Why Am I Straight Edge?
Written by Flora Walters, added to the site on Tuesday the 20th of May, 2003.

When people discover that I am straight edge I am often condemned. Here the answers to some of the
questions or statements that I come across...

Why would I want to stifle myself in anyway?

I think to truly you be straight edge you must not feel repressed in anyway by it. Through straight edge
I do not feel trapped, I feel free. I feel free from all the pressures people place on you, the pressures
to get drunk and so on, the pressures to try and keep up with other people’s drinking or other habits, to
not be seen as a ‘wuss’ by other people. I also feel free from worries like ‘who will look after me if I’m
really drunk?’, ‘I hope I didn’t embarrass myself!’ and ‘I wonder if I’ll have enough money to go to the
bar tonight’ and many more. I don’t feel any need to drink. I do not wish I was drunk in any situation and
therefore it in no way represses me.

I know this friend of a friend who was once at this party and they got beaten up by straight edgers. It’s true!...

Straight Edge is an individual choice. We don’t have sermons and rules. Seeing as there are no real rules
of conduct a fraction of people may use it as an excuse to beat people up. I however am not responsible
for what other people who call themselves sxe do because we are not involved an organised belief
system. Straight Edge is a definition of a person who doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs. That would clearly
affect a person’s lifestyle but it in no way places the responsibility of people they don’t know’s
choices. Personally I am non-violent and open minded but it is up to the individual.

It’s really unfair how you guys are so judgemental...

What? Huh? Often people assume that because I choose to not partake in any drug taking or drinking that I
am making a judgement on them. This completely wrong, I am living my chosen lifestyle just they are living
their’s . When people assume I am making a judgement by doing this I think that it obviously reflects their
insecurity at their own lifestyle. Also a sxe person often takes a lot of criticism of their lifestyle,
this to me seems like double standards, we are often told our lifestyle is stupid yet we are often not
allowed to defend our position without being considered judgemental.

...and self-righteous!

As for self-righteousness I would also disagree, I will admit gladly that I really love my lifestyle but
I don’t necessarily think that I’m better than you. And you know what, if you get drunk and you do
something stupid, it is your own fault and I can’t help if its funny!

You guys are, like, all virgins or don’t get any, right?

No. That’s just stupid. A sxe person can have sex whenever they feel is right. Sxe is all about control,
people often make stupid sexual decisions when they’re drunk or weak and they have bad consequences. We just aim to not get in any bad situations which may harm our quality of life. This often involves only having sex when a person is in love.