Juggalos in Love
Much has been said about Juggalos. They’ve been mocked, scorned, derided, and called a gang by the FBI. Juggalos can be obnoxious, offensive, gross, and vulgar - they can also be incredibly kind, accepting, and loving. Indeed, the Juggalo community contains multitudes.
Nowhere are these seemingly polar opposites more on display than the annual Gathering of the Juggalos, a four day music festival meets carnival sideshow in rural Ohio. I spent a few days in 2021 documenting the magic and mayhem and I found it to be equal parts “fucking wild” and “totally chill.” In 2022 I came back, looking for love in all the wrong places and what I found was just as beautiful and chaotic. A couple I photographed last year found me to ask if I could take their photos as they got married on stage by the band Green Jelly.
I couldn’t help but feel the love that exists in this community. I think it was Rihanna who sang the words “We found love in a hopeless place.” Oddly enough, that’s the song that comes to mind when I see a Juggalo in love. They found love in a world that tried to throw them away, and in the process, they found a family that loves them for exactly who they are. No questions asked. That’s something we should all celebrate.
Whoop whoop y’all!
P.S. To see images from the rest of The Gathering - click here. But be forewarned, NSFW.
