Daring to be different

Newtown is teeming with them, you see them smoking on Town Hall steps and many make appearances at the famous Club 77.

Goths have been a part of the gay community for years and the popularity of this subculture is growing stronger than ever. The types of goths vary from babydolls, corporate goths, cybergoths, fetishists, rivetheads and even fairy goths.

Bisexual goth and author of Goth Craft, Raven Digitalis, said gender and sexuality take a back seat to personality and individuality in this culture.

Sexual preference isn’t overly focused on in the gothic subculture, so if a person is GLBTIQ and is involved in goth culture simultaneously, their sexual or gender preference isn’t given as much attention, focus, or thought as is their personality or aesthetics, he said.

Goths of all types enjoy wearing clothing that transcends the normal parameters of gender associations or definitions. Many people thus look androgynous, which I see as a very spiritual thing.

Suicide, violence and bad dress sense are some of the stigmas associated with the culture. Digitalis said anyone who appears overly alternative or different is certainly scrutinised at one point or another.

Goth is not a violent culture. I would, in fact, say that it’s the most passive of all subcultures, he said.

The price for expression -” for being oneself -” is often a sacrifice on some level, and this is certainly something that every out queer has dealt with.

Lesbian goth, Polly Blaque, said the Sydney goth scene is drawing in a younger audience with a fascination for anything outside the clean-cut white mainstream.

Part of the culture is curiosity and experimentation with sexuality and other things seen to be taboo, Blaque said.

The hot spots for finding the goth scene in Sydney are Newtown RSL, Factory Theatre, Gallery Serpentine and Club Blink.

info: Goth Craft is available through www.llewellyn.com. Check out Raven’s website at www.ravendigitalis.com.