World Goth Day – behind the scene
Raven, as she calls herself, has immersed herself in the Goth subculture for more than half her life. She tells us more.
TODAY, May 22, marks World Goth Day – a day for the Goth scene to celebrate its existence and an opportunity for it to make its presence known to the rest of the world.
In light of the commemorative day, we contacted the South African Gothic Society to find out more about the scene, and Raven Van Deventer, as she calls herself, was happy to tell us all about it. She holds a co-ownership position at the society.
Van Deventer explained that individuals who identify with the Goth subculture enjoy Goth rock, metal, post-punk and many alternative music genres, as well as Gothic literature, Victorian and medieval history, and contemporary horror films.
She went on to say, “Individuals like these are typically non-violent, open-minded intellectuals who are deeply fascinated by death and view societal injustices quite cynically. Goths are generally outsiders that embrace being different and enjoy showing off their alternative fashion sense. There are many different types of Goths, and each one has their own aesthetic from Victorian Goth, Cyber Goth, Trad (traditional Goth), Deathrocker, Corporate Goth, Gothabilly, Romantic Goth, Steampunk Goth and many more.”
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Van Deventer said she has ‘immersed’ herself in the Gothic scene for more than half her life.
“I was initially introduced to the scene through media and musical influences. What personally attracted me was the aesthetic appreciation and celebration of the darker aspects of life. The music holds profound significance, and the fashion is stunning and distinct from the mainstream, which has always captivated me,” she said.
Myths about goth subculture
For Van Deventer, the most common misconception about Goth subculture is the assumption that Goths enjoy violence.
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“In part, this is due to the more morbid and violent music and fashion choices we make. Interestingly, we find that our violent music calms and relaxes us from the stresses of the day, and we enjoy the emotions associated with darker genres,” she said.
She further clarified that the subculture does not tend toward any religion.
“Like I always tell people, Goth is a subculture and not a religion, with Goths having many different religions and personal beliefs. Also, for the most part, we are peaceful and keep to ourselves. In my experience, Goths will usually fight back with wit and a clever comeback rather than any form of violence,” Van Deventer added.
Van Deventer, who hails from the South Coast, currently resides in Richards Bay. She is a lead news writer for a gaming website.
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