"Serious is Bad": A Queer Reading of Punk, Midwest Emo, and Connecticut DIY

Something is going on in Connecticut; a subculture of queer amateur artists are producing music inspired by punk and Midwest emo music. They consider themselves part of the DIY scene in Connecticut. To understand the existence of this scene, this work rereads the history of punk and emo subculture through a queer lens. This thesis incorporates personal essay, ethnography, and textual analysis to challenge dominant historical narratives of the past and understand the queer present.