Why I Love Feminist Punk

Welcome back to another episode of Hysteria. This week’s episode is going to be a light one because I’m out of the country right now and writing this on my iPhone! I wanted to talk about how great I think feminist punk bands are in general, because while I love dissecting the lyricism in a lot of music purely for aesthetics and storytelling, I genuinely think this type of music is influential and definitely empowering for everyone who participates.

(Kathleen Hanna via Pinterest)

I've talked about feminist bands like Bikini Kill, L7, Babes in Toyland, among many more, because ever since I've listened to them, I've been obsessed. Even though other female-fronted 90s alt bands I enjoy may not be explicitly feminist, I feel as if, just by existing in the male-dominated punk scene of the grunge era, they are. That is what I think is so powerful about the riot grrrl culture: how something so seemingly insignificant can become, well, a revolution. That's not to say riot grrrl doesn't have its flaws; it most certainly does. There is a reason why it's outdated now; it certainly caters to a wealthy, white audience the majority of the time. While it offers inclusion for women and queer people, there are obviously drawbacks for women of color and trans people, who punk music is built off the shoulders of.

This is why I try to listen to as much music as I can and to as many perspectives as I can find. Limiting your point of view only sets you up for failure when you're trying to identify the system's inherent flaws. There should be no barriers to what a person finds engaging and relatable because everybody is different; no two people can have the same life experiences. When we do share experiences, we are not only stronger against restrictive authority, but our community is stronger as well.

I hope that made sense. I’m about to go to a wedding, but I hope you have a great Tuesday!

See you soon,

Mila