Without realizing it, the average person has probably heard a song originating from one of the most important feminist musical movements of the 20th century. Maybe it was a popular sound on tiktok, a cover by a local band, or the soundtrack of the alternative fashion section of a department store. The songs definitely possess a unique sound, bass heavy and lacking the trappings and structure of traditional pop, but not something one would usually think twice about. Without it, however, the Pacific Northwest would lose a powerful counterculture movement, filled with unknown revolutionaries and role models for modern feminism.
In the early 1990’s, in Olympia, Washington, began Riot grrrl, an underground feminist movement and music subculture. The term was coined by the punk band Bratmobile, which referred to its members as riot girls. The spelling of girl as “grrrl” was a deliberate choice, meant to evoke the idea of growling in contrast to passive associations with the word “girl”. The music of Riot grrrl combines traditional punk and indie rock with the politics of third wave feminism. The goal of Riot grrrl was to give women an outlet to express themselves creatively in the way male rock stars had already been doing for decades. Throughout the 70’s and 80’s, women were only “punk by association”, they were part of the movement by being the girlfriend of a band member, not actively participating in the male dominated music genre. As punk evolved to be more hypermasculine, women were pushed from the field of influence.
Lyrics would address themes of sexuality, classism, anarchy, and the patriarchy, through the scream-singing vocals of pop punk. Though beginning in Washington, the movement spread throughout the Pacific Northwest. Many major bands of the movement even originated in Sacramento. That cultural influence of the coast is evident in the guitar stylings and music composition.
Part of what allowed the quick spread of Riot grrrl was the use of ‘zines’, an important facet of punk culture in its own right. As cited by Grinnell college in its sociology and subcultures section, “Zines, short for fanzines, are homemade publications with limited circulation (Schilt 2003). Zines became an important part of the punk scene in the early 1970s because it was a way to produce a publication ‘unhampered by corporate structure’ (Schilt 2003).” Zines were a place to discuss taboo topics, create a sense of community, and above all, be heard. Riot grrrl events would discuss frustrations with the patriarchy, and the oppressive state of society.
Examples of riot grrrl zines
As Riot grrrl gained popularity, its media depictions were increasingly unkind. Mainstream sources called the group “man-hating”, painting it as an aggressive group of savages advocating violence and social unrest. This, in turn, only popularized fanzines more as an outlet to express outrage without the biases of mainstream media.
Riot grrrl is more than just music. It’s a party of its own, a support group for the oppressed and downtrodden voices of America. Riot grrrls often start political chapters with queer artists and other marginalized communities to support female musicians.
For the interested observer, important figures, bands, and songs to research include Allison Wolfe and Molly Neuman of the aforementioned Bratmobile, Heavens to Betsy, Excuse 17, Sleater-Kinney, and Skinned Teen. A great place to start is Bikini Kill’s song Rebel Girl, which had short popularity in some areas of TikTok.
Riot grrrl, just like other important feminist movements, is still alive. Many of its most influential bands are still touring (though obviously currently postponed), and its most important figures are still active online.
Hopefully, one day, these movements will be a chapter in a history book; a thing acknowledged that we have built ourselves on top of. Now, however, it is still alive, and still more important than ever to the modern day.