Could you share a brief introduction?
Hi! I’m Ana. I’m from Wisconsin but I’m currently in Michigan for college, where I’m studying documentary production. I’ll be in my 4th year this fall.
Right now I’m heavily involved with my school’s radio station Impact 89FM (impact89fm.org). I do video work there, but I also co-host a hardcore/metal show on most Thursday nights. It’s been great to be more involved in the local music scene and help platform people through my work. I think that no matter where I go career-wise, my purpose is to do good for my community and help people feel served/represented. Outside of work, I love watching sports (I’m particularly insane about the Milwaukee Brewers), cooking, writing, and collecting vintage and antiques. I also do some photography and graphic design here and there.Â
What’s currently on your playlist?
Twitching Tongues, Have Heart, Cran, Initiate, 108, Inclination, The Distillers, Harms Way, Regulate, No Cure, Jivebomb, TUI, Fuming Mouth, Gojira, Soundgarden, Code Orange, Speed, Baroness.
Of the less/not heavy variety, Mannequin Pussy, The Story So Far, and all eras of Paramore, PVRIS, and Tonight Alive
How do you define straight edge?
Straight edge is, in its simplest form, not doing drugs or drinking alcohol, and standing firm and proud in your choice.
It’s different from simply being sober in that it’s a subculture and tied directly to the hardcore community. It would be a misnomer to label someone who isn’t involved or even interested in hardcore/punk as straight edge, if they’re sober. Additionally, there’s more of a “radical” connotation to being straight edge; a celebration of deviating from societal norms.
How important is music to your relationship with straight edge?
Well, like I said, I think you need to be at the very least interested in the culture of origin (hardcore) to consider yourself straight edge. Keeping that connection is important because it keeps the history and purpose of the movement alive. Whether or not “interest” is active participation is a different conversation. It’d be cool if you went to a show, though, lol.
What’s your straight edge story?
I think I first heard of the term ‘straight edge’ when I was in middle school, but that was before I was in deep to the scene and knew fully what it meant outside of being sober. It wasn’t until I was about 16/17 that I started to fully identify with it. There’s no specific moment that made me edge, I think it’s more my experience living in a place where drinking irresponsibly is normalized. It’s never sat right with me. And I feel even if I were to be the “different” drinker and do it minimally/responsibly, that wouldn’t be enough to stop the machine.
How straight edge influenced your relationships with family, friends, and others?
Most of my family and friends, especially my family, are chill about it. With my friends, I have sometimes gotten a snide “Why?” but it’s never been anything more than that, especially when I explain. I’m fortunate to be around people who are understanding and supportive.
There have been times where friends have been *too* supportive, though. I was once at a friend’s low-key party and they made a point to come up to me and do a whole song and dance about how it’s okay that I don’t drink and that I can leave whenever I want, etc. and it was like… bro. Your dad is literally flipping burgers 10 feet away. You don’t need to worry about me being uncomfortable.
I’ve also struggled with FOMO when I see friends going out to the bars and such. I think that comes more from a complex I developed when I was in 7th grade and too weird for anyone to purposefully invite me to anything, rather than me actually wanting to be at a bar.
Looking back, is there anything about path into and through straight edge that you would do differently?
No. I’m very privileged to have gotten here the way I did, given that others have found straight edge as a means to break out of their own addiction or resist the downward spiral they’ve seen friends or family take.
Have you encountered any challenges or misconceptions about being straight edge?
I’ve been told I can’t have fun because I don’t drink. I address this by, well, having fun. Sometimes I get crazy and drink sparkling water while having fun.
Do you feel that your gender or age has influenced your experience within the straight edge and hardcore scenes?
No matter how seriously I took it, I’ve felt like being edge didn’t “count” until I was 21.
Women and fem-aligned people are left to make space for ourselves despite already being underrepresented. There’s a cliche image of what makes someone hardcore, and that has meant “not a woman” for far too long
In your view, how inclusive is the straight edge movement, and what steps could be taken to enhance its inclusivity?
Something that may detract people from wanting to identify with straight edge is this idea of perfection. Especially in online spaces, there’s a perpetual debate over what’s edge or not, who’s allowed to claim, what have you. Without losing sight of the basic definition of straight edge and its history, you gotta let all this hair-splitting go.
