It’s ironic that there are so many prerequisites and certificates necessary to be a fan of punk

I really think that that’s mostly just a loud minority being asshats. In my local scene the focus is more on being and expressing yourself in a way you like. Sure the music might be a bit more extreme than popular punk bands but in the end we all stand for the same common goals of equality and self expression, and excluding people for “not being punk enough” is a shit take and should die out real quick