Authentic Identities: Straightedge Subculture, Music, and the Internet

In this article, the author examines the relative roles of music and the internet for self-identifying members of the straightedge youth subculture. For nearly 30 years, subcultures have been conceptualized primarily in terms of music and style. Participation has therefore typically been characterized by the consumption of specific types of music and clothing and participation in local, face-to-face music scenes. However, with the recent growth of information and communication technologies like the internet, opportunities have emerged that enable individuals to participate in subcultures in which they otherwise might not participate. The author shows that a new type of subculturalist is emerging—one whose subcultural participation is limited to the internet. Using the concepts of authenticity and scene, the author explores how participants in a straightedge internet forum negotiate their affiliations with the subculture and how some members attempt to halt others’ claims to a straightedge identity. The study suggests that the internet is emerging as a new, but highly contested, subcultural scene.