LGBT Goths: What’s your scene?

Unless you’ve been living in parallel universe for a while (or maybe Putin’s Russia) you will surely be aware that the acronym LGBT stands for “lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender,” and is catch-all title used to refer to people of the non-straight or gender binary persuasion. Now that we’ve got sexual identity 101 out of the way, let’s talk about LGBT people within the Goth comunity, and what the scene is like for people who are not straight.

The good news
First of all, it is fair to say in my experience that those involved within the Goth scene on any level tend to be open minded, non-judgemental individuals, and that LGBT Goths are welcomed into the scene with open arms. Your fellow Goths are more likely to diss or be disgusted with your taste in music than they are to give a flying feck about who you’re climbing into bed with, meaning that on the whole, the Goth community is very open and welcoming to people from all walks of life, and all gender and sexual identities.
There is also a fairly hefty tip of the hat in a lot of Goth culture and styling to androgyny, gender-queer life and gender experimentation, with Marilyn Manson of course being the poster boy for some truly delectable looks and styles.

Are you likely to get your head caved in by your fellow Goths for not being cis and straight? No, you are not. There are of course, a few exceptions, just as in any walk of life, and Stripy Tights and Dark Delights discusses this in more detail here.
The Skinny also posted an excellent article on LGBT Goths and their acceptance within the scene a few years ago, which is well worth a read too.
The bad news
Outside of the Goth scene, it is certainly fair to say that there is a reasonable amount of phobia and judgement of all things Goth, even going as far as hate crime and violence in extreme cases. Any person of any age who is outwardly gay or does not subscribe to society’s gender norms will no doubt already have had experiences of their own of prejudice, phobia and potentially violence.

When you add a topper to that of another alt culture that might make meatheads feel uncomfortable, such as Goth styling, LGBT Goths may potentially find themselves targeted by the kind of haters who like to pair a low IQ with a low threshold for tolerance.Don’t let anyone mess with your sunshine; just be aware of the issues that LGBT Goths might face, whether you are a member of that number, or a friend and ally.

The Goth scene for LGBT folk
If you go out on the Goth scene pretty much anywhere, the chances of you being the only LGBT person in the club are virtually nonexistent, and certainly within the circles that I move in, the Goth scene seems to have a larger proportion of LGBT members than most other areas of society.
That being the case, it shouldn’t be hard to hook up with other LGBT Goths for friendship, support, advice or even dating, whether online or out in the real world. There is already a Facebook page for LGBT Goths and Emos and their supporters, and a message forum for gay Goth boys and their friends to chat and exchange support.

Are you a LGBT Goth with an experience to share, or have you spotted something that I have missed? Let me know.

Lady Gothique

The gal who runs www.gothicangelclothing.co.uk.