Has Anyone Heard of "EMO" Culture?

Hi I am a sahm of one soon to be two and I have been out of highschool for about 4 years. I have two sisters that are in high school, one a senior and another a junior. As she has explained to me it is basically like what my grad class would call goth. They like to dress in black and some cut themselves, others try sucicide, some just have problems but have no one to talk to, Or think that they don't. I hope that this is helpful to you . Good Luck, M. H.

Only get scared if she comes home with purple hair.....other than that they are typically harmless....Although very weird but who am i to judge I like Heavy metal music and I have 3 kids lol..

I have a 21 year old and a 19 year old (and a 5 year old) so I have recently been through the emo, screemo (yes, another type) stages. There are LOTS of different counter culture groups that are trying to distance themselves from the "Abercrombie cut outs." In essence they are trying to NOT be like the so called popular kids because they find it to be hypoctritical that the parents all love these kids because they look and act normal for them but are quite often the ones leading the pack at drinking, drugs, sex and just know how to get away with it better. Hence the counterculture groups. They want to find a group that they fit in with that isn't mainstream. When my daughter first started putting X's on everything I was very alarmed (myspace is a good place to watch), however, I found out that that was a symbol for "straightedge" which means no drugs or drinking. Yet, she dressed a little emo not and loved emo music. Screemo is the headbanging yelling stuff you can't figure out but the lyrics are full of comments teens can identify with - before you get too worried, go back to what parents were saying about Nirvana, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, etc. Definitely watch them, but more than likely they are trying to identify with someone other than mainstream kids. Both of the old ones are in college now - and now that they have to work real jobs have become more mainstream in appearance but I am quite proud of them for trying to think outside the box and not just accept what is fed to them but become educated about the subject and form their own opinions.

Hi M.,

The EMO culture means "emotional". It's a new wave of goths and I think it cycles a lot on depression. I hear it a lot too from my cousins who are in their teens. For the kids at this age, I think it's supposed to be "hip" for them to be EMO, as crazy as that may be! But I don't think all EMO kids are into self-injury and that kind of thing, although I think many are.

-Char

I have 2 daughters one going into junior high and one in high school. I am familiar with the "Emo" culture. The term "Emo" is short for Emotonial.Really not alot to be concerned about just at time a little annoying.A couple of websites you can see what the "big" deal is..www.hopeisemo.com or www.houseofemo.com. It is a music culture but the cutting isn't only in "emo land" that is a self mutilation/psychological issue. I had to call a couple of parents of my oldest daughters friends to bring the ctting to their attention. N.

Emo does stand for the emotive hardcore genre of music that these kids identify with. Like one mom said, it's only outsiders who think it stands for emotional. Basically, it's just a new trend of punk, but these kids act like depression affects them much more and they tend to be intrigued by suicide and cutting. I wouldn't worry much about it unless your kids start hanging around these types of people. Although, most of them aren't really suicidal or depressed. They are just following the new trend.

Hi M.,

I have three girls and two of them are teens 15 and 13. They have used this term with me and when I have given them the blank stare. They explained, "you know mom.... like emotional. They are kind like "goth", but a little more secluded and a few of them have the "reputation" for cutting themselves, suicide, listenening to "darker" music and lyrics. Sometimes they dress in all black and dye their hair black and/or greasy looking and some pierce themselves. They have been put into a category in school like jocks, goth, emo, etc. I've been told that ther is a group called screamo because they listen to a different type of screaming music. Most of the time it is jus a look or just a belonging to a different group and not to much to worry about. Hope I helped a little.

C. S

M.,
I thought you might like to learn about EMO from a teen so here is my 14 year olds explanation:

Hello! Here is a quick crash course in EMO from a 14 year old! Emo is a shortened version of "emotional", as most moms here have already stated. It started out as a type of music, and grew into a stereotype many teens use today. Emo people typically wear dark eye make-up (Lots lots of it,and the guys wear it too), lots of black and red clothing, and will almost always have hair covering one eye, or both. They look similar to goth, but goths and emos will get EXTREMELY offended if you confuse the two. (Goths wear all black, all the time with no exception, whereas emo will wear red, black, white, and green) Both groups tend to listen to the same type of music, which generally talks about committing suicide, broken relationships, hate for the world, etc. About cutting: Cutting is not always an attempt to commit suicide. Most of the time cutting is just used as an emotional outlet for the troubles they have or "think" they have. (Some emos really do have problems at home or school, and if they don't have anyone they feel they can talk to, they may cut to express emotions) About half of the kids who claim to be emo just do it for the style and the people associated with that image.

Hope this helps!!!

Emo means "emotional" most of them do cut themselves for fun. They wear certain colors and wear dark make up. They pierce themselves where ever they can. They think depression is cool and when they get older other kids make fun of them alot. I have to keep a close eye on my daughter who is 15 because she thinks they are cool and would be like them if we let her. She has done all the things I have listed and has told me a few of the kids that are "EMO" are bisexual or gay and do drugs and drink.

And I thought potty training was hard? I think I'll take potty training any day over all of this stuff. Wow...the teen years are going to be challenging!

The 80's are coming back LOL just like any fad. Well, you have heard enough from the other mamas so I will just tell you about my daughter. She is 13 and she is always talking about EMO this and that. She is punk but not EMO. She does not cut herself. She cut her hair wears it covering one eye and dyed it black. She had highlights that were growing out and she decided to dye her hair back to brown but it dyed darker than expected. Because of it, kids at school were making fun of her being EMO. It really hurt her feelings. Just because of a hairstyle or the way they dress, people make judgements. My daughter has her head on straight and made the cheerleading team. She is a great kid but chooses to go through this "fad". Kids are cruel! I remember 8th grade and was constantly teased because I wore glasses and was very petite. Just have support for them and they will turn out okay.

H. D.

emo - short for "emotional." Emo is a broad title that covers a lot of different styles of emotionally-charged music. But I believe when you tag someone as "EMO" it means they are very Emotional!

Just like the other mammas said- it means emotional, and "emo" is just another stereotype classification like the "jocks," preps, nerds, etc. - what we used to call the "freaks" or "goths" are now called "emo" Some "emo's" are just into the type of clothes and appearance and the music they listen to. But some are more into the depression and dark side of being an "emo." The schools are aware of the new stereotype, and as long as your child isn't "emo" you shouldn't worry about it. Hope this helps!

My two sons dittoed what Roni's kid told her.
My older one is 14 and he said there is a difference at his school between Emo and Goth. The Emo kids tend to keep to themselves. They also do cut, well most of the ones he knows of at school do.
My 12 year old said it is usually the kids at his school that wear alot of black and tend to keep to themselves. He also said the Goth kids are different then the Emo kids.
Just a new term for kids to use, nothing to be too concerned about excpet if it is your kid.

Well, one mom was correct. EMO does not mean emotional. It does stand for emotive hardcore. Think of the 80s, The Cure, Morrisey, Depeche Mode, and the way people who listened to that music used to dress. The kids today who are EMO are more sensitive and generally cross gender boundries. They are open minded. However, cutting is done by many types of teens. Cutting releases endorphines and in turn makes one mask the pain for a moment. I am 30, a proffessional, and a mother of 2 little ones. I love EMO music. It reminds me of college. There may be nothing to worry about, but you should know your child's friends and keep an eye on her myspace page if you allow her to have one. Good luck and I wouldn't worry to much. All kids just need a group to belong too. In the 80s I was deffinately what we back then called New Wave/Alternitive. I died my hair black, wore all black, and totally had a Flock of Seagulls haircut and today I am a business professional with 2 children who is BEOND normal. It will be okay.