Jessica Urbano - Presentation

In the article "Rethinking Subcultural Resistance: Core Values of the Straight Edge Movement" by Ross Haenfler, the author is talking about the The straight edge movement (also called sXe) that originated on the East Coast in United States from the punk subculture of the early 1980s. This movement was a new way a living. A "clean living" as Haenfler mentions. They abstained from alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, and pre-marital sex unless they are in a caring relationship. Most of these sXers are white, middle-class male, and are 15-25 years of age. Haenfler's data comes from 14 years of observing the sXe movement from 1996 to 2001. He adopted the straightedge lifestyle when he was 15 but wasn't active during college. His data came from interviews with depth interviews with 17 sXe men and 11 women aging from 17 to 30 years old.
He concluded that if a subculture takes a stance on a life choice the youth with follow along. sXers wanted to change and better the youth culture and would be able to to their believe that a clean life lead to a clear mind. They joined together to share ideas and became sXers for personal or political reasons.