Riot Grrrl

Riot grrrl (or riot grrl) is a form of hardcore punk rock music, known for its militant 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.

Related Topics:
Hardcore - Punk rock - Feminist - Genre - 1990s - Alternative rock - All-women bands

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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:

Related Topics:
DIY empowerment ethic - Oxford English Dictionary - Rape - Domestic abuse - Sexuality - Empowerment - The Guardian - April 15 - 1995 - Supplement

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: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, meetings and women-only shows.

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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.

Related Topics:
Bikini Kill - Bratmobile - Heavens to Betsy

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Riot grrl musicians mostly shunned the major record labels, signing instead with indie labels like Kill Rock Stars.

Related Topics:
Major record labels - Indie labels - Kill Rock Stars

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