What's in a Name

Emo, Goth, Rocker, Alt. Rocker, Punk… labels, as the title says what’s in a name?

As I walked in the city at lunchtime I overheard two wee women talking in quite ardent tones about the state of the youth of today. They were very vocal about their criticism of how young people dressed, how they looked and the way they acted. Tattoos, Piercings, Dreadlocks, Coloured Hair, all reasons it seemed to denigrate youth!

I crossed the road and they turned the opposite way, still engrossed in their criticism, I was really quite amused as I watched them roll away filling the pavement to the exclusion of anybody trying to make their way. I was thinking to myself, “I wonder what they were like in their youth” were they conformist, did they embrace the new found freedom of the sixties, miniskirts, the sexual revolution, summer of love, had they forgotten the reaction of people to The Beetles, The Stones, Hendrix et al. the young loved them, their parents feared them! Maybe they were that conformist minority constrained from the adventure of their youth. How quickly people forget.

When I was young I didn’t conform, I was a “Rebel without a Clue” I played in bands, grew my hair, dressed like… well let’s not go there!!! To my peers in school I was a metal-head or a hippy, denims. leather jacket and patchouli oil, I must have smelt like an Afghan Opium den, some people avoided me, some, those I still hold dear as my true friends, embraced my freaky nature, my taste in music and my rebellious nature, I was angry at the world a lot of the time and they were patient, kind, understanding and caring and I will never be able to thank them enough for being there for me.

It was ironic as I walked on that I saw this girl, just the kind of disaffected youth the wee women were lamenting. She glowered at the pedestrians who dared to stare, maybe to some she was intimidating with Pink Dreadlocks, lip piercings and a very distinctive fashion sense, how wonderful to be able to express yourself and not give a hoot about the opinion of others, to be brave enough to put your head above the parapet and be confident enough in your own skin to dress to express as well as impress, more power to her. I am sure a lot of people will label her, maybe she labels herself, the difference is she has the right too. I will sign off with a though, one of my friends is a nurse, a very good nurse, a very caring person, she is tall, she has dreadlocks all the way down her back, with multi-coloured braids intertwined, she has her nose pierced, I am sure the wee women would have derided her had they seen her on the street today but, had they needed her treatment they would have found her the ultimate professional, caring to the highest standard with a kind word and a smile… NEVER judge that book by its cover.

Please enjoy the shot, the style and beauty of this young lady, and remember this is the generation of people who will be running the country when we grow old!!!!!