Raise A Riot Grrrl

Raise A Riot Grrrl... 

Being the dad of 2 daughters, I relish every minute I can get with them while they’ll have me. I preach around here that if you’re going to do something, let’s make it something that will make you a better person. So, with that in mind we spend a lot of time bonding over music, books, writers and all things art. You can find us walking the aisles of the quaintest indie bookstores and record shops and I love that they allow me to share that with them. However, the most important thing we preach in this house is, Girl Power! Not letting your self-worth be wrapped up in a man, or the idea that a woman can do anything a man can do. I like to say that I’m raising Feminists, but lately we were discussing artistic female role models, and I realized I don’t just want Feminists that will stand up for themselves, I want Riot Girls that will stand up for a movement. 

In the early 1990s, a cultural revolution brewed among young women in the United States. Known as the Riot Grrrl movement, this grassroots feminist punk movement emerged as a defiant response to societal norms and patriarchy. It transcended music and spilled over into various forms of expression, including literature, where its impact was profound and lasting. Riot Grrrls were primarily young women who felt marginalized within both mainstream society and the punk subculture of the time. They found a voice through zines self-published, handmade magazines that served as a means of communication and solidarity among like-minded individuals. Bands like Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Sleater Kinney became iconic symbols of the movement, blending punk music with feminist lyrics that spoke directly to the experiences and frustrations of young women. There may be no better role model for the Riot Grrrl movement than the great Kathleen Hanna. Kathleen known for her work fronting the band Bikini Kill and most recently The Julie Ruin, has long been the face of the movement dating back to its origin in the 1990’s.  

Central to Riot Grrrl ideology was the rejection of traditional gender roles and the promotion of DIY (do-it-yourself) culture. They encouraged girls and women to start their own bands, write their own zines, and organize their own events rather than waiting for mainstream approval or male validation. This self-empowerment through creative expression was a cornerstone of the movement. The movement emphasized issues like sexism, rape, domestic abuse, and body image, sparking candid conversations often deemed taboo. Beyond zines, Riot Grrrl ideology seeped into mainstream literature, influencing authors and readers alike. Writers like Kathleen Hanna, Tobi Vail, and Alison Wolfe, central figures in the movement, infused their work with themes of empowerment and activism taking the reins from the likes of Patti Smith whose words struck fear in the hearts of the establishment years before. Their writings challenged literary conventions and provided a counter-narrative to traditional depictions of women in literature. Although Riot Grrrl as a formal movement began to wane by the mid-1990s, its impact resonated far beyond its initial cultural moment. It influenced subsequent waves of feminism and paved the way for a new generation of musicians, artists, and activists. The DIY ethos and emphasis on intersectionality; recognizing how race, class, and sexual orientation intersect with gender.  

The Riot Grrrl movement represented a powerful fusion of punk rock rebellion and feminist activism, challenging both the music industry and broader societal norms. By amplifying the voices and experiences of young women, Riot Grrrls reshaped the cultural landscape and left a lasting legacy of empowerment, DIY ethos, and feminist solidarity that continues to reverberate in contemporary feminist movements worldwide. Look to your sisters, daughters and for those of us Gen X’ers your granddaughters, let them know they are powerful. The feminist mindset can be lonely, and history has proven it over and over again. Let’s teach our women to be powerful and to uplift each other. Support the revolution you wish had come before you.