In Toronto, a subculture called "the freaks" existed prior to 1982 and was a cultural blend of New Romantic, Punk rock, Death punk and Hardcore punk enthusiasts. The term "freak" was a reference to individuals in this scene, and as inclusion had no specific requirements beyond participation in the music scene, it was more diverse than other goth/punk scenes. The "freaks" at this time included fans of specific music genres, and did not exclude people of colour, transgender people, gay people, or any others who participated in the Toronto underground music scene.