get that hate out your heart

Growing up with the internet, I was able to explore Harajuku's fashion subcultures from the comfort of my home's computer. I used to browse for Japanese street fashion, Shonen Jump magazines, contemporary artists, Naruto animated music videos, alternative music, MMORPGs, and many other things. I thought all of these things had really cool subcultures and I wanted to participate. The problem was, I didn't know where to find the participants. Japanese street fashion obviously exists in Japan, but I am a Black kid from Virginia. I bought clothes without knowing the origins of the brand simply because I liked the graphics on it, or the design, or because I thought the color would match my shoes. As I got a little older I remember kids would get pressed for wearing Thrasher if they weren't skaters or getting your black card revoked If you liked rock music. You weren't supposed to blend things together. In high school the goth kids sat at one table, the hood kids at another, the suburban kids at the third, and so on. There were all of these unwritten social-cultural rules that you had to follow or you'd be ostracized from any one group. I was far removed from these cultures and the people that belonged to them. Most of my peers; like myself, were ignorant to the world that was formed before them. By default we were more apt to blur lines and blend things together with no fear of backlash.

If you didn't fall into a genre, you were accused of not having an identity. But really we were all complex layered human beings, just like everyone else. You're identity isn't summed up by something as shallow or superficial as the clothes you wear or the music you listen to. Simply-put, we didn't fall under one umbrella. I wasn't accepted whole-heartedly by the skaters, the b-boys, or the fine artists. I existed on my own island, and I knew that out of the 7 billion people on earth, a few people that were also interested in this random assortment of niche cultures could also find refuge on this island.

I had a genuine interest in these things, so what if I wasn't good at any of them? At least I was being honest, and I've found that even if people don't like you, when you're honest they can at least respect you.