Emos, Punks, and the Impact of Subculture in Mexico
Abstract
During the early 2000’s, emo music became extremely popular for the youth of Mexico, creating a notable presence of the subculture. At the time, punks and goths had been established as subgroups in Mexico, leading to distain and eventual violence against the emos. By 2008, the emos faced genuine acts of violence in addition to hateful rhetoric. Starting with one filmed beating in Querétaro, Mexico, punks began planning attacks against emos. On March 15, the punks arranged an assault against the emos in Glorieta de los Insurgentes, the public square of Mexico City; however, this time, the emos decided to fight back. When promoting this event, the punks used the phrase “Be patriotic and kill an emo,” demonstrating the vicious attitude toward the emos of Mexico City. Despite their push for peace, intolerance persisted with the emos still not understanding the reason for the hostility. The conflict between emos and punks in Mexico during the early 2000’s created a lasting impact on these respective subgroups, demonstrating their importance in Mexico. Not only this, but these events are emblematic of the history of Mexico and its relationship with the United States. Through this analysis, the reader will see how critical communities surrounding music can be. Not only do they allow people to partake in political action, but they also give people the ability to create an identity for themselves. This study also has the wider lesson of teaching people to reflect on how their actions may exclude others when forming new norms. Key Words: Mexico, emo, punk, scene, conflict, subculture, music, community
Start Time
15-4-2026 1:30 PM
End Time
15-4-2026 2:30 PM
Room Number
252
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Presentation Subtype
UG Orals
Presentation Category
Arts and Humanities
Student Type
Undergraduate
Faculty Mentor
David Korfhagen
Emos, Punks, and the Impact of Subculture in Mexico
252
During the early 2000’s, emo music became extremely popular for the youth of Mexico, creating a notable presence of the subculture. At the time, punks and goths had been established as subgroups in Mexico, leading to distain and eventual violence against the emos. By 2008, the emos faced genuine acts of violence in addition to hateful rhetoric. Starting with one filmed beating in Querétaro, Mexico, punks began planning attacks against emos. On March 15, the punks arranged an assault against the emos in Glorieta de los Insurgentes, the public square of Mexico City; however, this time, the emos decided to fight back. When promoting this event, the punks used the phrase “Be patriotic and kill an emo,” demonstrating the vicious attitude toward the emos of Mexico City. Despite their push for peace, intolerance persisted with the emos still not understanding the reason for the hostility. The conflict between emos and punks in Mexico during the early 2000’s created a lasting impact on these respective subgroups, demonstrating their importance in Mexico. Not only this, but these events are emblematic of the history of Mexico and its relationship with the United States. Through this analysis, the reader will see how critical communities surrounding music can be. Not only do they allow people to partake in political action, but they also give people the ability to create an identity for themselves. This study also has the wider lesson of teaching people to reflect on how their actions may exclude others when forming new norms. Key Words: Mexico, emo, punk, scene, conflict, subculture, music, community
