Straight Edge Ross Haenfler Summary

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In Ross Haenfler’s book, Straight Edge: Clean-Living Youth, Hardcore Punk, and Social Change, he discusses and evaluates the many aspects that are present in straight edge (sXe) culture. Straight edge individuals define themselves as being members of the larger punk subculture. Furthermore, in addition to being “punk,” they refrain from alcohol use, drug use, and premarital sex. In chapter six of this book, Haenfler examines the obstacles that straight edge women face, specifically in the Denver punk scene. In general, punk culture is dominated by males, which makes it difficult for women to fully integrate. Haenfler elaborates on this issue and states, “Though sometimes less visible, women make their presence known in the sXe scene” (134). …show more content…

Some of these women created their own punk bands including “Perdone, Berserk, Doughnuts, Fast Times, Walls of Jericho…” (Haenfler 146). These bands addressed the prominent issues regarding sexism prejudice in society. By directly voicing these concerns among the punk scenes all across the United States, these young women showcased their resistance and affected their audience members directly. Through another similar media source, DeGeneres embraces her individuality and fights against homophobia by using her fame. Her many roles on television in the past and present have allowed her to influence a vast number of people (“Ellen”). This has served as an exceedingly effective medium to fight for equal rights among same-sex relationships. By voicing these concerns out loud and to large groups, both straight edge women and DeGeneres were able to display their active resistance and generate a response against these harsh societal norms. The goal of the late 1900s punk movement was to the reject mainstream ideals placed upon the public by powerful and large corporations. Straight edge women did just that by consistently rejecting generally held female expectations and stereotypes. They unified together to actively voice and further spread their beliefs around the world, much like Ellen DeGeneres did when pursuing her comedy career. The courage and strength exhibited by both DeGeneres and straight edge women are admirable, as standing up for a controversial idea is not always a manageable