If you read my previous blog about the movie Moxie, you would know I recently discovered my favorite movement. This movement was started in the ‘90s after a group of women in Olympia, Washington, discussed sexism in the punk scene and how to address it.
Riot Grrrls wanted to address and establish sexism so they banned together and decided they wanted to create their own music and magazines that catered to who they were as women. The bands that were associated with Riot Grrrls wrote songs that dove into many topics that affected women everywhere. This movement slowly started to become one of the most influential, underground feminist movements of the ‘90s, expanding to around 26 countries.
I came across this movement and its purpose just in time for Women’s History Month. Educating yourself on female movements is a perfect way to celebrate and highlight the influential women of our time. Activist groups started to form and held protests and performances that incorporated art and music. This was a short-lived movement that really affected the music industry. Riot Grrrl music started to appear, and oftentimes the music had similar messages and themes. When the movement was fresh and new, many artists quickly wrote songs that incorporated many feministic topics and themes but the original name for the movement was coined by Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman. Allison and Molly were members of the punk band, Bratmobile, and encouraged females to become a part of the punk rock scene.
The punk rock scene during the ‘70s through the ‘90s was very male-dominated and it was hard for women to really be considered “punk rock.” Females were only taken seriously if they associated with a punk rock guy who had credibility. This movement allowed punk rock women to band together and establish a new sense of what punk rock could be. The movement was very successful and it credits a lot of its influence to the use of zines (magazines).
Zines differ from ordinary magazines because they typically talk about “less mainstream” topics like abortion, rape, incest, etc. Zines allowed women to talk about the difficulties they were facing, allowing them to relate to one another and demand for a change. Zines attracted the right crowds and protests and gatherings were arranged for the advocates to talk about their frustrations and develop a plan for change.
Music, art, and variability allowed Punk Rock Riot Grrrls to thrive. Many bands hopped on the trend and performed songs with lyrics that raised awareness of the cause. Bikini Kill was one of the bands that consistently supported the cause and released music that touched on eating disorders, expectations of girls in society, and even rejecting heterosexual relationship dynamics. There have also been many interviews with celebrities that played a key part in the movement and its success.
Learning about the Riot Grrrls movement is a perfect way to celebrate Women’s History Month. This movement really showcases how powerful women can be when we work together and big of an impact we can have on society when we speak up. Women and girls everywhere are often pushed down and disregarded when in reality we are one of the most powerful forces in the world. Women are powerful, beautiful, and just as strong as men.