About Riot Grrrl/What Is Riot Grrrl?

This was taken from my Riot Grrrl Online website. Here is some information on riot grrrl.

Here is some information and history of the riot grrrl movement and philosophy.

HISTORY OF RIOT GRRRL: Here is some history of riot grrrl. Riot Grrrl began in 1991 at Olympia Washington, when a few girls (mostly from Bikini Kill and Bratmobile) decided to get together and talk about their main interests..feminism
and punk rock. The first time they met it was all fun, they put up posters to get attention of other open minded girls. Then they found out they had other things in common: they were all vegetarians; against drugs; and had been molested as children. At one meeting a very smart
girl took notes, photocopied them and turned them into a cool fanzine. That’s how it all began. Some people think that Bikini Kill started it all, in my eyes they did. Bikini Kill, however does not think of themselves as starting the riot grrrl movement. In Bikini Kill’s songs, they sing about different women issues such as: rape, incest, and other issues that some women face. Some people think that bikini kill, riot grrrls, and feminists are ‘man-haters’. They’re not. They just want to be equal to men, not better to them. Zines are a BIG part of the riot grrrl scene. Most riot grrrls believe in DIY. (do it yourself) That means that they start riot grrrl chapters, zines, etc. of their own around the riot grrrl movement.

Wikipedia’s Definiton Of Riot Grrrl: Riot grrrl (or riot grrl) is a form of hardcore punk rock music, known for its feminist stance. The genre first appeared in the early 1990s as an offshoot of alternative rock and punk music and as a response to prevalent attitudes of punk machismo, building also on a history of all-women bands. A key factor in this movement was the support for girls not needing to be musically trained to start a band. The term more generally referred to the band members and followers of a wider movement with a DIY empowerment ethic, characterized by the Oxford
English Dictionary as "feminist resistance to male domination in society and especially to the abuse and harassment of women." Riot grrrl lyrics often address issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality and female empowerment. As summarized by The Guardian in its April 15, 1995 supplement: "When the Riot Grrl movement began in America in 1991, its intention was to redress the balance of power via the punk rock underground using slogans (words like ‘rape’ and ‘slut’ written in black marker pens on exposed stomachs or bare arms), fanzines, meeting s and women-only shows." The group Bikini Kill is
widely considered one of the prime instigators of the movement. With the rallying cry, "Revolution Girl Style Now!" they and other bands like Bratmobile and Heavens to Betsy created a mini-movement to combat what they saw as the male-dominance of the punk scene and, by extension, the rest of the world. Riot grrl musicians mostly shunned
the major record labels, signing instead with indie labels like Kill Rock Stars.

You can also read more about riot grrrl on Wikipedia.

Urban Dictionary’s Definition Of Riot Grrrl: There is no right or wrong definition to riot grrrl. Everyone has their own definition of riot grrrl. Urban Dictionary defines ‘riot grrrl’ in 4 possible ways.

1.) Riot Grrrl: Movement/organization of empowered womyn (and occassionally men) dedicated to expressing radical, grassroots feminism through art and activism. Spotlighted in the media around the time the punk band Bikini Kill was at the height of their powers.

2.) Riot Grrrl: Radical ‘women orientated’ music scene from the early 90’s. Bands attached were Huggy Bear, Bikini Kill and Voodoo Dolls.

3.) Riot Grrrl: a feminist, who can rock out, have fun, and doesn’t give a shit what any one else says.

4.) Riot Grrrl: A grassroots third wave feminist movement deeply connected to the punk rock scene in the early and mid 1990’s. Mostly youth
oriented, riot grrrl was neither an organization or a specific thought, but instead thrived on non hierarchal “chapters” set up across America and parts of Europe connecting mostly young women with music, a thriving zine scene, and direct political action. There is no one
specific example of riot grrrl, in fact the best example is contrasting different people who associated themselves with the movement.

I would never give out a set definition though because that would automatically exclude another grrrl.

What Riot Grrrl Means To Me: Grrrl love, respect, feminism, and equality are the main aspects of what a riot grrrl is to me. Riot grrrls want to be heard. They want to speak out against various issues in today’s society. Riot grrrl is not ‘man-hating’. It is a movement for grrrls that want to be equal to men. Riot grrrls want to make a stand. Riot grrrl is being a nonconformist and not meeting society’s standards. Riot grrrls want to make a change. Males can even be riot grrrls, but sometimes call themselves ‘riot
boys’ or ‘riot guys’, even though gender doesn’t matter. To be a riot grrrl, You don’t have to listen to riot grrrl bands, You just have to believe in the riot grrrl philosophy. You can be male or female to believe in the movement. Riot grrrl doesn’t discriminate. To be a riot
grrrl, You have to believe in the riot grrrl philosophy. I know there are people that say the movement isn’t around anymore, but I think it is coming back. There are people that still believe in riot grrrl today. There are ex-riot grrrls around as well that used to be into the
movement, but they no longer consider themselves a riot grrrl anymore or they think the movement died. Can you be a riot grrrl? Sure, You just have to believe in the philosophy and what its all about. You can even start up your own riot grrrl chapter in your area/town/country/state to get the word out about riot grrrl and to meet other riot grrrls.

Riot grrrls are a loosely set up network of underground feminists and music fans, of all ages, all over the country. It’s about GRRRL power: women getting together to help and encourage each other, getting rid of sexist stereotypes of what girls are supposed to be… quiet, soft, sweet, innocent, helpless, etc. Not all riot grrrls are girls, some are
riot boys and believe strongly in the riot grrrl movement. Grrrls can be found anywhere from honor roll kids to downtown club kids. We are not all punk, all white, all lesbians, all musicans, all zine writers/editors, all vegetarians, all victims of abuse, or all straight edge. True riot grrrls don’t discriminate.

Riot grrrl is any woman who believes that they should be treated equally in all ways. Riot grrrls believe they shouldn’t be treated as ’sex objects’ but as human beings. Riot grrrls want to have the same rights as men, but not be treated like they can’t do anything. Women aren’t here to look pretty. Most guys think women are weak, stupid, etc. but we are not! We are sick of guys running things in the world. It would be nice if a woman was running things for once. The world is male-dominated. It would be nice if it was equal…male and female dominated. Guys have
their stereotypes of women and their stereotypes are wrong. Some men will call a woman ‘his bitch’. We are NOT bitches. We are not slaves either. We don’t like it when guys call us names like, "bitch", "whore", "dyke", etc. The list could go on. The point is we are all women and we NEED equality. We are sick of men telling us how to act, how to be, etc. Most but not all men stereotype women too much. Some men think that their dicks make them powerful or in control. It’s not what’s in between your legs that counts, but what’s in your mind and in your heart.

Another definition would be this: To me and other grrls it means equality. No man is better than a woman and vice versa. Riot grrrl is about choice and it should embrace everyone, because individuality is one of the most special things that one can have, and everybody has it and needs to use it. It is a sisterhood, as long as we dont forget that we are all different and not to overlook that because that it what makes each of us beautiful. Riot grrrl is a punk feminist movement. It can only exsist in the punk and underground music scene. Riot grrrl probably couldn’t have happened in any other time period, except for the first punk revolution in the 70’s. Riot grrrl
incorporates feminist ideals and uses them to de-gender the punk scene. Punk rock is not just for boys anymore. In a scene based on progression, resistance and rebellion, grrrls look around and find that they are still treated like secondary citizens. Most (but not all) guys look at girls as sexual conquests, entertainment, or attendents to hold their bookbags while they dance. Everyone becomes a hypocrite, preaching anti-sexist ideals, all the while practicing what they were brought up to do: treat girls like they would treat their mommies or even like wives- like property. Look between your legs, us grrrls will never ever hold a place in the brotherhood. This is why riot grrrl originated in the first place. Over half the worlds population is made up of women. White, Black, Asian, Hispanic, rich, poor, straight, gay, bisexual, disabled, all female, we are all women. We have become a silent majority. Stand up and fight!!!! Riot! Riot loudly, riot quietly. Just riot!!!!!! Society has put a gag in our mouths; rip it out and fucking riot!

44 Writings I Need For This Blog

I am in need of some articles and writings for this blog. I will add to this list as I see fit. The ones listed below are ideas for articles and writings and are some writings/articles I need for the blog. By writing the article (or articles), You will be emailed an invite to join this blog and will be able to post up your writing on the blog. Be sure to let others know that you wrote the article (or articles).

ARTICLES AND WRITINGS NEEDED:

1-History of riot grrrl: how, why, where, when, and who started it. (about the music and the movement)
2-History of feminism: how, why, where, when, and who started it.
3-The 3 waves of feminism.
4-The many different types of feminism such as: anarcha-feminism, individual feminism, radical feminism, and all the others.
5-Write about your favorite feminism/riot grrrl website or write a review of your favorite feminism/riot grrrl website. (can be blogs, websites, forums, etc.)
6-Write your own definition of what feminism means to you.
7-What does riot grrrl mean to you? (Write as much or as little as you want.) Describe riot grrrl in your own words.
8-Write about being a riot grrrl in another country. What’s the riot grrrl scene like where you live? Is there a chapter where you live? Any riot grrrl bands where you live? How did you get into riot grrrl? How long have you been into riot grrrl?
9-Write about how you got into riot grrrl. What, how, when, who, and where made you get into riot grrrl?
10-Write about being a riot boy: how, when, who, what, and where did you get into riot grrrl?
11-Write your own riot boy manifesto. (I already have a version on my website.)
12-Write about being a male feminist: how, when, who, what, and where did you get into riot grrrl?
13-Write some feminism questions that you would like answered or start a feminism FAQ (frequently asked questions) of your own and the answers to them.
14-Write some riot grrrl/boy questions that you would like answered or start a riot grrrl FAQ (frequently asked questions) of your own and the answers to them.
15-Write about women’s issues important to you.
16-Write about feminism and what it means to you.
17-Write how you got into feminism and why.
18-Make a list of reasons on why your a feminist. Try to think of 50 or more reasons, if you can. 10-20 reasons will do too.
19-Make a list of reasons on why your a riot grrrl. Try to think of 50 or more reasons, if you can. 10-20 reasons will do too.
20-Write some DIY tips or share yours. Share your own DIY stuff.
21-Write something about being an activist/ or about activism.
22-Write something about zines or your life as a zinester.
23-Write about your ladyfest or a ladyfest you attended.
24-Write about a riot grrrl chapter or your own riot grrrl chapter.
25-Write about being pro-choice, why your pro-choice, or what it means to you.
26-Write something about how riot grrrl and queercore music are connected.
27-Write something about how riot grrrl and grunge music are connected.
28-Write something about how riot grrrl and punk music are connected.
29-Write something about feminism in other countries. What’s feminism like in your country or other countries?
30-Write something about human rights in your country or another country.
31-Write something about equal rights.
32-Write about why is feminism important today.
33-Write your own definition of what a riot boy is to you. Give your own definition of riot boy.
34-Write your own Zine DIY guide.
35-Write how to start a riot grrrl chapter DIY guide.
36-Write your own list of ways to be an activist.
37-Write a review of a zine or your favorite zine.
38-Write about your experience with the Riot Grrrl Online website.
39-Write about the Riot Grrrl Online website or do a review of the website. If you write about the website, write how you found the website, how you got active in the website and why. I’m sure there are more things you can write about the website, as long as your a reader or fan of the website, your input is appreciated.
40-A review of your riot grrrl or feminist website.
41-Write a news story. Write about an issue or topic important to you or an issue/topic you think would be important to others that is happening in the news.
42-Write your own women’s issue story. If you are a survivor (of anything from rape to cancer, etc.), I’d like to hear your story and what you went through.
43-Write how to start a ladyfest.
44-Write how to start your own record label and/or band.

If your interested in writing one of these articles, Feel free to read the “contribute” page and reply to the “contribute” page or email me. If you comment on the “contribute” page or email me, Please specify which article (or articles) you want to write about by letting me know which number or numbers (# or #’s) your interested in writing. If you have your own ideas for writings or whatever, feel free to email me some of yours.

*This is also posted on the “Ideas” page.

The Story Behind The Riot Grrrl Online Website And How I Got Into Riot Grrrl

A Quick Riot Grrrl Online Website Update: I know I do not use this blog for updates on the Riot Grrrl Online website, but the website is finally working after months of not working properly and being offline. I didn’t think it would ever be back to normal. The Riot Grrrl Online website is back up and running…FINALLY! After a few months of being offline/not working properly, The website is finally running properly. Check it out, register, or login to the website, It’s back to normal now.

The article below was written by Greta (Grrrlriot) also known as me.

The Story Behind The Riot Grrrl Online Website And How I Got Into Riot Grrrl

I became interested in riot grrrl and feminism in 1997. It all started when I found out through the internet about feminism and riot grrrl. I also heard a little bit on MTV back then about the movement. (I used to watch MTV, but not anymore.) I also heard about it by doing some research on the band “Hole”. I had already started listening to hole and nirvana, since 1994, through MTV. I done some research on Nirvana as well. I started hearing about Bikini Kill and Kathleen Hanna. I also started hearing about Tobi Vail and her past relationship to Kurt Cobain. I began listening to bikini kill and I liked their sound. The first bikini kill song I heard was “Rebel Girl”. I started going to a bunch of riot grrrl/feminist sites. I wanted to find more riot grrrl bands to listen to. That’s when I found out about Bratmobile and other Kill Rock Stars records musical artists. Most of those riot grrrl/feminist websites are not around anymore, but some of them can be found with Archive.org.

In 2000, I realized a shortage of riot grrrl sites and most of the sites I enjoyed were gone. I guess a lot of people figured when the riot grrrl bands broke up that riot grrrl was gone. I guess some people thought that the riot grrrl movement died. I read and researched more about riot grrrl through Yahoo! Yahoo had a lot of “grrrl” websites in their directory and I researched riot grrrl through Yahoo as well. I don’t believe in labels, but I really believed in the riot grrrl movement. After the riot grrrl websites had died, I realized that I still believed in the philosophy of riot grrrl and feminism. In 2001, I decided I should make a riot grrrl website. I wanted to make a riot grrrl resource and information site, with a little bit about feminism. I wanted a website where I could add lots of pages and have an active website. I didn’t care if anyone liked my website or not, but it was something I wanted to do for myself and for fun. In a way, I wanted to connect other riot grrrls (and riot boys, feminists, and male feminists) to each other by making the website and that’s when I decided to start ‘Riot Grrrl Online’. I hoped that there were still people out there that felt the same way I did about riot grrrl.

The website was made in 2001 at angelfire. My online friend Shawnee (aka Deshawn) from Pennsylvania, USA made the purple layout and helped me out with the website. (I still keep in touch with him.) He knew how to make layouts, but I did not know how to make them. When the website was on angelfire, I had other pages, but I deleted a few of those pages. I had a “female icons” page, a “I made the website as a start to revive riot grrrl. The website can still be viewed on angelfire because I never deleted it from angelfire. The website is located here.

In 2004, I got hosted on girlsvomitcandy.com, by Jilly that lives in the United Kingdom. (UK) The girlsvomitcandy.com site died. (which I knew it was going to) Jilly told me she was getting rid of the domain, but that she’d email me when my site left from there. (which she never did) The website is on archive.org now and can be found here. The website started on angelfire, then moved to girlsvomitcandy.com, and is currently on hot-topic.org.

In 2005, I got hosted on hot-topic.org. I met Nam that lives in the United Kingdom. He seemed to know a lot about websites and computers. He started using siteman CMS for my website. He runs hot-topic.org. I met him through his now defunct Le Tigre forum on hot-topic.org. He noticed that I was in a dilemma from girlsvomitcandy.com and decided to host me. He also wanted to do something for me since I was active on his Le Tigre forum and helped spread the word about his Le Tigre forum. That’s how I wound up here on hot-topic.org, not to be mistaken for the clothing company, Hot Topic. hot-topic.org was named after the Le Tigre song “Hot Topic”. Nam helps me out with my website if it acts up, goes offline, has errors, or if I have an idea for the website. He answers my questions and gives me ideas. Nam is always there for me and for that I really appreciate him. I have him to thank for my website and for hosting me. He’s a great host. Nam is a great person and he is very much appreciated. I admire his kindness and helpfulness. Here is how the site looked when it first moved to hot-topic.org in December 2005. Here is how the site looked in July 2006. Here is how the site looked in October 2006 with the siteman version. As you can see, The main siteman website has been hacked. The siteman version of my website was hacked twice in 2007 and was an annoyance. That’s why I decided not to use siteman anymore. In December 2007, I started using Drupal instead of siteman. Drupal has lots more features than siteman. The Riot Grrrl Online Forum is now part of the website and part of the interactive features on the NEW Riot Grrrl Online website. It is part of the Drupal CMS (content management system).

I found out that alot of people were viewing my Riot Grrrl Online website and that they liked it. I realized that I had fans and people that linked to the website. I got lots of members on the siteman version and now I am still getting more members with Drupal. In 2005, I wanted to do more riot grrrl reviving. I wanted to meet more riot grrrls and people that felt the same way I did. So, I decided to make the Riot Grrrl Online Message Board in November 2005 on proboards as part of the ‘Riot Grrrl Online’ site. In 2007, I decided I wanted more features on the proboards message board. So, I made a new Riot Grrrl Online forum on freeforums.org. In April 2008, The freeforums Riot Grrrl Online forum was hacked, but it is working fine now. The freeforums forum isn’t as active as it was because the website is now using Drupal.

In Februrary 2008, I decided to create a Riot Grrrl Online social network on ning. The website was down at the time, so I decided to create a social network for people that still wanted to participate in the Riot Grrrl Online website and forums. In March 2008, I decided to create a Riot Grrrl Online blog on wordpress. The website was still down and I decided to create a blog specifically about feminism and riot grrrl. The blog doesn’t have updates about the website posted on it, but it does have articles, news, and other stuff on the blog.

Feminism Friday: Being a Fat Grrrl

This article was written by Karo from Riot Grrrl Europe.

Being A Fat Grrrl

So I’m fat. It started when my eating disorder, hyperorexia, and my clinical depression began to develop. I was four years old then. My father had hardly survived the nazis, my mother was an incest survivor. The three of us would have needed to undergo therapy when I still was a child. But nobody noticed I was ill. The adults labeled my depression as “lazy”.

I’m not able to put into words how I have been humilated all my life because of my fatness. And neither am I able to describe how much I have hated myself, and sometimes still do. When I was a teenager, I was so ashamed of myself I didn’t dare to leave the house for days. I didn’t even try to get cool clothes. What for? I was fat and ugly anyway. I wore my father’s shirts and my mother’s jeans. I never took those off, not even in the hottest summer and not even at a swimming pool. I was a good guitarist, but I would never have dared to join a band. Fat ugly me on a stage? Never! My girlfirends treated me like crap, and that was all I knew.

I started to become interested in men with the age of 11. I longed for a boyfriend, but at the same time I didn’t want one. I would have loved to touch men, but how could I? They would touch me too, and feel my fat. Impossible! With 16, I was in love for the first time. He didn’t love me back. Who would want a fat teenager with a clinical depression and the rage of a feminist? He wasn’t the only one who I fell in love with, and who rejected me. There came one after another, and I’ve never experienced a happy relationship.

When I moved into my own flat, I decided that I finally wanted to have a band and a boyfriend. To achieve that I had to be slim. So I starved myself to a normal weight, and abused drugs and alcohol to stay that way. I ignored the panic attacks that where the results of starving. Better slim and dead than fat and alive. It didn’t get me a boyfriend, but at least I had sex. It sucked. I didn’t love those alcoholics and drug addicts of the Metal scene. And I was an angry feminist who refused to be cute and submissive, so they didn’t love me either.

Today the starving, booze, drugs, abusive men and mean girlfriens are history. Thanks to Feminism, Riot Grrrl, 12 Steps, a lot of therapy and fluoxetine. I have no problem to enter a stage and scream my rage out. I’m not ashamed to go swimming any more. I love my body enough to work out. I care for my health, even if that means I have to see a gynaecologist or an urologist.

I still have body issues, like any other woman who lives in a patriachal system. I can’t go swimming, or wear shorts, before shaving. And since I’m quite hairy, shaving is rather time consuming. But if I don’t, I feel ashamed. You know - fat AND hairy….

I’m still afraid I could look square, even though I’m a freak in combat gear with piercings and a shaved head. I’m still paranoid my cunt may stink. But when I perfume my undies too much, I’m also afraid. What if anyone detected the origin of the perfume? What if they would think “She’s covering her undies in perfume cause her cunt stinks so bad”? And nobody must see the few white hairs on my head! I’ve made the experience that you are allowed ONE beauty flaw as a woman. You can be fat and considered good looking. But only if you are perfectly shaved, have a perfect tan, good make-up, shiny long hair, an interrsting hair-colour, and wear sexy dresses. And high heels. And long polished fingernails of course.

That’s why I style in a look that I call Grrrl Guerilla. To protest against this beauty terror. And when I stomp around in my steeltoe boots, I hope that I’ll manage to not give a shit about my appearence one day. Cause I’m so fucking beautiful the way I am.

Report: Abused Women See Danger In Family Court

This news story was taken from: Women’s eNews.

Report: Abused Women See Danger in Family Court
Run Date: 05/08/08
By Alison Bowen
WeNews correspondent

Family courts traumatize battered women and hand custody to their abusers 37 percent of the time, finds a report released today by the Voices of Women Organizing Project. Latest story in our “Dangerous Trends, Innovative Responses” series.

(WOMENSENEWS)–Susan Lob says it’s simple: Good mothers should keep their children.

But Lob, director of the New York-based Voices of Women Organizing Project, says that doesn’t always happen in the New York family court system when it’s women who have been abused by their children’s fathers.

Instead, in a report released today, Voices of Women says family courts retraumatize battered women by forcing them to confront men they fear and granting custody to abusers 37 percent of the time despite the women’s roles as primary caregivers.

“What struck us was the impossibility of women losing custody to the men who abused them,” said Lob. “That just seemed unbelievable.”

The group laid out four recommendations: fund an independent court watch project to enforce procedures; ensure that court decisions protect children and reflect their best interest; take abuse allegations seriously and hold abusers accountable; and ensure that court proceedings are fair and just.

“The courts’ own rules and regulations are often not followed,” Lob said. “Those kinds of things just seem so blatantly unfair and unreasonable.”

Authors issued specific suggestions for each of the four recommendations, including increasing accountability for judges by halving 10-year judicial appointments to five-year terms and seeing children in courtrooms at least once a year to ensure custody decisions are benefiting them.

“All of this is done for the best interest of children, and we feel like children are not being represented,” Lob said.

System Works Against Women
Lob said the court system turns their allegation of abuse against women making the accusation, who are sometimes painted as unreliable or unfit due to emotional problems.

The mothers they surveyed are not perfect parents, Lob said, but they were primary caregivers who were not accused of endangering their children. Courts, she said, should protect abused women who want to protect their children.

The report, “Justice Denied: How Family Courts in NYC Endanger Battered Women and Children,” says 7.5 percent of cases in family court focus exclusively on domestic violence. Most cases, 55 percent, involved child support; 26.5 percent involved custody or visitation; and 6.5 percent involved child protective proceedings. Up to half of cases in family court involve some aspect of domestic violence.

The report represents two years of interviews with around 75 domestic violence survivors, focus groups of battered women and teens in foster care, and meetings with court personnel.

In 2003, New York created 38 Integrated Domestic Violence Courts, which consolidate domestic violence cases of different types–criminal, family and matrimonial–under one judge. The idea was to provide a more comprehensive view of family problems. This system has since handled about 60,000 cases involving 12,000 families.

All the women interviewed for the report identified themselves as victims of abuse and were involved in family court cases in 2005 or 2006. Eighty percent said their abusers used the courts to follow through on a threat to gain sole custody of the children and prevent the children from being in contact with their mothers.

Nearly a quarter, 23 percent, of the women did not have attorneys, and 90 percent of those who did had court-appointed lawyers. (The authors did not report how many male counterparties had attorneys.)

Lack of Court Safety
About 30 percent of women said they felt unsafe in the courtroom, and 40 percent felt unsafe in waiting areas.

The mothers recalled long lines outside a Bronx courtroom, where women trying to evade abusers waited in the open, and judges revealing confidential addresses while reading from court papers.

Fifty-seven percent of the women did not know about Safe Horizon, a New York organization that provides supports for crime and abuse victims.

Sixty-seven percent of the women could not afford copies of court transcripts, leaving them unsure of how accurately the official records reflected the proceedings. About 15 percent said transcripts were not accurate.

Women were advised, sometimes by lawyers, not to mention domestic violence in one-quarter of cases, and not to challenge custody for fear of worsening the situation.

“To me, that’s the shocking thing,” Lob said. “We’re in a position where it’s actually sound advice for a woman not to raise these issues.”

Fifty-eight percent of women said that asking for child support triggered retaliation from their abusers.

When they appear in court, battered mothers, still fearful of their abusers and suffering from depression or post-traumatic stress disorder, often provide a weak portrait to courts of how they juggle stresses, the report concluded.

“It’s two different things that together make a woman look even worse,” Lob said of the emotional toll and mixed legal advice. “If she’s suffering from PTSD and she’s not been able to bring up the abuse, people wouldn’t understand why she’s acting the way she is.”

Human Rights Model
The project followed the lead of the New York-based Urban Justice Center’s Human Rights Project, which trained lay people to survey human rights violations. That group helped Voices of Women train its non-legal membership to interview survivors and developed questions based on their court experiences.

Voices of Women also consulted with John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Long Island University and Adelphi University and partnered with the Urban Justice Center’s Human Rights Project.

Ramona Ortega, past director of the Human Rights Project, said the report is a glimpse into a complicated court system that violates basic human rights.

“Each piece comes together in a way that really traumatizes women and-or takes away their rights,” Ortega said. “There’s sort of a number of elements that work in concert to put this woman in a situation where she has very few options.”

Voices of Women, with about 60 members, formed in 2000 as an initiative of the Battered Women’s Resource Center to change the family court system, which it considers repressive to battered women.

The report’s authors note that theirs is the latest in a string of studies documenting problems in family courts. Advocates characterize the problems as human rights violations. Projects in Massachusetts and Arizona point to similar custody struggles by battered women.

In January, at the Battered Mother’s Custody Conference in Albany, N.Y., an annual gathering of abuse survivors, women talking about similar concerns attended from all 50 states.

Stories are more common than statistics regarding what happens to children who end up in abusers’ custody. But some of the mothers who are involved in battered women’s groups such as Voices of Women have not seen their children in months or years and say they return from abusers’ custody as traumatized teens.

The report’s authors want to raise awareness among judges and court personnel, but they also want to boost the family court into greater public view.

“When people aren’t part of these systems or don’t have contact with these systems, they don’t realize how ineffective and inefficient they are,” Ortega said, adding that she thinks problems in family court would not be so pervasive if they received more publicity.

Unlike criminal court, family courtrooms are often a place for mediating family disputes. This difference, Lob said, leads to misperceptions that family courts are more casual with weaker consequences.

“What we’re saying is these courts can take your kids away,” Lob said. “To me, that’s just about as serious as what anybody can do to you in any other situation.”

Alison Bowen is a New York City-based reporter covering the presidential campaign for Women’s eNews. Her work also appears in the New York Daily News.

This series is supported by a special grant from Mary Kay Inc.

What Riot Grrrl Means To Me

The following was written by Greta/grrrlriot. (me) Do not copy without permission.

What Riot Grrrl Means To Me…What Does It Mean To You?

There are no right or wrong definitions of riot grrrl, in fact, everyone has their own definition of what a riot grrrl is. Here goes my definiton of what riot grrrl is and what it means to me.

Riot grrrl doesn’t ‘man-hate’.
Riot grrrl doesn’t discriminate against age, race, sex, or sexual preference.
Riot grrrl is a movement for girls that want to be equal to men and want equal rights for everyone.
Riot grrrl is being a nonconformist and not meeting society’s standards.
Riot grrrl is DIY. (doing it yourself)
Riot grrrl is about making zines, websites, blogs, and being active online.
Riot grrrl is all about not fitting into a mold.
Riot grrrl is all about rebelling against society.
Riot grrrl is about being yourself, being unique, being different, and loving yourself.
Riot grrrl is about your rights as a human being.
Riot grrrls want to be seen and heard.
Riot grrrls want to speak out against various issues in today’s society, including women’s issues.
Riot grrrls want to smash patriarchy.
Riot grrrls want to make a stand and want to make a difference.
Riot grrrls want to be globally aware of issues affecting the world.
Riot grrrls want freedom to be themselves without being judged.
Riot grrrls believe in grrrl love, respect, feminism, and equality.
Riot grrrls believe in women’s rights.
Riot grrrls believe in feminism and human rights.
Riot grrrls believe that women should have rights in ALL countries.
Riot grrrls are activists and want to change the world.

Grrrl love, respect, feminism, and equality are the main aspects of what a riot grrrl is to me. You can be male or female to believe in the movement. Males can be riot grrrls, but sometimes call themselves ‘riot boys’ or ‘riot guys’, even though gender doesn’t matter.
To be a riot grrrl, You don’t have to listen to riot grrrl bands, even though it helps to understand the riot grrrl movement better. You just have to believe in the riot grrrl philosophy.
Riot grrrl doesn’t discriminate. To be a riot grrrl, You have to believe in the riot grrrl manifesto.
I know there are people that say the movement isn’t around anymore, but I think it is coming back. I want a riot grrrl revival. There are people that still believe in riot grrrl today. There are ex-riot grrrls around as well that used to be into the movement, but they no longer consider themselves a riot grrrl anymore or they think the movement died.
Can you be a riot grrrl? Sure, You just have to believe in the philosophy and what its all about. You can even start up your own riot grrrl chapter in your area/town/country/state to get the word out about riot grrrl and to meet other riot grrrls.
DIY, meetings, zines, and music are a big part of the riot grrrl movement.

20 Reasons Why I Chose Riot Grrrl

The following was written by Greta/grrrlriot. (me) Do not steal without permission. The reasons are not in any certain order. If you want to add to my list or start a new list, Feel free to comment on this post. If you can think of 50-100 or more reasons to choose riot grrrl, feel free to make a list and email me your list. I will post it up in this blog.

Why Did I Choose Riot Grrrl? 20 Reasons I Chose Riot Grrrl:

Because I want equality.
Because I want freedom to be myself and not be judged.
Because I want to smash patriarchy.
Because I want a revolution.
Because I want bigots to be nonexistant.
Because I want racism and sexism to stop.
Because I want homophobia to end.
Because I want everyone to be globally aware of women’s issues all over the world.
Because I believe in feminism.
Because I believe girls can change the world.
Because I believe women are people too.
Because I believe in women’s rights.
Because I believe women’s issues should be addressed.
Because I believe in activism and getting involved.
Because I believe women in other countries should have rights.
Because I believe I have the power to be seen and heard.
Because I believe in the riot grrrl manifesto and philosophy of riot grrrl.
Because I believe in human rights.
Because I believe everyone should have equal rights.
Because I believe that we can change the world.

Feminism Friday: Inspiring Quotes

“I seem to be getting a lot of things pushed my way that are strong women. It’s like people see Hackers and they send me offers to play tough women with guns, the kind who wear no bra and a little tank top. I’d like to play strong women who are also very feminine.”–Angelina Jolie
“I always play women I would date.”–Angelina Jolie
“I like everything. Boyish girls, girlish boys, the heavy and the skinny. Which is a problem when I’m walking down the street.”–Angelina Jolie
“I need someone physically stronger than me… I am always on top. It’s really unfortunate. I am begging for the man that can put me on the bottom. Or the woman. Anybody that can take me down.”–Angelina Jolie

“People talk about my image like I come in two dimensions, like lipstick is a sign of my declining mind, like what I happen to be wearing the day that someone takes my picture is my new statement for all womankind.”–Ani DiFranco
“When I was like sixteen, I was a total chick I had big hair. I was seen as this attractive girl, and I would get all this attention. And then I just cut off my hair, and I quit playing that game.”–Ani DiFranco
“When I was four years old they tried to test my IQ, they showed me this picture of three oranges and a pear. They asked me which one is different and does not belong, they taught me different was wrong.”–Ani Difranco
“Any tool is a weapon if you hold it right”–Ani Difranco
“Why do our kids have to show us what gun control is all about?”–Ani Difranco
“If you’re not angry, then you’re just stupid, you don’t care. How else can you react when something’s so unfair?”–Ani DiFranco

“I am murdering me where I kneeled at your kiss.”–Anne Sexton
“The tongue, the Chineses say; is like a sharp knife: it kills without drawing blood.”–Anne Sexton
“Take the face of the man I love and squeeze my foot into it when all the while my heart is making a museum…”–Anne Sexton
“I am stuffing your mouth with your promises and watching you vomit them out upon my face.”–Anne Sexton
“Urine and tears pour out of me. I’m the one you broke.”–Anne Sexton
“His mouth and his anus are one.”–Anne Sexton
“The more I write, the more the silence seems to be eating away at me.”–Anne Sexton

“For years, I hated myself. I covered the mirrors in my house. I literally couldn’t have a mirror in my room. I still can’t sit in a restaurant or someplace where I can catch my reflection. I get so paranoid.”–Christina Ricci
“You have to excuse me because I AM a teenager, so I’m allowed to sound illiterate and make stupid comments like ‘I’m not into hard-core feminism.’”–Christina Ricci
“I don’t know who Peter Lorre is. Pathetic right? It shows you how completely gross and uncultured my generation is.”–Christina Ricci

“I’m an only child and I’m just a real loner kind of person… and yeah, kinda dark. But I’m happy. Not sad. I’m just shy and nervous.”–Clea DuVall
“My whole life is working out and shooting guns right now. I’m learning how to fight people with, like, sticks in my hands and disarm 6′5″ men.”–Clea DuVall
“Because I think they’re insecure. And I think they don’t know themselves that well. And whatever they don’t know about themselves, they’re scared of.” - on homophobia–Clea DuVall
“I think bisexuality is frowned upon for a lot of different reasons. But I don’t like any of those words. I don’t like any of those labels. I think they’re limiting.”–Clea DuVall

“I don’t want to have a penis, I want to be a girl and I want to wear dresses and have nice perfume and do things that girls do. So I’m not interested in looking like a boy or playing like a boy. That sounds like a really obvious, blatant thing to say, and I shouldn’t have to say that to anybody.” —Courtney Love
“I want every fucking girl in the world to pick up a guitar & start screaming!”—Courtney Love
“I rely on a lot of sexual metaphors-food as sex, music as sex, fucked-up weird insane sexual vistas that haunt me and make me feel as though I were going insane.”—Courtney Love
“If you treat a girl like a dog, she’s going to piss on you.”—Courtney Love
“If you write anything nasty about me, I’ll come around and blow up your toilet.”—Courtney Love
“I may lie a lot, but never in my lyrics.”—Courtney Love
“How can I rock in a Versace gown? Well easy-let me show you.—Courtney Love
“Dont be bitter and mean cos you don’t fit in, it’s a GIFT. Look at you. you’ve got your individuality, you don’t have the herd instinct, you can read Neitzsche and understand it. Only dumb people are happy.”—Courtney Love
“Unless there are pictures, I don’t admit to anything.”—Courtney Love

“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”–Emily Dickinson
“If I read a book and it makes my whole body so cold no fire can ever warm me, I know that is poetry.”–Emily Dickinson
“Surgeons must be very careful. When they take the knife!, underneath their fine incisions, stirs the Culprit - Life!”–Emily Dickinson
“Anger as soon as fed is dead - ‘Tis starving makes it fat.”–Emily Dickinson
“Beauty is not caused. It is.”–Emily Dickinson
“After great pain, a formal feeling comes. The Nerves sit ceremonious, like tombs.”–Emily Dickinson
“A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.”–Emily Dickinson
“A wounded deer leaps the highest.”–Emily Dickinson
“Because I could not stop for Death; He kindly stopped for me”–Emily Dickinson
“If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain.”–Emily Dickinson
“I imagine, therefore I belong and am free.”–Emily Dickinson
“Parting is all we know of heaven and all we need of hell.”–Emily Dickinson

“The history of progress is written in the blood of men and women who have dared to espouse an unpopular cause, as, for instance, the black man’s right to his body, or woman’s right to her soul.”–Emma Goldman
“The demand for equal rights in every vocation of life is just and fair; but, after all, the most vital right is the right to love and be loved.”–Emma Goldman
“Poor human nature, what horrible crimes have been committed in thy name!”–Emma Goldman
“The most unpardonable sin in society is independence of thought.”–Emma Goldman
“Every daring attempt to make a great change in existing conditions, every lofty vision of new possibilities for the human race, has been labeled Utopian.”–Emma Goldman
“Free love? as if love is anything but free. Man has bought brains, but all the millions in the world have failed to buy love.”–Emma Goldman
“The most violent element in society is ignorance.”–Emma Goldman
“If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be part of your revolution.”—Emma Goldman

“I’m bi everything; sexual, coastal, political, controversial. I think if you find your comfortable sexual preference then that’s excellent. Everybody knows that I’m a huge fan of gay men and drag queens and would not be who I am today without their help, support and make-up tips. “–Jessicka Fodera
“I’m religiously celibate except in LA, NOLA, FLA, because there is certainly no God in any of those places. So unless you live in one of those places I’m really no good to you.”–Jessicka Fodera
“The first time I ever saw Lydia Lunch perform it was a religious experience. Not only is she intelligent and beautiful but she actually understands how “my” brain works. This almost rivals my first concert- Cindy Lauper when I was 12. She was so fascinating to me at the time. She made me want to dye my hair pink and start a band. (SO I naturally did)… All Cure records have had a great effect on me musically also. “–Jessicka Fodera
“There are plenty of female artists that I consider feminist, Le Tigre, Peaches, The Gossip, Sleater Kinney, PJ Harvey- the list is endless. I think there’s certain stigma attached to the word “feminist”. I feel a lot of people confuse feminist with MAN-HATER which is not the correct definition by any means. Webster’s defines it as such - 1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 2 : organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests So until people see the difference between a feminist and a man-hater I think there will always be a certain assumption when a female artist considers herself one and says it in print. & Yes, I do consider myself a feminist and I am saying it in print.”–Jessicka Fodera “Everyone has personal insecurities I know I sure do and everyday it’s an uphill battle to do my best to practice what I preach. I’ve definitely been guilty of having cocaine confidence and then the next day hate what I see in the mirror. Ask yourself what is the source of my self hatred? If you think the source of the so-called flaws you see are based in prejudice then recognize that and don’t give it credit it doesn’t deserve. “–Jessicka Fodera
“I like Le Tigre a lot and listen to many riot acts ( Bikini Kill, Oiler, Huggy Bear, Slant6, Tribe 8, Cold Cold Hearts,Bratmobile, 7 Year Bitch, Babes- Although I think Babes are as riot as JOJ was) though I don’t consider myself a riot grrl I believe in a lot of the same things they do. “–Jessicka Fodera

“I was 19 when I started playing guitar and bass. I’ve been playing music though, (violin, clarinet, piano) ever since I can remember.”—Kathi Wilcox
“We’re all strong personality types, which anyone who knows us will testify as truth, it’s hard for any of us to sublimate our natural contrary anti-ness reactions, but ultimately I think that’s our real power. We’re not afraid to be bitchy , which is an important skill to have sometimes, to fight so you get your way. We have respect for each other so that we can disagree and it’s not a big deal.”—Kathi Wilcox
“I think it freaks people out. People always come up to me after a show and go, ‘why didn’t you turn around once?’ Why should I face the audience because everyone else on stage does?”—Kathi Wilcox
“There’s this whole thing about ‘here I am.’ But no, I’m just here on the stage.”—Kathi Wilcox
“Girl culture.”—Kathi Wilcox
“The whole girl thing, Tobi told me about when we were first starting the band. When girls are growing up, they hang out together. But at some point, 12 or 13 it depends, something happens. Boys come in and it all gets fucked up because of the boy-girl thing. Then girls can’t hang out with girls. “—Kathi Wilcox
“I don’t know how many friendships have gotten fucked up for me just because of dumb boy things. It’s totally unnecessary.”—Kathi Wilcox
“Or you can’t be calling boys to task at the same time as you’re making out with them. Give me a break. Or something like, ‘But I thought you hated all men? Like if you don’t hate all men, then what are you talking about?’—Kathi Wilcox

“What (some) bands do is go, ‘It’s not important that I’m a girl, it’s just important that I want to rock.’ And that’s cool. But that’s more of an assimilationist thing. It’s like they just want to be allowed to join the world as it is; whereas I’m more into revolution and radicalism and changing the whole structure. What I’m into is making the world different for me to live in”—Kathleen Hanna
“I hate the attitude of, ‘oh we already have a Lydia Lunch, so we do we need a Bikini Kill.’ Well, there’s like 2 hundered million all-male bands writting ‘baby baby I love you, let me drag you around on my ankle.’ Is that enough already? Duh!”—Kathleen Hanna
“We need each other. Discouraging words, belittling other girls in front of boys, laughing looks…have no place here. Dialogue does. Let’s make girl love real, okay?”—Kathleen Hanna
“You try to make me crazy, you try to make me scared, you try to make me crazy. I think you’re a fucking drag”—Kathleen Hanna
“I won’t stop talking. I am a girl you have no control over. There is not a gag big enough to handle this mouth.”—Kathleen Hanna
“I don’t want to write songs about rape and male domination for the rest of my life. Yet people expect the same thing over and over. And if you stop doing it, you’re called a sell-out.”—Kathleen Hanna
“Drugs keep us thinking about scoring-not thinking about fucking this society up. Why not fuck up the government instead of fucking up yr body?”—Kathleen Hanna
“Why yes, I feel like I’m being gawked at live. Part of the thing that is really weird for me is that I used to be an exotic dancer and I find that sometimes there’s not really that much of a difference between playing in a punk bar and being a stripper except for I have my clothes on. A lot of men come with the same exact attitudes that guys do that come to a strip bar. They think, “Oh, it’s a girl band, we’ll go and watch their butts and their tits or something like that.” They don’t don’t think of us as performers they just think of us sorta like seals that jump through hoops that have tits. Like the guys tonight saying ‘take your clothes off.’”—Kathleen Hanna
“It’s not taking my perspective into account cause I did that shit for fucking seven years and it’s not funny to me. I have to deal with sexism every day so it’s like maybe boys can find that really funny and humorous, I don’t have the luxury to find that humorous. I live it every fucking day. That’s not funny to me, and if I say it’s not funny, it’s not funny. You know what I mean? It’s like there’s no argument there, whether it’s funny or not, if I say I don’t find it funny it means, ‘hey, be cool to me and respect me, your joke is not my joke.’—Kathleen Hanna
“Fuck yeah, do you feel like a freak show ever? Riding on the bus, fucking guys calling you fags and shit, I’m sure that happens doesn’t it?”—Kathleen Hanna
“So what? Boys should touch each other more, I mean, they don’t fucking have to beat each other up. It’s the only reason they beat people up is because they want to fuck each other.”—Kathleen Hanna
“There’s a lot of trust. If Tobi sang something that seemed a little weird, I would assume that there was a really good reason for it. I’d assume she knew what she was doing.—Kathleen Hanna
“I think that party in Oakland was totally fun. The thing that was cool this time was that there were so many dyke girls there. So many right in the front that were totally yelling. I felt like I could do anything that I wanted because they were totally right there. I felt really protected. I felt like I could fuck with people a lot more. I felt really comfortable.” —Kathleen Hanna
“It’s one of the only times when it’s supposedly okay to touch each other. Like to touch each other’s hair. It’s one of the only time I thought it was safe to not be heterosexual. We’ve all been dealing with issues of our heterosexuality.”—Kathleen Hanna
“They’re wearing their “I hate girls” t-shirts, riding their bikes. We spend all this time trying to convince them that we’re cool rather than hanging out with each other. That’s something that I’ve learned from being in Bikini Kill. I was really nervous about being onstage with the band that I was in before. We toured and I spent a lot of time explaining to boys that what I was going was valid instead of really getting in touch at shows with the girls who were there. Guys would come up to me and ask me if I was a man-hater. I would sit there and explain and explain. Really I was wasting my energy. I still get really nervous before we have to play. So we came up with four points that we use to respond to guys. If they’re cool, then maybe a dialogue will happen. But id they’re not cool, they get all four answers.”—Kathleen Hanna
“We’re pro-violent revolution. We’re also pro-revolution everyday.”—Kathleen Hanna
“It’d be like saying girls aren’t okay just for being girls, which is what people are always telling girls - that they’re dumb and their opinions don’t matter. We want to be empowering and encouraging, and how can you do anything if you feel like shit about yourself and like what you say doesn’t matter?”—Kathleen Hanna
“I think one things that’s really important in the boy community or whatever, or the boy things, is like, to realize that oppression is a two-way street. You know what I mean? That it’s like, white men are really missing out - I don’t wanna say white men are oppressed but…”—Kathleen Hanna
“What I’m saying is that I think that way that masculinity has been constructed in our society is fucking boys up. Because, even if you just look at it on a personal level, it’s like, I can’t hang out with boys who haven’t educated themselves or been educated in some meaningful way about sexism. And so it’s like, the guys who wanna be friends with me are just gonna miss out, you know? And I happen to think I am a pretty cool friend to have, you know what I mean? The way I look at it, it’s just a lot more complex than saying white man equals evil (although that is a perfectly fine thing to say sometimes). “—Kathleen Hanna
“You guys are seriously missing out unless you all start listening to girls.”—Kathleen Hanna
“To me, people have to be aware that to be gay or queer or whatever in this world right now means that you’re basically being given shit all the time. You know, constantly. And in a different way than if you’re black. You’re dealing with a certain non-stop discrimination that really dictates their behavior. Like, I know plenty of gay women who won’t kiss in public. You know what I mean? Well, I wanted to ask you about how Riot Grrrl deals with the male, white person. Like how you want to see males get involved in terms of forwarding what you want to do, and actually bettering the situation overall.”—Kathleen Hanna
“Oh yeah, we