Etymology
While many of the precepts can be traced to earlier ideas, the term "straight edge" comes from the 1981 song "Straight Edge" by Minor Threat. The lyrics, written and sung by Ian MacKaye, condemn recreational drug use. The song begins: I'm a person just like you/but I've got better things to do/than sit around and fuck my head/hang out with the living dead/snort white shit up my nose/Pass out at the shows/I don't even think about speed/That's something I just don't need. The chorus is the phrase "I've got the straight edge" repeated several times; Mackaye says [1] that he meant by abstaining from drugs and alcohol, he had an advantage, or "an edge," when compared to those who indulged too heavily.Overview
There are various reasons why people may choose to be straight edge, and there are various interpretations of the practice and various applications of the precepts. Some use the lifestyle as a 'stepping stone' because they believe it will allow them to be more involved with their own mental and physical health. The appeal of straight edge has broadened beyond the initial scope of punk culture and has appealed to youth of many cultures who eschew recreational drug use. Many people who are straight edge became attracted to it as a counterculture option to what they see as a widespread drug culture. Straight edge is considered to be a choice by many of its followers. In this sense, no one is born straight edge or has been straight edge their entire lives. Labeling oneself straight edge is a conscious decision that someone makes for themselves and is generally not seen as a label that is obtained by default. One is not straight edge simply because they don't drink, smoke, or do drugs; it requires an active decision and participation in a subculture.Attitudes towards spirituality
Straight edge is not a religion; it is a philosophy. Some straight edgers feel that having a clear mind is a better way to approach life and/or spirituality. Many are atheist, or agnostic, often believing in personal responsibility and rejecting the idea of a deity or any divine moral law. However, there are those who consider Christianity a very important addition to their sXe life. In many circles, the lifestyle has associations with spirituality—there were at one time significant Hare Krishna straight edge movements. Christians involved in the punk/hardcore subculture sometimes consider themselves straight edge; indeed, the rejection of illicit substances, alcohol consumption (particularly underage) and premarital sex is commonly encouraged by many mainstream churches and their youth groups. It should not be assumed, however, that the self-identification as straight edge is a casual replacement of one label with another. Prominent self-identified Christian straight edgers include the ex-bassist of Throwdown, at least one member of Comeback Kid, and at least one member of Stretch Arm Strong. There has also been criticism of Christians being involved within the straight edge community—reflected in songs such as "This Ain't No Cross On My Hand" by Limp Wrist, "Real Edgemen Hate Jesus" by XfilesX, and "Straight Edge Punks Not Christian Fucks" by Crucial Attack.The 'X'
According to a series of interviews conducted by journalist Michael Azerrad [2] the straight-edge "X" can be traced to the Teen Idles' brief U.S. west coast tour in 1980. The Idles were scheduled to play at San Francisco's Mabuhay Gardens, but, when the band arrived, club management discovered that the entire band was under the legal drinking age and should thus be denied entry to the club. The band insisted on performing, and as a short-term compromise, management marked each of the Idles' hand with a large black "X" as a warning to bartenders and bouncers to not serve alcohol to the band (ironically, the "X" was largely unnecessary, as most of the Teen Idles avoided alcohol). Upon returning to Washington D.C., The Idles suggested this same "X" gambit to a few D.C. clubs as a way to let teenages see musical performances, yet not be served alcohol; the practice was never widely adopted by D.C.-area music venues[3], but the "X" mark soon became intimately associated with the nascent straight edge lifestyle. Three X's (XXX) have their straight edge origin in artwork created by Minor Threat's drummer, Jeff Nelson, in which he replaced the three stars in the band's hometown Washington D.C. flag with Xs. Some people interpret this as a symbol of Ian MacKaye's perceived "don't smoke, don't drink, don't fuck" ethos. Many adopters of the "straight edge" lifestyle voluntarily marked their hands in the same way to show their commitment to the ethos. Also widespread is the tattooing of the X symbol on other parts of the body or wearing it on clothing, pins, et cetera. The X is considered both a mark of negation and a mark of identity. Attaching the X to one's name or band name is common practice for straight edgers. For example, 'John Doe' would become 'johnXdoe', or 'xjohnx'. "Straight edge" is sometimes abbreviated sXe(es-ex-ee) following much the same logic by which hardcore is sometimes abbreviated "hXc".Backlash and criticisms
A subset of straight edge— hardline— had a more militant mentality and was involved in physical assaults in the United States during the 1980s and up to the mid 1990s. Police in some communities—such as Salt Lake City and Reno—have classified straight edge as a gang due to violence associated with militant straight edge groups in these cities. Straight edgers sometimes encounter mockery from others within the punk scene for various reasons, including their perceived elitism, uptightness, or naïveté around substance use. The actions and attitudes of militant members of the straight edge scene also draw heavy criticism, including from more tolerant straight edger