Thruth is, not all countries are "goth-friendly" as you may have noticed yourselves. I thought about a few places where it's easier to be a Goth, become one and where the chance to meet another is way higher than in other places.
But first..What makes a place more goth-friendly than another?
Surely the overall mindset. If the people are close minded they will give you hard times being a goth. A place where you don't get stared at and pointed at as you were the demon's child just because of your "weird" clothes and make-up is surely an advantage for goth culture to grow. Also the presence of clubs or other places playing goth music and giving the chance to create a group of people with the same tastes in things is surely a great imput for the culture to spread.
In my opinion, from what I've seen and heard, it's easier to be a Goth in England, where the culture was born. There are a lots of gothy places to go, alt shops and really everything you look for! (Camden Town being in every goths must-go-at-least-once-before-I-die place list) and also hosting the famous Whitby Gothic Weekend for example.
Second place for sure is Germany! Hosting every year the most famous goth festivals like the WGT and the M'Era Luna! Birthplace of many gothic industrial bands.
Another country I think can be in the top 5 is surely Japan! With the famous Gothic Lolitas! Though it seems a very strict country it actually gives a lot of space to creativity and creative people like Goths.
Surely United States are in the top too. With the phantomatic "be free to be yourself" phylosophy that favourited the abundance of alternative styles, Goth included, all throughout the country.
Personal experience, Italy..my country. Let's say there could be more support to the gothic culture! Alternative music is NOT supported at all. Lately though I've seen more and more people embracing the culture (probably thanks to the internet) and more shops and clubs opening! It seems to get better..hopefully! ;)
What about your country? How hard or easy is it to be a Goth there?
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14 comments:
you forgot Finland!
Anywhere I go, I'm not afraid.
The Netherlands score pretty high I think. High tolerance for homosexuality, oddness and diversity in general. Plus, there are tons of alternative shops, festivals and gatherings. I worked in a regular shop looking fairly extremely goth at 20. Nowadays I can wear my new rocks to the office.
Here in Western Australia it scores pretty high for acceptance (As far as I've seen) anyone can wear anything they like and hardly even get stared at. :)
But as for Gothic clubs, stores...Hardly any, so we score 1/10 on that probably. :(
Here in Poland alternative subculture ist still growing. IMO polish people have quite low acceptance. But we`ve one of the greatest international festival instead.
it is hard to be goth in Latvia. Firts, we just don['t have any gothic shops. Boots we buy at tatoo salon, hairdye too. And we have few organisations in biggest cities (also other people thinks we're weird) ;) so clothes we buy in internet or sew ourselves, it is hard to walk by street without hurting words but we already got accistomed
I live in Austria and, like Germany, it is a pretty good place for Goths. We have many clubs and events and (at least in citys) people are quite nice and interested.
As a Brit who visits Germany for Mera Luna, I have to say I find the German scene a lot more welcoming.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of nice Goths in England, but there is also a degree of bitchiness towards younger folk that there doesn't seem to be in Germany.
Melbourne, Australia, as well as many other major cities here, have infamously fantastic Goth scenes. xxx Lily
Montreal (Quebec, Canada)
Not all parts of the US is accepting. There are parts that are very conservative as a whole, and even in more liberal places we have alot of immigrants from countries that are not very tolerant and don't want to fully embrace the freedoms of the US.
hi! im from Romania and isnt a good place to be a goth herd. society in general is pretty conservative and suspicious of everything out of the norm. there are few dark/alternative clubs, and those that are usually focus on metal not goth/post-punk.
Portugal is also a good place =)
I live in a most-rural place, and I never get beated, neither I have been mocked.
And in Lisbon, it's the same. We normally see a bunch of alternatives in Lisbon. And even near of where I live XD
And (you probably don't know abou that), but we have a gothic festival as well. It's called Entremuralhas. We normally have big bands there. This is the link of the list of bands that come this year:
http://ruidosonoro.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/em2012oficial.jpg
I would love to see CoX and VNV Nation.
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