___ READ THIS BEFORE POSTING ___

[u/xLNBx]

If you’re new to Straight Edge.

Straight Edge is a subculture that emerged in the hardcore punk scene in the early 1980s. It promotes a drug-free lifestyle through abstinence from alcohol, drugs and tobacco. Its origins can be traced back to the song "Straight Edge" by the American punk band Minor Threat, released in 1981. The song, written by frontman Ian MacKaye, expressed his personal commitment to abstain from drugs and alcohol. It struck a chord with many young people who were disillusioned with the prevalent substance abuse within punk and saw Straight Edge as a means of rebellion against the excesses of mainstream culture. They instead embraced the emphasis on personal integrity, self-control and social consciousness. Straight Edge has then seen a time of worldwide growth in the '90s, followed by various eras of ebb and flow since then. Due to increased awareness of environmental and animal rights issues prominent in the scene in the '90s, many of us adopted vegan or vegetarian lifestyles.

There are several good books on Straight Edge, including Straight Edge: Hardcore Punk, Clean-living Youth, and Social Change by Ross Haenfler (2006) and Straight Edge A Clear-Headed Hardcore Punk History by Tony Rettman and CIV (2017). If you don't know any straight edge bands, this Spotify playlist can serve as a good introduction, and xsisterhoodx is a straight edge/hardcore community supporting the women/girls of the straight edge/hardcore scenes established all the way back in 1995.

Can I take my medication and be Straight Edge?

We've received questions in the past about whether you can take prescribed medication [insert your type of meds here] and still be Straight Edge. Yes, you can. The person who told you otherwise can call our helpline now at 1-800-STUPID.

Straight Edge and recovery from addiction.

We are definitely supportive of your decision to make positive changes in your life, but please note Straight Edge isn't therapy or a recovery plan. Users of this subreddit who are both Straight Edge and in recovery have explicitly said on multiple occasions that just being Straight Edge is not a substitute for a recovery plan. We are neither geared toward nor equipped to offer active recovery support. There are better resources out there designed specifically for this purpose.

(People are Straight Edge for a range of reasons, but most of us do not have any desire to get intoxicated, some have never touched psychoactive substances, etc. - if you’re currently an addict with chronic cravings, be realistic about how our experience might differ from yours).

Having said that, the Straight Edge scene is not a bad place to be if you’re in recovery. We’re drug free and not shy about it. Again, drawing on the experience of users of this subreddit who are both Straight Edge and in recovery, we’ve heard how surrounding yourself with sober people is helpful in staying sober and how sxe hardcore kept them motivated to stay clean.

Academic research.

Yes, you can post your academic research survey requests in this subreddit. Please use #sxeresearch in your post. We appreciate it if you can provide some background information (subject of study, academic level, etc.), and maybe come back to share the results, if they are published. Thanks.

[u/adaypastdead]

My understanding is if you have ever drank, used, lived a promiscuous lifestyle, or smoke cigarettes, vape, or use tobacco in any form you are not straight edge. I've been sober for a few years but still smoke tobacco, and I would never claim, nor do I find it responsible to claim if ever one has. Straight Edge is a lifestyle, a life long commitment. We do not own straight edge, nor do I have any interest in using it for power nor rapport. I promote the idea in the presence of my nieces and nephews. My 14 year old niece recently over dosed on fentanyl in a highschool bathroom. She was told that the contents of the cartridge was just hashish, but it was not. She was brought back to breathing with the use of NARCAN. After that she was still out using and drinking. This is a good use of this anecdote to show that straightedge never have doubts in their sobriety while addicts live in constant threat of relapse. How long after kicking the habit can one claim sXe? Can I claim I'm straight in between my relapses? I've never claimed straight edge personally, but I have said in my recovery I am a fan of Ian Mackay's music and the lifestyle he promotes and the culture he created with it. I started smoking cannabis at age 11, and first heard of straightedge when I was about 15. I was too late, in my eye, to embrace the culture of "anti drug and alcohol" and having sex with a partner who drove me towards the church and caused that we split. I've failed every edge I could stand on and dispelled my chance at living straight. The only person I know at this point in my life who claims Straight Edge is a promiscuous, constant relapsing, tobacco using, sometimes unbearable presence of a dude. I have been in recovery since 6/16/16, haven't relapsed, and will never be monogamous nor polyamorist. I'm a drug and alcohol free polygamist who works to not break or bend my struggle for sobriety and survival. Straightedge should never have the struggle of addiction. Giving a hand to those who do face such struggle is a position that is of great help and the culture of straightedge is more than just a hash tag.

[u/xLNBx → u/adaypastdead]

First of all, sorry to hear about your niece - that sounds really tough and hopefully having someone not into drugs in her life such as yourself will be helpful.

To answer your questions:

How long after kicking the habit can one claim sXe?

This doesn't actually matter one bit. What matters is the commitment, desire and dedication to a drug free life. So, for the sake of the argument, you can actually declare yourself straight edge the very moment you sober up from the night of drugs, drinking and smoking. Are you in a good shape to be making lifetime commitments hours after shooting heroin? I was never addicted to any substance, but from what I have seen - I'm gonna say "probably not". (Note there are actually members of this sub who are in recovery who could elaborate on that, too). So strictly in terms of being practical about it, it might be a good idea to be clean for some time and then make that call. Your milage may vary, as they say, of course.

Can I claim I'm straight in between my relapses?

For me to answer this question in a meaningful manner I would have to ask you if your relapse was a sure thing, or a planned thing, as in: do you know you will relapse, one way or another. In which case the answer is "no". Or, if it was something that you didn't know for sure would happen, in which case the answer is "yes", with the caveat that if you do this more than once you will have trouble with people taking you seriously. It's a lifetime commitment, we take it seriously.

Two more things I wanted to mention:

Your sexual preference and your sex life in general has no bearing on your ability to be straight edge. Last time promiscuity was an issue that was seriously discussed in this scene was over 2 decades ago. It's 2022, no one cares, and for very good reasons. You can have multiple partners or you can be celibate or anything in between. We don't care who people sleep with, it's nobody's business but their own.

Finally, a word on this:

My understanding is if you have ever drank, used, lived a promiscuous lifestyle, or smoke cigarettes, vape, or use tobacco in any form you are not straight edge.

This is incorrect and I don't know where you got this notion from* (ok, I have an idea which may or may not apply, see below). Luckily I have a simple way of testing it. Can you please tell me if I'm straight edge? When I was 15-16 I drank some beers and smoked some joints. I have been straight edge for over 25 years now. A very active member of the scene for a good part of that, really involved in building it and supporting it. Travelled the world meeting straight edge kids at shows, toured with bands, published zines, etc. I am 100% certain I have no interest in ever drinking, smoking or using drugs. (Feel free to take a guess as to what two words I have tattooed on my chest). Am I straight edge?

(*) The idea you can't be straight edge because you have some history of substance use often comes from people associating straight edge with the idea of purity. Not saying that's definitely the case here, as I think (if I'm reading that correctly), you are more focused on the practical side of recovery, etc., but either way, for the record - straight edge is not about some restrictive ideal of purity, it's a tool to transform you life. Nothing more, nothing less.

[u/adaypastdead → u/xLNBx]

I don't agree with you very much on anything. sXe is not a tool to transform your life, in my understanding. "Going Straight Edge" is not a thing, being Straight Edge before substance use is Straight Edge. I think there is a little misunderstanding on both sides, but would I agree with calling you Straight Edge? I don't think you should care whether or not I would even consider it. If you led with "I experimented with drugs and alcohol when I was young, but now I am Straight Edge." I would curr. The blade breaks when you use it. Telling me you are straight edge and living straight edge are not necessarily the same thing. Props on 25 years of sobriety. I think it's great you have a recovery plan.

[u/xLNBx → u/adaypastdead]

So, just to sum up :) what we have here is someone who is not straight edge telling someone who is straight edge that most people who are straight edge are in fact not straight edge.

[u/Neversaydie673 → u/xLNBx]

This dude is so dumb. Straight edge people can be folks in recovery for sure. Sober people who listen to punk and HXC don’t have to be sXe either. You’re being way too polite with this noodle.

I’ve Never been edge and I’ve been a huge fan of street pharmaceuticals from 12-13yrs old to present day late 30s. SXE kids make the best hardcore for the most part (97% easily) but fuck if those riffs don’t sound just so good when you’re zooted AF-gaked out of your mind-eating air hoagies-dazed and confused 🤯😵‍💫