi, my name is Keira. I consider myself to be ‘alt’. I relate to labels for my fashion and lifestyle such as emo, punk, scene, and even goth to an extent, as do many of my friends. I love dressing this way, and I value self-expression, but there are drawbacks. The way people stare at me, or side-eye me, their attitude when they talk to me, the way they whisper and point. People think I’m weird and different, and they automatically have a lack of trust, just because of the way I look.
People who dress alternatively are constantly facing harassment and distrust based only on their way of presenting. There was a time when I was at the mall with a few of my friends. For context, we all dress alternatively in some way, have piercings and dyed hair. As we were just walking through the mall, a group of guys our age shout at us “suicide squad!”. We weren’t even doing anything out of the ordinary. I suppose they were trying to be funny, and since we look different than them, that made us the perfect target. Their comment, “suicide squad”, is based in the single story that people who dress alternatively, specifically “emos”, are mentally ill, or suicidal. This type of harassment is typical for those who dress in a style outside the norm.
Even in the hallway here at school, I get comments. One of my favourites is when people sing songs to me. Most often, I get ‘Last Resort’ by Papa Roach, and ‘Fall for You’ by Secondhand Serenade. In case you don’t know, those are both songs that are considered to be ‘emo’, their themes surrounding suicide and heartbreak. And by the way, if you are gonna try to bully someone by singing at them, you could at least get the lyrics right.
Now, it is almost always teenagers and kids who have that type of reaction to me, where their first instinct is to shout at me or make rude comments. Adults are a little different. They don’t bully me or harass me. The main problem adults have with people who dress alternatively is a lack of trust. They are just immediately suspicious of people who don’t dress “normally”. They think that just because we dress like this, that that inherently means we are going to do drugs, commit crimes, and skip school among other things. Me and my friends have been followed around in stores by the employees, because they think we are going to steal. When I dyed my hair black for the first time, my dad questioned if that meant I was going to drop out of school, which makes no sense. I have always been good at school, and have no reason to drop out, so why would I, just because I want to wear different styles?
This single story, that alternative people are depressed, drug addicts, criminals, and failures is perpetuated in media. in movies, TV, books, and even on the news, the “emos” are always depicted as stand-offish and disrespectful, sitting in the corner and glaring at anyone who walks by, always doing drugs and committing crimes. The idea that we are at risk of hurting others, or ourselves is constantly pushed by media, and it can cause a lot of problems for people who simply just want to express their personality creatively through fashion.
There is a misconception that punks are quite hostile and aggressive, and do nothing but cause trouble and unrest, and there is some truth to that. It can be part of trying to make a change to do things like riot and do graffiti, but it is always with the greater good in mind. Punks don’t just do that kind of thing for no reason. In fact, one of the main ideologies of the punk subculture is that everyone should help each other and be kind. Lots of punks are really into volunteering, helping the homeless, fighting against racism, sexism, other types of oppression, dismantling harmful power structures and advocating for freedom.
Sometimes these narratives can become even more widespread, like in the 80s, with the whole ‘Satanic panic’. Metalheads specifically, but other adjacent alternative subcultures too, were being accused – as a whole – of being Satanists who are violent, murdering each other and sacrificing babies. It was spread all through different types of media, on the news and in movies. These ideas of alternative people were ingrained in a whole generation of people. The world has become more accepting since then, and some metal and rock music has become more mainstream, but there are still lasting effects of that period in time. Lots of the older generations still don’t accept or trust alternative people, and still spread harmful stereotypes about us.
Like I said earlier, almost all of my friends are also alternative, like me, and all of them are amazing, kind, respectful, and hard-working people. I am a member of Girl Guides. Whenever I say that, people are always shocked. They don’t expect someone who dresses like me would be into selling cookies and volunteering, camping and learning skills. But I do all of that and I enjoy it. I’m not quiet and cold, and I don’t just go out with my friends causing trouble or stay in my room crying all day.
Alternative people are multi-faceted people, just like everyone else, and no matter what style a person dresses in, no single story can define a human being. You can’t assume that someone is a bad person, untrustworthy, or a criminal just based on what they look like. It’s essentially the idea of ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. A very simple concept, and yet still so many people do it, and they treat people based on their preconceptions about the person’s way of presenting. So, I encourage you, that when you go out into the world, and see people who dress differently than you, be conscious of your thoughts and ideas about them, and the preconceptions that may cloud your view. Try to be a little more open-minded, as everyone deserves to feel welcome in the world, no matter how they wish to present themselves. Thank you.