Straight Edge community organizations xSisterhoodx and the Straight Edge Social Club have cut ties with Alex Kenny after multiple women came forward to accuse the x1981x owner of a number of incidents that occurred when they were younger. The accusations were made on Reddit after a woman was reminded of the incidents by seeing Kenny at Furnace Fest last weekend.
From Reddit:
When I was 20, a man more than 20 years older than me crossed a lot of lines with me.
- He got me into a show for free and offered me a place to crash, but when I realized he was expecting sex and tried to leave, he cornered me and tried to force me to kiss him. He admitted he was expecting sex all along.
- He used another show as a power move to stop me from going with someone else, and lied that I was in “unrequited love” with him, which wasn’t true, and that ruined a friendship.
- While I was in a relationship for three years, he told me I was “dating the discount version of him,” and that he was the only one who could make me happy.
- He insulted my body and said he’d pay for my plastic surgery.
Since then, other people have come forward with similar stores, including alleging that Kenny had used his connections to Suicide Girls to convince girls as young as 18 to have him photograph them nude.
Following the accusations, the Straight Edge community organizations xSisterhoodx, run by Kelly Leonard, and Straight Edge Social Club, run by Leonard and her husband Tim, Angel Graves, and Storm Edgin, have cut ties, issuing the following statement:
Over the past 24 hours, several women have come forward on Reddit and privately, to share stories involving Alex Kenny, who was previously involved with the Straight Edge Social Club and Edge Fest.
They have reported that Alex used access, favors, and perceived influence to create situations where sexual attention felt expected. When those expectations weren’t met, some reported emotional manipulation, pressure, and even the withdrawal of access or opportunities. Several women shared that this behavior began when they were teens, while Alex was in his 30s.
I spent yesterday listening. I spoke with three women by phone and DM. I also reached out to everyone involved with Edge Fest. For the record, no one I’ve spoken to had any knowledge that this was going on.
I’ve known Alex for over 20 years. This past year, I worked with him with the Social Club and Edge Fest, and I considered him a friend. That makes this all the more difficult. But it doesn’t change the fact that the behavior described by these women is not acceptable. I can’t protect someone because of shared history.
As of yesterday, Alex Kenny has been removed from all involvement with the Straight Edge Social Club, xsisterhoodx, and any future projects.
To those who came forward, I believe you. I see you. My heart hurts for you. I look at my daughters, who are about the same age that many of these girls were when these incidents reportedly occurred, and I feel rage that’s hard to put into words.
This is not about canceling anyone. I don’t want to see anyone’s life ruined. Accountability is not the same as destruction. It’s about acknowledging harm, understanding that actions have real consequences, and setting a standard for how we show up for each other.
For far too long in our scene, those who hold power and influence have been given a pass. We’ve collectively looked the other way and excused bad behavior. We can do better. We should demand better.
If you’ve experienced harm and want to share, my inbox is open. Everything you share will be treated with confidence.
I’ve also connected with Sarah Kuretzky, who is offering support to anyone impacted by this situation.
x1981x was a Straight Edge brand founded by Kenny in 2004, before operating as a record label beginning in 2006. As a record label, x1981x released records from Straight Edge bands like xRepresentx, Suffocate Faster, and To This Day. The brand ceased operation in 2020.
