DISCLAIMER: This blog addresses real issues. There will be topics and language that may make you uncomfortable. I will do my best to warn you, but I am human and fallible.
What is (was?) Riot Grrrl?
If you search online encyclopedias for "riot grrrl," you won't get a direct answer. You'll be told that
the topic is referenced in articles such as Sleater-Kinney, Kathleen Hanna, contemporary lesbian, Bratmobile, Joan Jett, and sexual subcultures. Buried on the third page of results from encyclopedia.com is the article that I feel is the best starting point: The Feminist Movement in the 20th Century: Third-Wave Feminism (note: that will be my only reference to information from Encyclopedia.com as the information itself did not meet my inclusion standards).
 |
| Riot Grrrl Manifesto |
Third Wave Feminism, or know your roots
Third wave feminism - and riot grrrl, by extension - is not as clearly-defined as its predecessors.
Third wave feminism was a reactionary movement. Young people felt detached from feminism as a whole. The third wave feminists were the first generation to completely grow up in a society where feminism existed. Though claims that feminism was dead and unnecessary based on the successes of the first and second waves were abundant, third wave feminism was a way to engage young women.
It appealed to young activists, predominantly between the ages of fifteen and thirty. To put it simply, this wave of feminism was made up of members of Generation X.
Though many were raised by feminists of the second wave and all felt the benefits of previous feminist movements and victories, feminists of the third wave were also aware of previous shortcomings. In some instances, they were the literal daughters of the second wave. Rebecca Walker, founder of the Third Wave Direct Action Corporation (note: more on them later), is the daughter of author Alice Walker (The Color Purple).
One of the traits of the third wave were the focus on intersectionality, defined as "the ways in which cross-cutting identities of sex, race, class, and sexuality shape human interests and behavior (Ford 2014)." As a generation, women of the third wave were aware of sexism; this awareness expanded to include the disparities between races and socioeconomic classes as well. The third wave sought to create equality in a manner that was more inclusive than in previous generations.
Another key component of feminism's third wave was known as "lipstick feminism" or "girlie culture." Third wave feminists believed that "being female is just as valuable as being male. (Ford 2014)." This marked a departure from the lesbian feminism of the 1970s; "girlie culture" promoted self-empowerment through the expression of femininity and - by extension - female sexuality. The goal of sexual liberation presented near the beginning of the second wave "expanded to mean a process of first becoming conscious of the ways one's gender identity and sexuality have been shaped by society and then intentionally constructing (and becoming free to express) one's authentic gender identity."
Revolution Girl Style Now!
The Riot Grrrl movement began in 1991 in Olympia, WA (though other sources cite Seattle a its birthplace). The catalyst of the movement was a fanzine, or "zine," of the same name.
The face of riot grrrl was Kathleen Hanna, singer for Bikini Kill.
Riot grrrl was a response to the male-dominated music of the time: the "grunge" of Seattle and the Pacific Northwest and the punk and hardcore scenes of the East Coast and Mid-Atlantic states. It provided an outlet for women - especially young women - to normalize expressions of anger and sexuality. Riot grrrl was about creating one's own culture where women were safe, welcome, and wanted as opposed to "being a passive consumer (Moser 2011)." Riot grrrls were encouraged to network with one another, passing out zines and flyers and engaging in conversation.
At its core, it promoted camaraderie among women.
"They've set out to make the world safe for their kind of girlhood: sexy, assertive, and loud (Staff 1992)." In line with the "lipstick feminism" of the third wave, riot grrrl reworked the image of the little girl. The fashion aesthetic became known as kinderwhore. Riot grrrl sexualized the image of the little girl - babydoll dresses, maryjanes, and plastic barrettes.
 |
| Riot Grrrl issue 1, July 1991 |
Riot grrrl was about the music. It was pro-female and pro-sexuality. Riot grrrl bands addressed taboo topics such as sexual abuse. The line blurred between performer and consumer, with bands, discussion groups, penpals, and fanzines. Violence at shows - especially violence toward women - was swiftly addressed by bands and fans alike. Shows would come to a halt, often with singers calling for an end to a fight or the removal of a perpetrator.
More than a movement, riot grrrl was a support network. It was a new feminist voice. To put it succinctly, a 1992 Newsweek article described riot grrrl as "feminism with a loud happy face dotting the 'i.' (Staff 1992)"
Enter our heroine
My first introduction to feminism and riot grrrl came at the hands of two high school girls named Courtney and Laura.
Courtney and Laura looked like no one I'd ever met. Courtney wore dresses that stopped above her knee over gym shorts with knee-high socks, oversized cardigans, and smudged black eyeliner. Laura was the complete opposite in clothing so oversized it looked as though she was being swallowed with her hair in pigtails and plastic barrettes like the ones I'd worn as a child. One afternoon, Laura invited me to come to her house to listen to music. I accepted, wanting desperately to be one of the "cool" girls. We ate pizza and smoked cigarettes. Courtney put glitter on my eyelids and I painted her fingernails.
 |
| Kurt and Courtney, Sassy magazine, 1992 |
The cassette they played was like nothing I'd heard before. To be honest, I hated most of it (note: I still do), but I smiled politely. They told me about Hole and their singer Courtney Love. I nodded. Courtney Love, they told me, was a riot grrrl. She was all about being body autonomy and not taking any shit from any man. I knew the names, she had been on the cover of Sassy kissing Kurt Cobain. She was the reason we dressed like this. Courtney wanted to bleach her hair but she wasn't allowed. But her parents would let her go to Goodwill and buy dresses.
I wanted so badly to fit in that I learned everything that I could about riot grrrls. I'd seen the term come up in magazines like Sassy and Seventeen that my auntie would leave lying around the house. I knew a little about feminism as the sole female child of a single mother. But this was different. This was new. This was feminism for me. This was girls in punk rock bands, something I desperately wanted to be but wouldn't even attempt until years later.
Through Courtney and Laura I found out about Hole and riot grrrl, which led to punk rock, Gloria Steinem, and festivals like Lollapalooza. It led me down some questionable fashion choices but also down a lifelong journey of self-discovery.
Twenty-five years later, I want to evaluate the impact that riot grrrl has had on the lives of the women (and men) of Generation X and beyond.
Citations
Brunell, L. & Burkett, E. (2020, March 5). Feminism. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/topic/feminism
Ford, L. E. (2014). third-wave feminism. In L. E. Ford, Facts on File library of American history: Encyclopedia of women and American politics (2nd ed.). Facts On File. Credo Reference: https://centralpenn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/fofwomen/third_wave_feminism/0?institutionId=3410
Hunt, E. (2019, August 27). A brief history of Riot Grrrl - the space-reclaiming 90s punk movement. NME. Retrieved from https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/brief-history-riot-grrrl-space-reclaiming-90s-punk-movement-2542166
Moser, A. (Director). (2011, January 12). Grrrl Love and Revolution: Riot Grrrl NYC [video file]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/18722871
Riot grrrl. (2013). In J. Myers (Ed.), Historical dictionaries of religions, philosophies, and movements: Historical dictionary of the lesbian and gay liberation movements. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. Retrieved from https://centralpenn.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://search.credoreference.com/content/entry/rowmanlaglm/riot_grrrl/0?institutionId=3410
Staff. (1992, November 22). Revolution, Girl Style. Newsweek. Retrieved from https://www.newsweek.com/revolution-girl-style-196998
Comments
Post a Comment