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A Gutter punk is a homeless or transient individual, often through means of freighthopping or hitchhiking. Gutter punks are often a juvenile, who is in some way associated with the anarcho-punk subculture.^[1]

The term has traditionally been used to describe homeless juveniles who display a variety of specific physical traits.These characteristics are often, but not always, associated with the punk subculture . They include unkempt dreadlocks, nose rings or mohawk hairstyles. In certain regions, gutter punks are notorious for panhandling and often display cardboard signs that make statements about their lifestyles.^[1]

Gutter punks are generally characterized as being voluntarily unemployed.^[1] As such, gutter punk is a term that is generally only applied to able-bodied individuals with no signs of physical or mental disabilities. The term gutter punk has also been used as in the field of social science to describe a specific demographic group, which consists of the traditional gutter punks as described here. Gutter punks often do seek work; however, they often search for or are limited to short-term employment. Other innovative methods of procuring income, such as panhandling, are generally considered "last resorts" but are often used due to the average gutter punk's difficulties in finding stable employment. Those associated with the gutter punk way of life generally do not ascribe to the crust punk ideology, however, due to its name crust punk is often confused with gutter punk. Gutter punks tend not to involve themselves with peace, autonomy, veganism or other activist ideals promoted in the crust punk or peace punk scenes.

[edit] See also

• The Decline of Western Civilization III: film about young homeless punks of Los Angeles in the late 90s
• Crusties
• Anarcho-punk
• Hitchhiking
• Hobo
• Punk subculture
• Panhandling
• Freighthopping
• Crust punk
• Squatting
• Street punk
• Refusal of work

[edit] Footnotes