Let me, please, describe myself a little first, top to bottom, so you can see where I am coming from:

I have longer hair, bangs that cover my right eye. I wear black eyeliner, sometimes purple, and black eyeshadow outside of school. My shirts are usually black with that splash of color known to stores like Hot Topic. I wear nail polish, and it's usually dark purple (I don't own black. Soon...). I do wear skinny jeans, and my favorite belt is white with purple studs (here's the exact one). I wear what Vans describes as a "slip-on", for lack of a better term. Some of my favorite accessories include large belts around my middle and a huge bow I clip into my hair. I love Fall Out Boy, Linkin Park, and other punk-rock types of things. I love my iPod.

Can you picture me? What's the first stereotype that comes to your mind? Don't be afraid, we all use them; it's built into us. Is it "oh, she's emo and slits her wrists in the bathroom"? Or "oh, so scene"?

Actually... how could you know?

I have recently come across the stereotype of "scene" Paraphrasing the writers on Urban Dictionary, scene means I like guns, dinosaurs, 80's music, and I have a rocking myspace. Sorry, I'm not the gun type, cute dinosaurs on shirts are not in my closet, and I don't have a myspace (or, I do, but I haven't signed on in a year. Consider it nonexistent.). But, kudos to the 80's music. Great time. For the full article on Urban Dictionary about "scene", click here.

Okay, emo, the whole reason I wanted write this article! Urban Dictionary claims emo means, "An entire subculture of people (usually angsty teens) with a fake personality." (full article, click here).

That as an introduction, let us delve into "emo". The word used to mean a style of punk/rock music; it has transformed into meaning a fake, self-absorbed teen that cries all the time, writes horrible poetry, and loves the color black.

Now, does "emo", to you, describe the fashion of tight jeans, graphic tees, and the "slip-on" shoe? Or is it how one acts, as in "sitting in a dark corner" or "quiet and sullen".

In my point of view, I argue for the fashion. I wear those things because that style is just unlike any other. I don't want to wear mini-skirts or sweater vests, sweatshirts and sweatpants every day. And I don't want to have no style at all. Plus, if you were to say I were emo, to most people it means the attitude. I am not depressed. I am quite happy, smile, usually, uncontrollably, and love to laugh.

And, think about it. If you were to argue for the disposition, wouldn't you just be describing "depression"? Seriously, get a psych.

So, am I, in fact, emo? By looking at who I am, would you still say that I am "emo" or "scene"? Go on, keep using these terms, that doesn't bother me. But, I think if we take this notion and add it to our way of thinking, people who you'd never have known because of what they look like on the outside might be just like you on the inside.



This article was not meant to offend any one person or group of people. If you are offended, please note me (do not leave a comment) and I will remove the offensive phrase(s)