By Alizee Compson
Punk originated in the 1970s in London with bands such as the Sex Pistols and The Clash. It was a revolutionary sound that demanded changes in society. This one genre made more genres derived from it, such as new wave, Indie rock and the riot grrrl genre. The riot grrl was movement in America, making bands such as Bikini Kills, and Brat Mobile This type of genre sung about rape, domestic abuse, sexuality and female empowerment.
Punk had pushed for feminist beliefs shown with Rock Against Sexism movement that started in the UK on the 8th November 1980. This movement organised the Rock tegen de Rollen gestival (Rock Against Gender Roles) in the Netherland, Utreht. This shows how punk inspired other countries to push for feminist beliefs, all starting from the UK. This festival was to show women in the music industry weren’t used as eye candy and can be more than singers. Bands performed such as The Nixe and Pink Plastic and Panties, these were both all-female punk bands that originated from the Netherlands. This punk movement that started in the London became worldwide and spread punk ethos that appealed to both genders.
Berkers, Pauwke. Rock Against Gender Roles: Performing Femininities and Doing Feminism Among Women Punk Performers in the Netherlands, 1976-1982. Journal of Popular Music Studies. Vol. 24, 2012. doi:10.1111/j.1533-1598.2012.01323.x.
The riot grrrl movement started in America as a feminist punk movement. This music genre was derived from Punk. This was to spread feminist views by singing songs with messages in them and having all female bands. However, punk would also have just female bands, but the riot grrl movement was to try and stop females receiving hate for liking punk or performing in punk bands. The UK Punk movement helped progressing female empowerment all across the world since now female punk bands were showing up all over the world and even making their own movements such as America with the riot grrl movement.
In the book the lost women of rock music by Helen Reddington, she states how in the 1970s and 1980s there was a new emerge of female guitarists, bassists, key board players and drummers in bands. She believed this had to do with the ethic of punk, ‘anybody can do it’. She also believed it had to do with the Equal Opportunities Act on 1974. Although she stands with her belief that punk had allowed women in the future to pursue music in rock, which was predominantly male, proving the influence Punk had on female empowerment.
Helen, Reddington. The Lost Women of Rock Music: Female musicians of the Punk Era, Whole book. London. Routledge.
An example of a riot grrl band song is:
I like fucking. The singles, 1998. Bikini Kills
Just cause my world, sweet sister
Is so fucking goddamn full of rape
Does that mean my body
Must always be a source of pain?
No, no, no, no, no, no, no
From Local to Global: The History of Music in London Group 1 