interviews for a Masters project

[Diana M]

Hello,

My name is Diana, and I am a Masters student at the Warner Graduate School of Education at the University of Rochester. I am currently working on a group project looking at adolescent and youth involvement in the Straight Edge Movement. Our project's primary focus is to look at the factors that attract and motivate adolescents and youth (age range we're looking for is 15-24) in the culture.

For part of our project, we would like to interview members of the movement. The interview will be conducted through a list of questions that will be PM'ed or e-mailed to the participants asking questions relating to your current age, the age of our first engagement with the sXe community, how you were introduced to the lifestyle, why you have continued living sXe, why you feel the sXe lifestyle is important, and what benefits and consequences you have experienced in relation to living sXe.

We will not be publishing results or names. We will not even ask you for your real names, but will ask you if it is alright of us to refer to you using your screen names here on the boards.

If you are interested in participating, please respond to this post, or PM me.

Thank you,
Diana M.

[SgtD]

I'd much rather you post the questions here.

[CarlaRant]

Aw...I'm not considered "youth" anymore. I thought that didn't happen until I was 30. ;)

[XDISENGAGEX]

Im gonna stay.....YOUNG UNTIL I DIE !!!!!

Im 36, but im still youth crew and always will be !!!!

Ask me any questions you like. Im part of the movement !!!

XTRUE TILL DEATHX

[Diana M]

I'd much rather you post the questions here.

I can do that. Let me get a copy of them from my group mate, and I can post them up by 10:30 (EST) tonight.

Thank you for the suggestion.

And if you are a bit older than 24, we'd still like to hear your input--it would be excellent to get the insight of people who have been participating in the movement beyond their teens and early 20's.

Diana

[SgtD]

I can do that. Let me get a copy of them from my group mate, and I can post them up by 10:30 (EST) tonight.

Thank you for the suggestion.

And if you are a bit older than 24, we'd still like to hear your input--it would be excellent to get the insight of people who have been participating in the movement beyond their teens and early 20's.

Diana

sure thing, hit me up. i'm 26.

[Diana M]

Here are the questions we would like anyone willing to answer. You can either post your answers here (if you're comfortable) or you can e-mail them to me at
diana.mackenzie @ yahoo .com

When you answer, please either copy the questions with the answers, or number your responses so that we know which question the answer goes with.


1. How old are you?

2. How old were you when you first became involved with sXe?

3. How did you find out about sXe? How were you first exposed to it?

4. Why did/ why does sXe appeal to you? What do you like about it, or what are the benefits you get from being sXe?

5. In your own words, what does living a Straightedge lifestyle mean to you?

6. How do you personally participate in the sXe community? Is your participation only online, or do you attend live shows/social functions?

7. We have read that some people within the sXe believe that if a person drinks or smokes once, he or she is no longer straightedge, and will never be able to be straightedge again. Do you agree? Why or why not?

8. Is there anything about the sXe lifestyle that makes you uncomfortable, or with which you disagree?

9. Do you have tatoos announcing your sXe values? Why or why not? (Can we have pictures if you do? :) )

10. Do you know what the history of sXe is?

11. Do you have anything else to say about sXe that you feel was not covered by these questions?

12. May we use your screen name in our class presentation?


Thank you! We're looking forward to your responses!

Diana M

[rodrigo]

1. How old are you?

23

2. How old were you when you first became involved with sXe?

15 or 16 i think, i'm not exactly sure but it was around that age.

3. How did you find out about sXe? How were you first exposed to it?

a friend introduced me to hardcore punk and some local straight edge bands and i loved them. then started listening to more bands and went to a couple of shows and that's about it.

4. Why did/ why does sXe appeal to you? What do you like about it, or what are the benefits you get from being sXe?

i dont like drugs, tried them and disliked them. rather be aware of what's around me. and i love fast and positive music.

5. In your own words, what does living a Straightedge lifestyle mean to you?

being aware, thinking for yourself and have fun with it.

6. How do you personally participate in the sXe community? Is your participation only online, or do you attend live shows/social functions?

used to go to shows, now i've been slacking and doing other kinds of stuff. i've also helped some bands with artwork for their cd's, flyers and zines. used to make a webcomic about hardcore, punk and straight edge too.

7. We have read that some people within the sXe believe that if a person drinks or smokes once, he or she is no longer straightedge, and will never be able to be straightedge again. Do you agree? Why or why not?

i dont. i really dont like the idea of straight edge police. If a kid makes a mistake and realizes that it was wrong and not what he was looking for, why would somebody be against him calling himself straight edge? all that you'll never be straight edge again is a bunch of crap from kids who try to make this a special club or sect, and in reality most of them sell out when they find a new special club where they can despise anybody who doesnt think like them.

8. Is there anything about the sXe lifestyle that makes you uncomfortable, or with which you disagree?

not really, if there were i wouldnt be straight edge.
I do dislike those kids who like to beat the crap out of non-straight edge kids, but i dont think that's part of the "lifestyle". its just some poor misguided and not very bright kids who took some lyrics way to seriously. But as i said, that aint what striaght edge is and i see it as a separate thing.

9. Do you have tatoos announcing your sXe values? Why or why not? (Can we have pictures if you do? :) )

I have no tattoos.

10. Do you know what the history of sXe is?

Yes :)

11. Do you have anything else to say about sXe that you feel was not covered by these questions?

i'm not sure. you're the ones making the questions, it would be good to know if you know the history of straight edge and what its actually about... just to make sure you're not gonna portray us as some religious group or anything weird like that.

12. May we use your screen name in our class presentation?

yeah, why not. though i'd rather be called by my real name.


there you go, miss.
hope it helps ya.