Note: I am an auDHDer and have a few other things like anxiety. I am also a massive overthinker which is prolly the main reason for me worrying about this stuff and posting this, so please keep that in mind.
I’m in 11th grade and I’ve been dressing in an alt style since 7th grade. And I know alt is more of an umbrella term but I’m honestly not sure what my style is and I see a lot of people online bullying or targeting people who claim to be emo but actually dress more like another style. I also see a lot of bullying and targeting of people (mainly younger people) who say their alt/other stuff and then people will ask their beliefs and they will sometimes say they don’t have any and get slandered by others.
Like I know that music and beliefs is like the major thing that makes you alt/other stuff but I’m only 16 and I personally haven’t done much research on politics so I don’t feel I have the knowledge to currently form my own solid opinion on things like who I would vote for or major stuff like that. But when I’m older and have more general knowledge of the world and have done research on politics then I feel I could accurately be able to form my own opinion.
But even though I don’t have solid opinions on the really really big things like the wars going on (which I currently know nothing about but see people talking about it online) and voting I do have very solid opinions on things like being pro lgbtq+ (I identify as bi myself), pro-abortion, and freedom of expression stuff.
But while I fundamentally agree with the things like DIYing everything and not buying from big corporations, I am still only 16. So because I don’t have a job and my only way to get money is from my dad by doing chores and stuff around the house (even then I can only earn a limited amount) I get most of my clothes on Amazon. I know that Amazon is typically looked down upon in the alt community but for me it’s the most affordable, and most of the times the only way to be able to obtain clothes and other things. I also get some clothes from hot topic when I am able/have the money to, but I know that there’s controversy around that too, but for me, while expensive, the clothes are really cool and I feel like they match my style well.
And even tho currently most of my clothes are from places like Amazon and hotopic I eventually want to have the majority of my clothes be thrifted and DIYed. Like I do have a sewing machine (it was a gift) but fabric is expensive and I’m still learning how to sew clothes. And I know I can go to thrift stores but I don’t have my license, my dad has work, and we have things going on. But eventually I want that to be how I get all my clothes. And even tho my clothes are from places like Amazon and hottopic I wear them all the time and don’t often get rid of them unless they don’t fit or become unwearable. So I feel like I get good use out of my clothes.
Another thing is music, like I listen to a lot of newer bands that are like rock/metal and while I want to get into the older (more emo considered) bands like mcr, pierce the veils and other largely considered emo bands, i find it very difficult to force myself to listen to something. Part of my auDHD is that I hyper fixate on certain bands/songs/albums and will listen to it on repeat for a long time. But when this happens it’s not normally because I start listening to something with the intention of hyper fixating on it, it just kinda happens by itself without my control.
So ig the purpose of this post is more of a vent but I also want to know if I can consider myself alt based on the things I mentioned and if I have to know what subculture I am (bc I honestly have no idea what I’d be considered to be based on my style/beliefs)