Emo Kids Under Attack!

Friday, April 4, 2008

Emo kids—who are often described as sensitive teens who favor black and wear their hearts on their sleeves—are being attacked in Mexico

If you've got a Mexican vacation planned, you might want to warn your emo teens to tone it down a notch. Why? Emo kids—those angsty, sensitive, eyeliner-wearing hipster teens and tweens you often see hanging out at Starbucks—are being attacked throughout Mexico and Chile, according to recent reports. The LA Weekly says the attacks are reportedly coming from metal, punk, and rockabilly music fans who dislike the emo look and attitude. Emos have begun to fight back, organizing marches in Guadalajara and Mexico City.

According to Everybody Hurts: An Essential Guide to Emo Culture,
emo is now a cultural phenomenon with its own accompanying language, style, and ideaology. We talked to the authors, Leslie Simon and Trevor Kelley, about what Moms can do to protect their emo kids.

Leslie: I really don't think being emo is anything moms need to protect their kids from. Assuming that the upheaval in Mexico doesn't make its way into the US, all parents really have to worry about with their emo kids is maybe buying their son a pair of girls' jeans while making sure he doesn't leave the straightening iron on. So much of the media has painted emo culture as an underground movement of kids on the verge of violence and possibly suicide. While I don't doubt that many kids who are into emo music and the entire emo lifestyle might in fact be depressed, the two are not mutually exclusive. Emo teens are not necessarily depressed teens, and vice versa. The best thing moms and dads can do is ask questions. Get to know the music and lifestyle your kid is into. It'll pay off
in spades.

Trevor: I would actually encourage parents to have their kids embrace this culture. Leslie and I have met literally thousands of these kids over the years. They are GOOD kids. It's just that the media is fascinated with certain things
they do. But, really, these are good kids who are just interested in expressing themselves through things like blogs and, perhaps most famously,
their wardrobes.

Are you the Mom of an emo tween or teen? Tell us about it.

filed under: moms are talking about

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No, my kids are not “emo,” but I’m glad Mom Logic has brought this up because I kept hearing the word alot, so thanks :)

- Joan

Posted 04/04/08 12:26 PM

My son is “emo.” I was “goth” as a teen so I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. And yes we share eyeliner!

- Anonymous

Posted 04/04/08 02:02 PM

“Goth,” “Emo”…funny how, like fashion, names change, but the mind set is still the same! :)

- Salina

Posted 04/04/08 02:52 PM

“EMO” I think itz kinda neat but im not emo im juss a regualar girl. I think EMO is pretty neat i wanna be emo but im tryna see what i need to do first.

- Charnele

Posted 04/14/08 02:37 PM

Charnele? You want to be emo because you think it sounds cool? I dont that just sounds so odd to me. I sometimes get called emo but its not something i planned or wanted. When people see you doing certain things or hanging out with people they consider emo for whatever reason your instanly emo. I think its weird i dont consider myself emo.But I dont agree with them being attacked at all there is no good reason for hurting other people.

- Rachel

Posted 04/25/08 05:35 PM

My 17-year old daughter is “emo”. She has blue hair and dresses in the emo style. She is also bisexual, which I’ve heard is a trend of the emo movement. She wants to get facial piercings but I’ve told her to wait until she is 18. I don’t see this “emo” thing as harmful in any way, I don’t see why it’s percieved as a threat. Any thoughts?

- Samy

Posted 07/31/08 04:46 PM

You are a poser if you just “decide” to be emo, because real emo people don’t just “decide”. They’re emotional, so they sart cutting themselves and wearing black. And you aren’t emo unless you cut urself. If you just dress emo, you are scene or straight edge.

- Sarah

Posted 03/02/09 02:23 PM