Words and artwork by Mira Downie
Music fuels my motivation. I love getting ready for a night out, and it’s in the time I’m straightening my hair that I listen to my favourite punk rock anthems. I look into the fake camera lens of my bathroom mirror, and I’m transported into the body of Riot Grrrl stars like Kathleen Hanna, headbanging centre stage. I take my time to achieve the perfect heavy winged eyeliner, rubbing the sides of my eyes raw from erasing the ink with water as I try over and over again. I paint my nails in a pattern of purple and silver the night before because I know they’ll take forever to dry. I want to feel the same confidence and energy that these stars possess. Riot Grrrl can make you feel on top of the world.
The punk rock scene has always been a passionate music space, fuelled by the angry energy to riot for social change. They are driven by political views such as anti-authoritarianism, anti-government, non-conformity, and individual freedom. But hypocritically, at many points throughout its history from the 70s through to the present day, it has struggled to recognise intersectionality, which describes the acknowledgment of each individual’s experiences such as race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability.
In the 70s and 80s, many females attending punk shows were unwelcomed and pushed to the back of the mosh pit. It was a hardcore scene that had developed into a misogynist space. In the 90s, a group of punk women were fuelled by this anger and had the revolutionary idea of creating a punk scene that reflected the disruption the male/masculine culture of punk and rock and roll. This 3rd wave of feminism within the punk scene was known as Riot Grrrl. Compared to the second wave of the 60s, and 70s, this movement focused more on diversity and inclusion in order to redefine the meaning of feminism.
Pioneering bands of Riot Grrrl included artists such as Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and LeTigre, with their very catchy, and very angry music where they sang about feminism, abuse, body image, and sexism. Bikini Kill’s Rebel Girl can be considered the blueprint of the girl power and passion of Riot Grrrl with lyrics such as “that girl thinks she’s the queen of her neighbourhood. I’ve got news for you: SHE IS!”
In order to have their voices heard, Riot Grrrl’s’ used the DIY values of punk, and combined them with feminist and queer theory to create Zines to share their personal experiences of these issues that they had sung about in their music. The 1991 issue of the Bikini Kill Zine writes ‘We are patently aware that the punk rock “you can do anything” idea is crucial to the coming angry Grrrl rock revolution.”
This strong visual component extended to performance art, which could be seen at their shows. Members of Bikini Kill was known for writing words on their skin with phrases such as ‘slut’, and ‘property’, as a way to conceptualise how words have an impact on women’s bodies.
Although the Riot Grrrl movement was progressive in promoting women’s empowerment through music and Zines, like their male counterparts, the Riot Grrrl movements struggled to recognise intersectionality. The movement largely focused on the experiences and struggles of white, middle-class women, often overlooking the voices and issues of women of colour and other marginalised voices. Riot Grrrl’s music and zines, although promoting empowerment didn’t always extend an invitation to more diverse voices which made women of colour feel like they were brushed to the sides of the movement, and unable to participate.
In recent years there’s been a positive, and inclusive resurgence of Riot Grrrl bands such as The Linda Lindas. The Linda Lindas have been rising to fame since their cover of Rebel Girl in the 2021 film Moxie (Amy Poehler), which explored the idea of Riot Grrrl Zines and feminism. The teenage band have reimagined Riot Grrrl, blending its original feminist and DIY ideas with a more Gen Z perspective that reflects on a broader awareness of intersectionality. Unlike many of the original Riot Grrrl bands, which were predominantly white, The Linda Lindas are a multicultural group, with members who are Asian American and Latinx, giving them the platform to address issues such as Racism like in their song Racist Sexist Boy.
The Linda Lindas recently opened for Green Day’s 2024 tour from late July to late September. Green Day being a legendary rock band with a long history within the punk scene and having a young band such as The Linda Lindas open for them has been a great way to bridge punk’s roots into its future, whilst embracing feminist and inclusive values that earlier punk movements struggled to recognise.
Other recent bands, such as Mommy Long Legs, Dasey and The Scouts, and The Regrettes, continue to push punk in a more inclusive direction. Mommy Long Legs’ anthem “Call You Out” calls for dismantling oppressive systems which is a reminder that the fight for true inclusivity is ongoing.
“If you don’t fight oppressive systems, you’re contributing. Let’s tear it all down, down to the fucking ground—the imperialist, capitalist, white supremacist patriarchy!” This energy is a powerful reflection of how the modern punk scene is aligning with its ideologies of individual freedom while acknowledging the need for broader representation.
I am excited to hear current and new confident voices within the resurgence of Riot Grrrl. As a scene founded on the idea of rebellion and freedom, punk should have always been an inclusive space for people of all backgrounds to feel like they belong. Thanks to these new voices, the future of Riot Grrrl is finally starting to live up to its ideals.
