A Goth In China Was Barred From The Subway Because Of Her Makeup

By Lauren Rearick


Goths in China — and about the world — are banding with each other in a social media show of support immediately after one woman was reportedly prevented from riding the subway due to her choice of makeup.


In a post shared on the social media platform Weibo, a woman elaborate the alleged incident that occured at a station in the city of Guangzhou, the Guardian reports. According to the woman, a member of subway security expressed concern that her “problematic” and “really horrible” gothic-inspired makeup could potentially angry other passengers.


Right after security contacted the subway’s manager, the woman, who has remained unidentified, says employees instructed her she was not allowed to ride up until she cleaned off her makeup.


Sharing pictures of her aesthetics look, which are posted on Sina News, she challenged the decision, writing, “As a Chinese citizen, I’m hoping to use this relatively public platform to challenge the authorities: What laws grant you the correct to stop me and waste my time?”


She continued: “If you are able to cite one, I am prepared to pay for a banner to hang at the subway station, which reads, ‘People wearing gothic lolita clothing are not allowed to ride subway.”


In response to the post, which has been shared more than 5,000 times on Weibo, goths from around the world began participating in a social media movement. Sharing selfies that showcase their individual gothic looks, users are hashtagging their pictures with #ASelfieForTheGuangzhouMetro.


As piece of the virtual protest, one Instagram user called for “the right to dress how we want” and another shared their hope for “Zero discrimination in Goth.” Twitter users expressed similar sentiments, writing, “Everyone should have the correct to express themselves through style or makeup, but they visualize fit.”


after the incident, the subway apologized and suspended a member of staff involved in the confrontation, the BBC reports.


As Sable Yong, digital aesthetics editor for Allure explains to MTV News, makeup policing is often dependent on a “community’s cultural attitudes towards cosmetics as a means of self-expression, as instead of its long-established use as a tool for conforming to orthodox aesthetics standards.”


“There's routinely been a curiosity with aesthetics — how it's done and its different methods and artistry,” Yong added, and noted how in recent years, Internet-based platforms including YouTube, Instagram, and aesthetics blogs have led to a world change in attitude associated with the use of makeup. “Now that there's so much more access to makeup tutorials by more diverse people, there's just way more possibility and options for each person on how aesthetics and makeup could fit into their lifestyles. Even goth makeup isn't new so much as it is just becoming more visible and shared behind its own insular social communities.”


This incident definitely isn’t the opening time that reports have surfaced of makeup and appearance policing. Last year in Texas, a gentleman was told to remove his makeup before he might enter a club, while makeup artist Patrick Starr revealed in 2017 that he was once required to tidy his face of product for a job. And most recently, a restaurant employee from Montana said she was discriminated against as a trans woman after her manager forced her to remove her makeup, and later fired her despite her compliance.