Re-Imagining Being “Straight” in Straight Edge

In the early 1980s the term “straight edge” was coined to describe a youth subculture within the punk rock scene, a subculture that chose a lifestyle that abstained from alcohol, tobacco and drugs as well as promiscuous sex. While considered a smaller youth scene today than in its peak years of the late 1980s, straight edge has evolved into an international, more complex subculture with several different strands. This paper explores the youth subculture of straight edge, with a special focus on how they construct and signify their abstinence from alcohol and other drugs while often participating in a music scene and a youth culture that embrace their use. An analysis of the language surrounding alcohol, other drugs and abstinence on their Internet websites provides the data for this exploratory, qualitative research. The paper concludes with speculation about the future of this side branch of the American abstinent tradition.