The Goth
scene has always been revered as a safe and inclusive place for all. Be you
Trad, Cyber, Victorian, Lolita or Nu, each and every one of us has a place in
this vibrant community. Goth clubs, as such, are places of trust and safety, a
safe-haven for people (especially women) who would otherwise be victims of
harassment and even, as the shocking and tragic death of Sophie Lancaster
proved, violence. LUCY, the UK’s pioneer of altsub information and rights, has
a lot to say about this. With over a million subscribers on YouTube, her sharp
wit and cutting-edge attitude puts her at the forefront of British alternative
subculture.
So what
better place to meet her than the local church? Centuries of wear have rendered
it an intimidating sight and an excellent catalyst for discussion and change.
The sandstone steeple looms ahead, its ancient belfry all but lost in the mist.
It is 6am, the sky is overcast and the stone upon which I have perched is cold
and damp. A hardly ideal condition to conduct an interview, but this issue’s
guest is certainly worth the discomfort.
A minute
passes, and another, until -finally- my esteemed guest materialises from behind
the thick wooden doors. She waves cordially and offers a hand.
Good
morning, LUCY. How are you today?
I’m very
well, thank you. I think the meeting went well, everyone listened to one another.
It was good.
I see. Is
the meeting secret, or are we allowed to know what it was about?
Well, you’re
the first on the scene, I guess, so it’s a bit exclusive. It was actually a
conference discussing the proposed changes to hate crime laws.
Oh! That
explains the banners for The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
Yes, that’s
right. After Sophie’s death, her mother has been bravely campaigning for the
Hate Crime Act to cover alternative subcultures and modes of dress. In short,
if someone beats you up ‘cause they don’t like the way you dress, they can be
prosecuted more harshly.
That’s a godsend
to people like us, then.
Exactly. One
of my rivet head friends was glassed in Shoreditch a few moths ago, when some
yobs didn’t like the way he was dressed. He had to have stitches, but the lads
got off with community service. It’s awful, this kind of prejudice can’t be
allowed to continue and it looks like we won’t have to wait much longer.
I think all
of our readers will agree with you there. Shocking acts of violence will no
longer make us live in fear.
No, exactly.
People like us deserve much better. I was discussing this with the promoters of
Slimes and they’re all vehement supporters!
By Slimes, I
presume you mean Slimelight? (Longest running dark club night in the UK)
Yeah, of
course. It’s great there. In fact, that reminds me of something…
That
‘something’ wouldn’t happen to be your next video?
It would, as
a matter of fact. It’s not out yet, but it’s about the link between feminism
and Goth I went to Slimes with a few of the girls the other week and was really
struck with how safe it is. It’s not like the run-of-the-mill nightclubs, where
there’s the constant fear of being leered at or touched by sexist blokes who
see the lace and the fishnet and instantly assume you’re some object. Everyone
at Slimes, or any other altsub night, is there for the same reason: to have a
good time in a safe environment. They’re not perving on you, they’re not going
to assault you. The bathrooms are all basically unisex and it doesn’t even feel
weird, it’s just normal.
Would you
say Goth men are more likely to be feminists?
I would say
Goth men have the attitude of a feminist, but they might not realise it. It’s
so internalised in this culture, so normal. If a Goth guy was acting like a
sexist pig or treating women like sex toys, he’d be the freak. In a mainstream
club, it’s seen as ‘manly’ or ‘cool’ to pinch a girl on the bottom (which is
actually a criminal offence) and when she complains, they tell her she was
‘asking for it’. This kind of disgusting, entitled attitude, in my experience,
is all but absent from Goth and alternative clubs.
You’ve been
to lots of clubs, then?
Oh yes. It’s
all research, I can assure you! Good ones I can recommend are, obviously,
Slimelight if you’re in Islington, or Invocation is another great one. If you
can get to Chelmsford, I strongly recommend The Strange Boutique. It’s a new
one, but it’s really good so far,
and the people
who run it, Cassiel and Catherine, are
absolutely
wonderful people.
In Cardiff,
there’s a cool place called Bogiez, which has a good vibe.
Birmingham
has a few good places, actually. It’s pretty difficult to decide which is the
best. Eddie’s (once well-known Goth spot Edward’s No.8) is a surefire hit and
it has a Goth room as well as plenty of metal. Scruffy Murphy’s is pretty good,
with great beer. Rock Zombie in Dudley is quite new, but it’s showing heaps of
promise.
That’s all
we’ve got time for, I’m afraid. Thanks LUCY, it was great to talk to you.
Great to
talk to you too.
