Once at a blues dance someone told me that it was weird for me as a self proclaimed punk to be dancing to blues music which according to them was not very Punk. I told them that a major part of being a punk is about radical self expression and thus me radically loving blues music, wearing what I want and going dancing was in fact extremely Punk.
Being a Punk is about expressing yourself fully and completely, it’s about taking a step away from media, culture, and government and evaluating it as a whole and making an informed decision about what parts are useful and what parts are corrupt.
Punk is about inclusivity. Anyone who claims to be a Punk and also tries to exclude any specific race, gender or sexual orientation, is in fact a bigot and deserves to have the shit kicked out of them with your oversized combat boots.
Punk is about understanding the consequences of you actions. If you kick the shit out of a neo nazi you might get arrested. You will be judged by other people for how you dress, act and talk. These are all consequences of what you choose. Only you can decide what is worth fighting for, and you will face the rest of society for those choices.
Being punk is about self care and compassion. Your body mods will not heal correctly unless you take proper care of them. Reminding your loved ones to care for their body is incredibly Punk Rock. Your fellow Punks will have different styles and beliefs. Part of your job is to respect those options.
Being Punk is about optimism. Being optimistic that your voice has power. That through your choices you can make the world better for yourself, and for everyone who has less privilege than you. No one is free until we are all free.
Every person who is struggling to be the best they can is part of your community. Lifting up your community is incredibly fucking Punk Rock.