atypdev | Post | Social Deviance and Countercultures Project

Deviant Characteristics in Countercultures

An exploration of how counterculture movements can embody deviant behaviors as a vessel for self-expression, action and extreme ideology.

Deviant Characteristics in Countercultures

Instructions:

The following instructions were given for this assignment:

You should include 5 examples of countercultures.
Provide background information on two (2) of the groups and explain how the groups came to be a part of American society.
Explore the reaction of other groups to the counterculture.
Explain what elements make the group a counterculture.
Explain how the groups create tension and conflict.
Use key terms associated with your counterculture. Include language differences and slang.
Explain the negative impact your group has upon society and negative stereotypes associate with the two groups.
Explain relevant traditions, customs, rituals and routines associate with the two groups.
Apply the perspective of Functionalism or Symbolic Interactionism to each group

Responses:

1. 5 Examples of Countercultures

Some examples of modern countercultures can include…

Gangs
Hippies
Vegans
Emos
LGBTQ+

I chose to focus on Gangs and LGBTQ+ countercultures for this assignment…

2. How These Countercultures Fit Into America

Examples of how Gangs and LGBTQ+ are a part of American society:

Counterculture	Background
Gangs	Gangs offer an alternative form of social structure, coming to be a part of American society through the mistreatment of families, individuals and marginalized groups by the government. Some of the first gangs were formed out of necessity; a way to organize efforts to improve communities and protect each other when governments refuse. This self-preservative behavior can manifest as sometimes violent, when pride and loyalty flare between different gangs.
LGBTQ+	LGBTQ+ can be viewed as counterculture because of it’s distinction from long-standing traditions of gender and sexuality. Through fighting for justice, equality and acceptance, this community thrives among oppositional efforts and embraces and celebrates individuality and non-conformity to societal expectations.

Counterculture

Background

Gangs

Gangs offer an alternative form of social structure, coming to be a part of American society through the mistreatment of families, individuals and marginalized groups by the government. Some of the first gangs were formed out of necessity; a way to organize efforts to improve communities and protect each other when governments refuse. This self-preservative behavior can manifest as sometimes violent, when pride and loyalty flare between different gangs.

LGBTQ+

LGBTQ+ can be viewed as counterculture because of it’s distinction from long-standing traditions of gender and sexuality. Through fighting for justice, equality and acceptance, this community thrives among oppositional efforts and embraces and celebrates individuality and non-conformity to societal expectations.

3. Reactions to These Countercultures

Examples of reactions to Gangs and LGBTQ+ countercultures:

Counterculture	Reactions of Other Groups
Gangs	Positive: A positive reaction to gang activity could be using the resources provided by an organized effort for good. For example, outreach programs can utilize the extra hands available to complete various community tasks. Negative: Gang activity in communities can lead to fear, anxiety, and concern among residents for their safety. Some members of these communities react by demanding increased police presence and stronger community programs to combat gangs.
LGBTQ+	Positive: A positive reaction to LGBTQ+ communities is acceptance and support, which can manifest in the advocacy, visibility and normalizing of LGBTQ+ individuals. This reaction is based on respect for others and the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities. Negative: A negative reaction to LGBTQ+ communities is prejudice, discrimination and targeted harassment as a consequence of both. Verbal harassment, physical violence, social exclusion, and denial of rights and protections among the opposition.

Counterculture

Reactions of Other Groups

Gangs

Positive: A positive reaction to gang activity could be using the resources provided by an organized effort for good. For example, outreach programs can utilize the extra hands available to complete various community tasks.

Negative: Gang activity in communities can lead to fear, anxiety, and concern among residents for their safety. Some members of these communities react by demanding increased police presence and stronger community programs to combat gangs.

LGBTQ+

Positive: A positive reaction to LGBTQ+ communities is acceptance and support, which can manifest in the advocacy, visibility and normalizing of LGBTQ+ individuals. This reaction is based on respect for others and the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities.

Negative: A negative reaction to LGBTQ+ communities is prejudice, discrimination and targeted harassment as a consequence of both. Verbal harassment, physical violence, social exclusion, and denial of rights and protections among the opposition.

4. Why Are These Countercultures?

Elements that makes gangs and LGBTQ+ groups counterculture include:

Counterculture	Why is this a counterculture?
Gangs	Gangs are hallmarked by their utilization of their unique social structure to carry out many countercultural acts such as resistance against government bodies, alternative sources of income and the sanctity of a group of similarly disadvantaged individuals.
LGBTQ+	Heteronormativity is the assumption that heterosexuality (attraction to the opposite sex) is the default state for sexual preference, and has been integrated deeply in many societies. The community is hallmarked by the advocacy, visibility and normalizing of LGBTQ+ individuals, but this goes against the grain and challenges preexisting societal norms.

5. Tension and Conflict

These groups create tension and conflict by…

Gangs: disrupting normal operations of governments, corporations / businesses and the individual. These may trigger additional conflicts between different gangs in order to regain necessary resources, (see Conflict Theory).
LGBTQ+: creating awareness of injustices and advocating for visibility, which may involve parades/campaigns or legislative advocacy. This can bring into question varying beliefs (including those of culture and religion), the attitudes of society at large and misconceptions, and oftentimes manifests as homophobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination (see Homophobia and Transphobia).

6. Language Differences and Slang

Some key terms associated these countercultures include some language differences and slang such as…

Counterculture	Term and Definition
Gangs	“gangsta” or “gang lingo.” The language used in gangs serves to communicate specialized ideas, to express oneself and to establish in-group solidarity. Some examples include:
	“Code language”: meant to obfuscate information, especially that of illicit activity or to avoid entrapment by other gangs or authorities. “Gang signs:” refer to specific hand signs and gestures as a non-verbal way to communicate affiliation, loyalty, or disrespect.
LGBTQ+	This communities slang and terminology is often affectionately referred to as “queer slang”. These terms can be to express oneself safely, to form communities and the reclamation of previously derogatory terms. Some examples include:
	Acronyms: - “LGBTQ+” stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or questioning), and the “+” symbolizes inclusion of other identities. Transgender terminology: - “cisgender” means someone whose gender matches their assigned sex - “gender dysphoria” describes the distress caused by the mismatch between assigned sex and gender identity.

7. Negative Impacts and Negative Stereotypes

Negative impacts gangs have upon society and negative stereotypes associate with both gangs and LGBTQ+ groups could include…

I’ve chosen to omit LGBTQ+ communities from the first half of the question, as I argue that despite having no negative impacts, the community could still be described as a counterculture.

Negative Impacts:

The Negative Impact of Gangs
Death, violence and the advocacy of both.

Negative Stereotypes:

Counterculture	Negative Stereotype
Gangs	Inherently evil, hellbent on creating an unsafe environment and selfish.
LGBTQ+	Meaning to convert the youth, all confused or otherwise delegitimize due to their identities.

8. Traditions, Customs, Rituals and Routines

Some traditions, customs, rituals and routines associated with my two groups may include…

How can we apply Functionalism or Symbolic Interactionism

Gangs:
- Symbolic interactionism (see Definition) - This theory could be applied to crime organizations through its understanding of individual reactions to larger scale things. The theory argues that through inter-personal relations, people can find meaning, companionship and solidarity through interacting with and using social symbols, (in this case gang social hierarchy). The differences in language and use of slang could both be representative of how human communication could be used to create common meanings.
LGBTQ+:
- Functionalism (see Definition) - This theory could be applied to LGBTQ+ individuals due to its description of solidarity and stability within its group. The purpose of the distinction, and the possible reason why this group was created was for self-preservative reasons. There’s many discriminatory attitudes, which often manifest as homophobia, transphobia and can turn violent and deadly very quickly.

In Conclusion…

Overall, the benefits of viewing these groups through the eye of a Sociologist is extremely beneficial, and the analysis of how these counterculture movements can embody deviant behaviors can offer solutions to problems otherwise unseen.

Definitions

Symbolic Interactionism…: Symbolic interactionism is a sociological theory that develops from practical considerations and alludes to humans’ particular use of shared language to create common symbols and meanings, for use in both intra- and interpersonal communication. Wikipedia
Functionalism…: Structural functionalism, or simply functionalism, is “a framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability”. Wikipedia
Conflict theory…: Karl Marx’s theory that all social relations reveal inequalities in the distribution of valuable resources. There is an inequality between the large group (meta-group) and a smaller group. Marxism, on which conflict theory is based, is over the economic side of distribution. Human rights are another category that conflict theory covers, as an abstract idea.
Homophobia and Transphobia…: The irrational fear or hatred towards gay, lesbian or non-hetero sexually orientated individuals.; The irrational fear or hatred towards transgender or gender non-conforming individuals based on gender expression, (a.k.a Transmisia - “misia” meaning “hatred”).