Dog leash goths 'hounded off bus'

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Now I have Joe Cocker's " Unchain My Heart " playing in my head.

Or in this case it would seem to be "chain up my tart"

[Mags 112]

Well the comment wasn't mean't to be taken particularly seriously. As it happens I have some friends in the UK (met through one of my old jobs) who were into the goth lifestyle. I used to hang out with some of them in Camden. Yes, they were nice people; but no, I do not get the whole dressing in black thing; or the music for that matter. Has nothing to do with the way I feel about them personally.

Of course, none of them led their SO's around on a leash in public... but lets face it; you have to be in a subculture of some sort to do something like that.

Ahh Camden. Remember it well!

[Cecile and Bryan 0]

Well the comment wasn't mean't to be taken particularly seriously. As it happens I have some friends in the UK (met through one of my old jobs) who were into the goth lifestyle. I used to hang out with some of them in Camden. Yes, they were nice people; but no, I do not get the whole dressing in black thing; or the music for that matter. Has nothing to do with the way I feel about them personally.

Of course, none of them led their SO's around on a leash in public... but lets face it; you have to be in a subculture of some sort to do something like that.

Just like I don't get how some people can listen to rap, reggae or Rnb. Everyone has their own preferences. 30 seconds of reggae makes me want to throw up

Wearing colors makes me feel weird... but maybe that's just because I'm used to wearing black all the time.

And I have a job too. They never said anything to me about how I looked (but I usually don't wear too heavy makeup and strange clothes at work). And yes, all the goths I know have a job. In information technology, music, education, etc.

And about the leash (since it's the subject), whatever they want to do, as long as they don't harm anyone, that's ok. she's on a leash, she's not going to bite anybody!

Cecile

Edited January 26, 2008 by Cecile and Bryan

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I think there's a certain expectation of conformity in our society. People dress different, listen to different music - sure that's understandable - but at the end of the day everyone has to reach a compromise with that - in terms of how people are generally expected to behave. There's nothing to stop a person allowing themselves to be lead around on a leash in public, but at the same time you can't be too surprised if people make value judgements about it.

Of course someone who goes in for that sort of thing probably doesn't care overmuch about what anyone else thinks, and there's no reason why they should... Of course if you turn up for job interviews dressed like the folks in the article - you can't be too surprised if you don't get the position.

Its not really a personal thing - I don't really go in for any subcultures - I find the whole lifestyle construction a bit fake.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I don't really give a damn what people do, so long as it doesn't affect me (or my family) in a negative fashion. If they want to dress up "like the Crow" or whatever, that's fine by me. The moment any individual begins to adversely affect my family and I is when the trouble begins -- and that has nothing to do with "goths" since it goes for anyone.

However, since this article is about that "goth" couple, I really do have to wonder: why didn't they stop and think that perhaps taking public transport, while dressed up in outfits that are considered "outside the norm," would illicit a poor reaction?

It seems to me that they were merely looking for attention. The reason I say this is because if they had wanted to travel somewhere (and get there without problems), they would've dressed a little more appropriately. Furthermore, they weren't going to a costume or "goth" party, so they really had no reason to be dressed that way -- other than to seek attention, of course.

I know some people on here might suggest that this couple was only doing what they wanted and were comfortable with as friends and lovers. That's fine. The issue isn't what they were comfortable with, but what the other people would be comfortable with on the bus, including the driver. They were using public transportation and therefore must not only abide the rules that go with it, but realize that others may not share their unique taste in clothes and relationship style. If they want to travel as they see fit, they could use their own vehicle (although it seems unlikely they own one, since they probably wouldn't be using the bus if they did).

[panamania79 2]

just found a piccie of the pair.... I honestly think the whole thing is silly, they hardly look dangerous...

I imagined they were emo/goth people.

[Fandango 1,439]

I think there's a certain expectation of conformity in our society. People dress different, listen to different music - sure that's understandable - but at the end of the day everyone has to reach a compromise with that - in terms of how people are generally expected to behave. There's nothing to stop a person allowing themselves to be lead around on a leash in public, but at the same time you can't be too surprised if people make value judgements about it.

Of course someone who goes in for that sort of thing probably doesn't care overmuch about what anyone else thinks, and there's no reason why they should... Of course if you turn up for job interviews dressed like the folks in the article - you can't be too surprised if you don't get the position.

Its not really a personal thing - I don't really go in for any subcultures - I find the whole lifestyle construction a bit fake.

D and I always found it ironic that many 'non conformists' then turn to conform to something else. Especially when they're crowding around the city centres in groups of 10 or more, D will lean over and say 'ahhh, lookit all the individuals'

That's tongue in cheek btw...neither of us really care who dresses in spiked collars and the like. And D was known to have a mowhawk or two back in the day.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

I have a friend who was (and is) heavily into the Sex Pistols. He's 31 and still dresses in leather jackets with spikes across the shoulders and up until he started to lose his hair had (and presumably would still have) a Mohawk. He's probably the last and only punk-style person I've seen in my neck of the woods.

Still the groups of Goth kids are rather funny - I still have to laugh at the folks who still wear all-Nirvana merchandise, even though they were only 3 or 4 when Kurt Cobain shot himself.

[Jason-Sasha 1]

This couple claims that leashing is a sign of trust. #######?? I keep my dog on a leash sometimes BECAUSE I can't trust that he'll run off or get hit by a car. Trust?? Come on. if anything its a sign of mistrust. Sounds like they are both suffering from low self esteem. Where are their fathers???

[Reba 2]

It is a trust thing. If you read the article and how the man talks about their relationship, they share a dominant/submissive relationship. He takes care of her, puts out her clothes, cleans up after her, and leads her around by a leash. She TRUSTS that he will take care of her and not lead her into the path of an oncoming bus. She's not a dog. She's a human with a leash on.

[Peikko 1,575]

This couple claims that leashing is a sign of trust. #######?? I keep my dog on a leash sometimes BECAUSE I can't trust that he'll run off or get hit by a car. Trust?? Come on. if anything its a sign of mistrust. Sounds like they are both suffering from low self esteem. Where are their fathers???

Are you suggesting that only children of single mother families have offspring who have low self esteem and further that only those with low self esteem adopt alternative lifestyles?

Just because something doesn't appeal to me I don't automaticaly assume that it's wrong or bad. It appears to me that a lot of those who embrace conformity are a little afraid of things that don't conform.

[Peikko 1,575]

There are all kinds of reasons why someone might want to dress/behave differently than the accepted norms including the reason Lisa D suggested, that it's an 'alternative' uniform for them to hide behind.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Whats up with the collar? I use a choke chain!