Okay, that makes sense, and generally I've seen "emo" used more jokingly, like Goth.

I've seen a few online discussions where people ranted about "emos" as losers, wimps, dysfunctional persons who are inferior because they wear their hearts on their sleeves. It reminded me of high school peers tormenting one of my classmates for studying ballet and calling him "twinkle toes".

I guess it's a spectrum, like "dyke", which several of my friends use as an enthused compliment ("wow, that woman is SUCH a DYKE!") but which was nothing of the sort in high school!