Riot Grrrl: Punk-Feminist's expression During The '90s

Underground zines were a part of punk since the 1970s and other youth subcultures because they were unaffected by the norms and standards of regular publishers and newspapers. Zines had another effect on punk feminists as they were able to give an outlet for their frustration and activism and discussed issues that not only the general public but even the punk scene wasn’t able to address and disregarded. During the Riot Grrrl movement, zines were often created by the same women who played punk music, and a notable aspect of the movement was that every grrrl worked together to try and create a safer environment in punk. Musicians, writers, and various other artists came together to create zines that addressed issues such as rape culture, eating disorders, and sexism. Zines formed close connections between women ultimately leading to the creation and maintenance of the subculture.

The making of zines, as many other subjects in the Riot Grrrl movement, were made up of anything punk feminists could find, which often only consisted of a few pens, some paper, and a copy machine. Despite their lack of resources, they were able to fight structural oppression and created a lasting effect on feminism and mainstream media. The zines created during this time acted much like political pamphlets as they challenged current news and documented their activities.

Similar characteristics can be found throughout the Riot Grrrl movement for example in music ranging from the songwriting to the production and performance. The concerts from bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile were another kind of protest in themselves. Their music was loud and expressive and addressed the same issues as zines, but often reached an even wider audience and created fandoms that still exist today. Their music was “unladylike” in its unapologetically outspoken and messy tone. The music was very similar to punk music since both challenged the norms of the time and additionally, Riot Grrrl was a subgenre made by punk women. These bands created music by women for women and left a lasting imprint on 90s music even reaching outside of their own genre. Kathleen Hanna (lead singer of Bikini Kill) spray-painted the words "Smells Like Teen Spirit" on Kurt Cobain's wall, who then made one of the most influential 90s grunge songs. Even less self-suggesting genres like pop took up the girl-empowering slogans and ideologies of Riot Grrrls.

Fashion on the other hand was not only used to address sexism in all its forms but also to reclaim girliness. The clothes Riot Grrrl bands performed in often opposed the music played. The clothes worn were stereotypically feminine and showed how the facades of the performers didn’t convey what kind of personalities they had or how mature/immature they were. Fashion was often also used similarly to zines, addressing themes such as sexism, infantilisation, and misogyny. Another side of Riot Grrrl fashion depicted how free women in the movement were. They challenged views on gender and general stereotypes of what women should wear, which often resulted in simultaneously simple and expressive outfits.