Tell us about you? What do you do for a living? Do you have any pets, hobbies, pet projects?
My job is make costumes! I’m currently a costumier for the national opera, in Rome (Italy); I sew costumes for Opera and Ballet in Italy and abroad; and occasionally I work also in the costume department for international movies and Tv series. I share my life with my cat Perlina! she’s my best friend and my best assistant; she comes with me around Italy when I have long term-work in the costume department. In my free time, I like to share all I know about theatre with other people. I’m also suffering from a rare chronic disease so I’m in an online group to help other sick people.
Favorite straight edge (or non-straight edge) bands? If you have links, please provide them!
governement issue, gorrila buiscuits, lesra, iron
What is your definition of straight edge?
If I have to explain it to someone who really doesn’t know anything about it, I’ll use the “3 X method” for sure; for respect the tradition and the roots of the movement and the music. But for me, it’s just the perfect way to respect others around me. In this way, everything comes naturally, don’t eat animals is a natural step; don’t buy drugs is a natural step; be conscious with sex is a natural step, and so on…
Where do you see the straight edge scene today?
There is not a real community in my country at the moment, so I don’t see any straight edge scene on a regular basis. There are few shows and punk/hardcore concert where you can catch up with other straight edge people.
There’s an ongoing debate on whether one can be straight edge without being a part of the music scene, what’s your thoughts on this?
No discussion for me. Music is part of it. I don’t listen only hardcore music, I’m not a great supporter or a fanatic but I don’t think you can claim straight edge if you are only a sober person. But, in the same way, if you are at a concert and your way of doing is not inclusive with girls, for example, you are still not straight edge for me. It’s for sure a social and political commitment.
What are some funny/common misconceptions people have about you being straight edge?
maybe that life is boring without alcohol and drugs. every straight edge is vegan (that’s my misconception! lol)
What are some challenges you have faced when interacting with other people who are also edge? If you haven’t had any challenges, tell us some challenges you’ve faced when interacting with people who are not edge?
Being straight edge is a personal choice, a choice about the liberation of yourself and others around you, not completely, but as much as you can. In Italy, we still have a lot of machismo, sexism and “man behaviour”, and it’s really frustrating when you are a girl and you can not find a quick relief also from an underground scene that is about hight values. This way of treating women (and the oppressed in general)is from the past century; and is bad for both girls and boys that are forced to be a strong and bad and don’t show emotion and so on… we are all in the same cage and we are still victims of fascism here.
Is your diet influenced or informed by your choice to be straight edge i.e. organic, antibiotic infused meat, genetically modified foods, vegan, vegetarian?
vegan before edge! vegetarian from childhood!
What’s your straight edge story? Was there a key moment that made you realize straight edge is the way you want to live your life? How old were you? How did you find out about straight edge, was there someone in the community that introduced you, or were you introduced to it through people/bands, etc? What drew you to it?
I’m involved in the underground music scene from when I was a teenager, so I think I always knew what straight edge was in a general way and I was already interested in punk/hardcore music and other. When I was 21 I start to think that I was a slave of coffee (both my body and my social interactions), and I stopped drinking it, then alcohol, then drugs… and here we are, 10 years later!
Define what straight edge means to you? Has this changed over the years?
Yes, straight edge for me has changed a lot during the years and is still an evolving situation that becomes broad everyday. I spend a lot of time in northern Europe and this changed me for sure because is so far from the Italian way. As I said before is a social decision don’t drink and is a political one don’t buy alcohol. now for me is more a complex mix between compassionate living and a lucid protest!
Do you consider yourself an activist? What is/are your cause(s), and how have you been working to advance them?
no, I’m not an activist for sure.
