Riot Grrrl On Retroland.com

This article below was taken from: Retroland.com.

After generations of taking a back seat in a male-dominated society, a whole new women’s movement was shaping up in the early 90’s. Dubbed riot grrrls (note the growl), this phenomenon started as an underground movement fueled by the punk scene of the 80’s. Before long, girls were proving that they could be just as aggressive as men, without losing their feminine edge.

Tired of having to live up to the impossibly thin and slick images of women from magazines and television, girls wanted to show that they could just be themselves and not lose any of their self-esteem. The word was spread through the music of bands like Bikini Kill and magazines like Girl Germs with their credo of “Revolution Girl Style Now!” Indie music labels and ‘zines sprouted, and t-shirts appeared with slogans like “Girl Power” and “Girls Rule.” Punk bands like Sonic Youth (Kim Gordon) and X (Exene Cervenka) showed that women could rock just as hard as men.

Indie magazines, called ‘zines, spread the riot grrrl manifesto in publications like Valerie Solanas’ (who became famous by trying to kill Andy Warhol) SCUM manifesto (Society for Cutting Up Men) and later in modern ‘zines like Satan Wears a Bra. These magazines spoke out against sexual abuse, patriarchal oppression, and promoted the new feminism.

Riot grrrls developed a new standard of female beauty. Frustrated with the unhealthy body images girls were getting from the media, they started support networks to encourage healthy eating and loving the body you were born with. Girls didn’t have to be submissive – aggression could be redefined as a feminine quality. Fashion choices reflected that philosophy. They combined combat boots with fishnet stockings and baby doll dresses, tattoos with ribbons and lace. They bared their midriffs with cropped shirts and wrote the words “slut” and “whore” on their stomachs. Subtlety wasn’t their style.

The band Hole’s lead singer, Courtney Love, brought this style to the mainstream. The wife of grunge superstar, Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain, Love sported the “kinder-whore” look, with smeared red lipstick and ripped up little girl dresses. The message was also a part of the Spice Girls, whose girl power image was framed in a more traditional sexy style. But both images reinforced the idea that girls could be who they wanted to be and still be sexy.

Of course, the media flocked to this new feminine idea, and bands such as L7 and Babes in Toyland, who had worked for years in obscurity, now hit the media spotlight. Lilith Fair, developed by singer/songwriter Sarah McLachlan, gave girl rock a traveling venue for musicians such as Fiona Apple and Jewel, while indie darlings Ani DiFranco and PJ Harvey spread the message on their own labels.

Drugs were never a part of the riot grrrl movement; the idea was to promote a healthy image, both inside and out, much the same way as punk’s “Straightedge.” They changed the rules of femininity and broadened the concept of what sexy could be. They weren’t afraid to speak their mind and spread the word. While the tag “riot grrrl” has generally fallen out of the lexicon, the idea that women could be who and what they wanted, without sacrificing any of their feminine qualities, is an idea that continues to be a powerful factor in a new generation of women.