Teenage Boy Taunted for Wearing Eye Make-Up

Posted by Alex in Fashion on September 7, 2008 at 1:39 pm


Seventeen-year-old Orangeville, Ontario, Canada high school senior Sean Waring is fearful for his safety. So much so that he has taken different routes home every day so his followers won’t know where he lives.

Why? He said he’s singled out because of the eye make-up he wears:

“I’m not going to stop because of this; it’s just something that’s not going to happen,” Waring says of wearing eye make-up, which he acknowledges is “kind of unusual.”
“I would say there’s only two guys in town that actually wear make-up.”

The high school senior has been expressing himself through eye make-up for about nine months now. He says he was inspired to don a design on his face by the Jrock music movement in Japan, which he describes as a combination of emo and metal.
“It’s all about emotions and what’s going on … but they express it through a visual way,” he says.

“Commonly, when I go to school and stuff, everyone listens to the same kind of thing — Metallica and all that. I’m just not into that whole hatred kind of thing. When you listen to Jrock … it’s more exploiting the good side of someone.”

Dirty looks, snide comments and threats are commonplace for Waring, who notes they come from a range of age groups. He says he’s even been told by a local business to either wash his face or get out. Of course, he left.

Link – Thanks Edi!


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COMMENT

49 comments to "Teenage Boy Taunted for Wearing Eye Make-Up"

  1. Rick Spencer
    September 7th, 2008 at 2:13 pm

    I love me some Neatorama, mainly because you guys bring the unexpected parts of life to the web, which is why I thought this was an Onion article. I can see this being interesting in 1965 maybe, but boys on the fringe of their social groups have been being bullied from time immemorial, and teenage boys have been wearing eye make-up to school in the United States since AT LEAST the days of KISS? Part of it is ABOUT attracting attention, the rest of it you can figure out by asking a sociologist or psychologist what makes teens tick? So I'm really pretty surprised this made the cut. Slow news day?

    I did the same stuff in 1994, I wore eye makeup, leather pants, cut-off camo pants with fishnet hose, fingernail polish, dyed hair and combat boots around the capital city of Kentucky. I was told all the time to get out. It wasn't J-Rock it was NIN, KMFDM, etc. Where's the story here?

    Did I fear for my life, no. I occasionally expected an ass-whoopin' but it never came.

    A story about J-Rock would be more interesting but if that's the case you've just got the headline wrong.

  2. Tim
    September 7th, 2008 at 2:47 pm

    Of course he's singled out, he wears eye makeup.

  3. brandie
    September 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    This is news?

  4. wickethewok
    September 7th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

    How is this Neatorama material?

  5. baliset
    September 7th, 2008 at 3:42 pm

    Mmmm. I have no problem with the social ridicule of such a person. It's a bit pathetic, isn't it? The boy should wash his face and get a job. Let's just hope this is a phase he grows out of and regrets, quickly.

  6. Evilbeagle
    September 7th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    On one hand, I don't think anyone should be so judgemental and cruel. I don't think highly of anyone that would taunt someone that chooses to wear make up, or whatever. However, on the other, I figure, he's asking for it. Seriously, folks, why would you go out of your way to be ridiculed?

  7. Mikos
    September 7th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

    Are you people trolls??? Why would it be anyones business if he wears makeup? Just face the facts... Most people are intolerant assholes. Especially in small minded places like Hicksville, Ontario...

  8. Tim Giachetti
    September 7th, 2008 at 4:24 pm

    Gee Beagle, you take all the fun out of the snide comment I was gonna leave. :(

    OK he wears make up, so do almost all hard rock bands. Nothing new, move along folks, the bodies already been removed.

  9. CheeseDuck
    September 7th, 2008 at 4:25 pm

    Uhm. I would probably not associate myself with him. He seems like the type of person that whines about everything just for attention.

  10. SenorMysterioso
    September 7th, 2008 at 5:16 pm

    He's just too cool for school because he listens to an obscure subgenre of music. He'll be a hipster in no time.

  11. FetishForPerception
    September 7th, 2008 at 5:17 pm

    This stuff goes on all the time. I used to idolise the lead singer of Placebo in school, so I dressed very feminine and wore makeup. I didn't do it for the sake of being different, I just believed men should be allowed to look femine if they want, there's no law saying what you should and shouldn't look like, but at the same time, I expected to be ridiculed because people in school were like that.

    At the end of the day, there's always gonna be idiots in the world bothered by people who don't follow the norm, you've just got to remember you're better than that...

  12. Neatoramawontsendmeapassword
    September 7th, 2008 at 5:47 pm

    Yet another example of people being afraid of what they don't understand. My question to the people who are giving this kid a hard time: how does his wearing of eye makeup affect YOU (making you uncomfortable doesn't count)?

  13. claptrap
    September 7th, 2008 at 5:49 pm

    This guy with the eye makeup should spit in the face of anyone who gives him a hard time. The people who defend the taunts in any way ought to feel ashamed for defending brute insanity. Expression through makeup is not unusual; it just happens to be express in this case on a guy. People ought to be outraged that a young creative person is choosing a harmless way of expressing himself and goes out of his way to explain the positive source of the eye makeup.

  14. claptrap
    September 7th, 2008 at 6:00 pm

    People ought to be outraged that this guy is being subjected to group pressure to conform for doing nothing more than positively and harmlessly expressing himself through face paint.

  15. Evil Pundit
    September 7th, 2008 at 6:07 pm

    "... small minded places like Hicksville, Ontario ..."

    Congratulations, you are now an intolerant asshole.

  16. Greengirl
    September 7th, 2008 at 6:18 pm

    Singling out happens often in high school, and you usually don't need to be wearing excessive eye make up to get their. I understand his frustration but all I can think is that high school is not the end of the world, and life is usually ten times better afterward. I guess I lose points on empathy.

  17. miki
    September 7th, 2008 at 7:51 pm

    @Evil Pundit... True... I am an intolerant asshole to ignorant people - especially the ones that use it as justification to be assholes to others (i.e. ignorant assholes). And as far as my definition goes, a hick is pretty much a synonym of ignorant, which often goes hand in hand with the asshole.

  18. Skipweasel
    September 7th, 2008 at 7:52 pm

    My eleven year old son has hair almost to his arse, whichi round here is vanishingly unusual. He gets teased about it at school, but it's his choice and he knows if he doesn't like it he can have a haircut in 30 seconds flat. He's just started secondary school so there's been a whole new batch of teachers' and kids' minds for him to stretch to his way of doing things.

  19. Adam Stanhope
    September 7th, 2008 at 8:10 pm

    Guyliner.

  20. Sammy
    September 7th, 2008 at 8:46 pm

    Good luck getting a job!

  21. Martha Allen
    September 7th, 2008 at 8:56 pm

    lolololol straight out of The Onion

  22. ted
    September 7th, 2008 at 10:07 pm

    For the record, Hicksville is in New York.

    Is it ironic that he complains about attention when he's so obviously crying out for it? "Look at me - I'm an individual!"

    Reminds me of the South Park episode where the Goths don't wanna dance because they're non-conformists, but the one Goth decides to dance to prove he's an even bigger non-conformist.

    Hypocrisy: it's okay for boys to wear makeup, but girls should be learning science and math and not worrying about makeup.

  23. Roig
    September 7th, 2008 at 10:18 pm

    What a free spirit!!!!!

    Tool.

  24. Britt
    September 7th, 2008 at 10:37 pm

    For someone who thinks he's badass for wearing stupid-looking makeup, he sure is easily intimidated.

  25. alex place
    September 7th, 2008 at 10:41 pm

    you know
    i go to highschool
    and while i don't really care whether guys wear make up
    that doesn't matter
    people usually get harrassed for bein tools or nerds
    they get harassed for bein weird not lookin weird
    so my guess is that this kid isn't liked because of the way he acts

  26. ron97062
    September 8th, 2008 at 1:46 am

    In school, it's all about fitting in. Attributes that set you apart from the rest bring ridicule and failure.

    In the adult world, many of those same attributes suddenly have value. Those that stand apart from the rest are the ones who make a name for themselves and often do well for themselves.

    But eyeliner? And that rediculous halloween costume? If he keeps it up, he'll be ridiculed or ignored his whole life. What a waste.

  27. Mikos
    September 8th, 2008 at 2:34 am

    @ted. LOL I guess it should be put right up there with Swastika, ON and Hell, MI :)

    Regarding all the "I know better... He's a tool..." kind of comments... He may look silly or lame to you, and it is your rightful oppinion, but the line must be drawn at this point since your oppinion does not justify harrassmet and/or violence. Furthermore, saying that he is a "tool" or something along these lines for the way he looks is just plain hateful, and hate is violence.

    I just wish people were a little more tolerant, understanding and nicer of/to each other. Why say things that you know are going to hurt another person? Keep them to yourself!

  28. Christophe
    September 8th, 2008 at 5:56 am

    is Kiss hiring? not enough makeup.

    ...I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day ;)

  29. Rob
    September 8th, 2008 at 6:01 am

    Duh, that is what happens at high school. All of the talk about intolerance and how it it wrong is meaningless. We are talking about high school here. Intolerance is a hallmark of said institution. Any of you out there who have made it through that hormone soaked time know that there have always been and that there will always be bullies. Unless this kid is brain dead he knows that raiding his mother's make-up kit for a stylish outfit makes him a target. He likes being a target. It gets him attention. If it didn't he wouldn't be doing it. All of you have been there, you all know it is true.

  30. Leah
    September 8th, 2008 at 6:22 am

    Sorry, kid. You do dumb shit, and you get your ass kicked -- that's the way of the world.

  31. Evilbeagle
    September 8th, 2008 at 6:36 am

    @Tim I take the fun out of everything. It's my job. ;)

    Kids always think they are so cutting edge. They aren't. It's pretty much all been done before, and there will always be someone there to tease or bully. That's just how it works whether one likes it or not.

  32. Tim Giachetti
    September 8th, 2008 at 7:21 am

    Here Here Beag, my point exactly.

  33. Xopl
    September 8th, 2008 at 10:14 am

    As long as we're having this comment thread...

    Tolerance is a shitty word. I always hated that they were trying to *teach* us "tolerance" in school. If you tolerate something, you don't have to like it, you are just dealing with it.

    How about ACCEPTANCE. You shouldn't have to "tolerate" women having jobs, or black people being free, or gay people being gay. How about you ACCEPT IT. And move on. And stop being such a bigot.

    There is no such thing as normal.

  34. FetishForPerception
    September 8th, 2008 at 10:29 am

    I don't think it's the case that all kids do this kind of stuff for attention... I know I didn't, I'm quite a reserved and quiet person and never really wanted that much attention, I just believed that I looked better with makeup and never really liked the masculine image that was expected of teenage boys.

    On the other hand, those who do do it for attention, deserve the attention they get and should shuttup complaining.

  35. alex place
    September 8th, 2008 at 12:43 pm

    @xopl

    righto!

  36. blackjackshellac
    September 8th, 2008 at 12:48 pm

    I once got chased out of that town for dancing with my friend. They didn't take kindly to *any* form of homosexuality back in those days (mid 80s).

  37. Noelegy
    September 8th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

    It makes me think of the "House" episode where Dr. House taunts the job applicant because he's a twentysomething with a tattoo of Asian writing.

    And as others have said, intolerance and singling out in high school is nothing new; it's been going on for probably the whole history of high schools. Only the thing for which the kid is singled out has changed. I can feel for this kid in that I didn't always fit the cookie-cutter image myself, but on the other hand this doesn't seem much like news to me.

    One of my stepsons is a big Slipknot fan and dresses accordingly. He got mad at me once when I pointed out some teenaged mall-crawlers and said I could pick out the Slipknot fans by how they were dressed. I said it was just another kind of uniform. Same stepson also liked to get his feathers ruffled if anyone made fun of how he dressed. I kindly advised him that he was setting himself up as a target by choosing to dress that way and he needed to grow a thicker skin and a sense of humor about it.

  38. Tatl
    September 8th, 2008 at 4:31 pm

    I go to a fine arts Highschool in Ontario and nothing like this would ever happen there. All the people that go to my school are so nice and accepting. I know guys that wear rainbow belts and there are a bunch of goth girls, but I have yet to see any form of bullying at my school.

    It makes me happy knowing that there are nice people out there... And sad knowing that there are very mean and unaccepting people, too.

  39. Uggaboo
    September 8th, 2008 at 9:39 pm

    good grief. I got it pretty bad when I was into the makeup thing in middle school..Kids can be so mean. But seriously. Get over it.

  40. Ammy
    September 8th, 2008 at 10:15 pm

    I live about 15 minutes from Orangeville, and some of my friends go to school with Sean. I visit Orangeville weekly to visit family. Here's something that I can make very clear:

    There is a large population of kids who dress this way in Orangeville and even in Sean's own school. Claiming that he's unique and being singled out is just false. His claims of being told off by buisness owners is most likely a lie as well. Orangeville is a very diverse and 'artsy' city, and given that there is a large amount of goth and other 'scene' kids living there already, I just can't see this happening.

    Regardless, it isn't right to treat people cruelly for dressing a certain way. But this particular kid seems to be a total liar.

  41. Autumn Osborn
    September 25th, 2008 at 8:49 am

    i support him , he's really nice .

  42. AAOO
    September 25th, 2008 at 9:02 am

    The singers && band members of kiss also wore make-up slipknot wears a mask !!

  43. Thomas Dakin
    April 22nd, 2009 at 1:02 am

    You fucks anyone can where or do anything they wan't to them selves. Don't like it tough, Like grow the fuck up someons different.ooooo who cares did he walk up to you and punch you in the face. If not you have no right to discriminate.

    And there's no only 2 I did when I was ODSS.
    Anyone Bugs Knockthem the Fuck out

    P.S. I Didn't wash it off either, and It got much worse

  44. Thomas Dakin
    April 22nd, 2009 at 1:05 am

    Shut the Fuck up Baliset you fuck

  45. Sean waring
    August 13th, 2009 at 4:54 am

    Hey I am the person from the paper an it was in the paper because I am the only guy at the time thta wore make up in orangeville. Now I was beaten kicked out of places treated ways people shouldn't an I do work I actualy have 2 jobs thank you an I'm not looking for attention I wear it because it honestly just
    Makes me happy
    An I'm willing do get beaten mind
    An body too be happy I'm not Emo or a metal head or goth I'm me another thing I didn't want to be in the paper I did it for my mother because she was scared for me an I was looked as a hero for slot of kids because parents these days raise kids to be a clone an not be able to be them self around friends an family. Now for all u people think u know me u don't like I said don't judge a book by it's cover maybe some of u should stop worrieing so much about me u deal with it own things but I'm proud of what I did I was asked to speak for a elementry schoobecause they thought of me as a hero standing up. Now u tell me wouldn't u do it if it helped that many people be them self for once an not be scared or giving them a real hero or makeing a family member happy?

  46. Sean waring
    August 13th, 2009 at 5:08 am

    An it's not emven school it's walking home having glass bottles thatown at me from cars an getting jumped a was once jumped while with a friend an girlfriend an I was scared for my girlfriend I don't want her hurt. I would aslo have people follow me home like I'm not aloud to walk at night alone anymore because of that an personaly I really don't care for attention but when someone want to harm me or friend one even faimly i'm going to do something an for all u people thing I'm doing it for attention. Why don't you keep he thoughts too ummr self an stop venting on someone who's try to help an warn others.

  47. Sean waring
    August 13th, 2009 at 5:14 am

    It just doesn't make senmce why I'm on this site for people to meat there opioins of me in such a disrspectful way wmhat the nerv really grow up you only live once don't make it a goal to be a dick to others.

  48. Sean waring
    August 13th, 2009 at 5:15 am

    It just doesn't make sence why I'm on this site for people to meat there opioins of me in such a disrspectful way wmhat the nerv really grow up you only live once don't make it a goal to be a dick to others.

  49. Crys
    October 10th, 2009 at 3:31 pm

    I think that people should not be so quick to judge people based on what they look like. They could be missing out on a really good friend if they actually get to know someone for who they are on the inside. Sean is a great person with feelings just like the next person. He is very sincere in everything he does and treats people with nothing but respect, I know this first hand because he spends a lot of time at my place hanging out. So maybe instead of thinking that all kids that dress different, guys that were make-up, nail polish or whatever they want to do to make themselves an individual look at them like a person with feelings and try to get to know them. Think about their feelings, what would you do if this was your child, relative or one of your children's friends. They have rights too, they shouldn't have to always be looking over their shoulders.
    Stop teaching your kids to discriminate against others!!! STOP thinking that all kids that wear black or kids that are different are EMO that is not the case, they are ONLY expressing themselves and for the odd kid that might be EMO instead of giving them a hard time and talking crap about them behind their backs, be a friend and help them..............


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