girlstothefrontt

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Here is a song from Hole that challenges society perception on beauty and how society can be shallow, only judging your exterior and not seeing you for who you really are on the inside.

Hole- Pretty on the inside lyrics:

[Verse 1] Slut kiss girls Won't you promise her smack? Is she pretty on the inside? Is she pretty from the back?

[Verse 2] Slut kiss girl Won't you water her rack? Is she pretty on the inside, baby? Pretty from the back?

[Verse 3] Slut kiss girl Molasses rot black strap Is she ugly on the inside, baby? Ugly, ugly from the back?

[Bridge] There is no power Like my pretty power My pretty power My ugly

[Verse 4] Slut kiss girl Won't you promise her smack? Is she pretty on the inside? Is she ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly? Ugly?

Release Date September 17, 1991

Artist: Hole

Hole - Pretty on the Inside

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Qoute from Kathleen Hanna

I'm really, really passionate about pro-choice, because I wouldn't be here talking to you right now if I'd had a kid at 15. -Kathleen Hanna (b. November 12, 1968)

She is a musician, feminist activist, and punk zine writer.

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References

Dunn, K., & Farnsworth, M. S. (2012). "We ARE the Revolution": Riot Grrrl Press, Girl Empowerment, and DIY Self-Publishing. Women's Studies, 41(2), 136-157. Feliciano, S. (2013). The Riot Grrrl Movement. The New York Public Library. Retrieved 26 March 2022, from https://www.nypl.org/blog/2013/06/19/riot-grrrl-movement. Jiji, T. (2013). Before Girl Power Was Popular the Riot Grrrls Made it Punk - Riot Grrrls Impact Music Band. L'Officiel USA. Retrieved 26 March 2022, f rom https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop-culture/riot-grrrl-movement-history-punk-feminism. Laing, O. (2013). Riot grrrl revisited: teen sisters doing it for themselves. the Guardian. Retrieved 26 March 2022, from https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/jun/30/riot-grrrl-collection-zine-olivia-laing. Lottermoser, K. (2022). Riot Grrrl – Subcultures and Sociology. Haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu. Retrieved 26 March 2022, from https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/subcultures-and-scenes/riot-grrrl-2/#:~:text=Tabloids%20began%20to%20play%20to,through%20their%20man%2Dhating%20confessions. Smith, R. (2021). "In the Riot Grrrl Archive". The Yale Review. Retrieved 26 March 2022, from https://yalereview.org/article/in-the-riot-grrrl-archive.

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The Riot Grrl movement was a defining factor for both the second and third wave feminism movements. It encouraged women to speak out against any form of discrimination, objectification, or assault that they encountered. It can be hypothesized that the unruly and lawless aura of the punk movement was also a key contributor in encouraging women to embrace their sexuality and identity freely. Through their dying of hair or short dresses and skirts, they defined the societal image of women. They enabled women to stand up against the conventional societal standards that did not resonate with them. Women are now able to dress, sing, and talk the way they want because of movements like Riot Grrl. They are also more willing to come out about their own experiences in a biased society. The presence of the campaign also ensured the violators, perpetrators, and the government that they would be held accountable if they were part of the discrimination or turned a blind eye in instances where women were denied fair treatment. All in all, it brought women together to speak against things that affected them fearlessly. Their historical presence, music, and zines are still used to encourage other groups and individuals of marginalized communities, especially women, across generations to speak out without fear of contradiction fervently.

CHELSIA CLARKE, 2022

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I am not free while any women is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.

Audre Lorde (via grrrls-against-the-patriarchy)

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I do not wish women to have power over men; but over themselves.

Mary Wollstonecraft (via grrrls-against-the-patriarchy)

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More examples of Riot Grrl Zines

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“ The main ways that the Riot Grrl group used to address the issue of discrimination against music was through their music and fanzines. According to Lottermoser (2022), zines were periodically produced and distributed publications that were homemade and extremely popular in the punk scene. Its introduction to the punk world was done in the 1970s. It was used to ensure that the formal or legal publication progress did not hinder both the punk groups and fan base. It can also be hypothesized that the use of the fanzines was to ensure that a limited amount of finances was used in processes like taxation and also make the punk world more unique. To the women in the bands that created the group, it was used to address societal issues like female objectification, sexuality, misogyny, eating disorders, sexual assault, and incest (Lottermoser, 2022). It accorded them with a safe space to express their opinions, feelings, and ideas. It was also an imperative factor in the growth of their feminist movement because it enabled them to connect with other women in the community. They were also more guided in the creative path because of the pool of ideas and experiences that they obtained from the community. In accordance with Lottermoser's (2022) findings, about two years after the onset of the zines produced by the groups, a network about the movement had immensely advanced to places like "New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Richmond". Through their music, the bands were able to publicly relay their outcry about the discrimination to society through their lyrics, form of singing, and mainstream media. Their songs directly expressed various instances that women were not accorded with the deserved rights and opportunities. They also used their lyrics to implode other women to stop conforming to the worldly female gaze and take control of their lives (Lottermoser, 2022). According to Smith (2021), their form of singing was filled with instances of throaty, loud, high-peeked singings to indicate the power of a woman's voice and to counter the discrimination that women in the punk industry faced because of their female aura” - Chelsia Clarke

Author: Chelsia Clarke, 2022

Riot Grrrl zines were distributed among girls all over in the early 90′s to bring awareness and power to empower women. A lot of Feminist Punk bands played their roles through zines, creating their own zines and posters to bring awareness to their actions. 

Source // https://www.theguardian.com/music/gallery/2013/jun/30/punk-music

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“The presence of the Riot Grrl movement was very imperative in the feminism scope. It defined the view that the society had on women both in instances like politics and music. Smith (2021) points out the vital role that the group had in influencing her confidence and refusal to be accorded to the conventional standards that invalidate the importance of women in Britain. Laing (2013), being a part of the Riot Grrl movement, propounds on the fact that although it was short-lived, it provided the perfect platform to cause a revolution that crucially determined the future of women in the following years. According to Smith (2021), the letters written by Kathleen, the head of the Bikini Kill band, highlighted that the group not only focused on uplifting women but also ensured that it was both effectively inspiring and inclusive. It encompassed women from all races and gender and thus, also provided a platform that advocated unity.” -  Chelsia Clarke

Author: Chelsia Clarke (2022)

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“According to Lottermoser (2022), the name Riot Grrl originated from Allison Wolfe and Molly Neumann. Both of the girls were members of a punk group called the Bratmobile. They had first termed it "girl riot" Jen Smith later changed it from girl to grrl. The reason why it was changed was to express their anger towards the discrimination. The term grrl was raspier and throaty in pronunciation that girl, and it indicated frustration. With reference to Lottermoser (2022), the name was later finally changed to Riot Grrl by Toby Vail in their "angry girl zines." They also preferred grrl to girl because it removed the passive social regard that was associated with the latter (Dunn and Farnsworth, 2012) According to Smith (2021), Kathleen Hanna and her band called Bikini Kill were also essential factors in starting the group. Other bands that were also part of the start and success of the movement were Heaven to Betsy, Le Tigre, and L7. They were among the first only female punk groups (Jiji, 2021; Feliciano, 2013). This indicates not only the presence of sexism in the punk industry but also the need for a revolution to counter it.  ” 

- Chelsia Clarke

Author :  Chelsia Clarke, 2022

Bratmobile Olympia WA 1993

Photo by Charles Peterson

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“The onset of the Riot Grrl group can be traced back to the early 1990s, specifically in July 1991 (Laing, 2013). In the past years before its onset, women's capabilities and talents were being invalidated, especially in the punk scene. It did not matter what they had to offer. As long as they were women, they could not be accorded the same privileges as males. They were only granted respect and attention because of their relations with their male counterparts in the punk industry. This presence of sexism was the core reason that prompted the start of the group (Feliciano, 2013). However, different public outcries from other feminist bodies also fueled their need to counter the injustices that women face. According to Laing (2013), in the same year that Riot Grrl officially started, Anita Hill had also testified to have been sexually harassed by Clarence Thomas, a supreme court nominee. This, together with Naomi Wolf's "second-wave feminist classic" called  The Beauty myth, sparked conversations about significant societal issues like race, "female sexuality," and the unfair behavior towards women. There was a public outcry from all the parties involved. People wanted real change. Considering the fact that the Riot Grrl group was started in Olympia, Washington DC, the members were well aware of what it meant to be in a democratic or liberal country like the United States of America (Feliciano, 2013). They understood the principle that the country was governed upon and the rights that were denied to them because of prejudice. This not only applied to them but also to other women who lived in the country, and that is why they all decided to join them in advocating for the desired change.”

-  Chelsia Clarke

Author: Chelsia Clarke, 2022

[girlstothefrontt]

Marginalized communities like women and people of color have constantly been victims of discrimination because of the presence of conventional societal standards that invalidate their importance in comparison to their counterparts, who are men and white people, respectively. Over the past and present years, organizations and revolutions have been started to counter this discrimination. They have been used to increase public awareness about this injustice and demand actual change. The Riot Grrl group is an example of this. Females in the punk sphere started it to tailor towards advocating against the bias or discrimination that was accosted to women. This tumblr account, therefore, aims to provide a thorough analysis of this movement. It will be done on the bounds of highlighting when and why it was started, the individuals behind its onset and success, the main activities done by the group, how it was used to propel against social injustices facing women, and the impact that it has on our culture and societal views when it comes to addressing women's issues.

Chelsia Clarke

Author: Chelsia Clarke (2022)