/r/riotgrrrl
This is the Riot Grrrl Subreddit.
As Riot Grrl covers a wide variety of topics don't limit yourself to just the music and feel free to discuss any of the following topics on this sub as well: activism, feminism, punk, riot grrrl, zines, and anything related to these subjects.
Hello and Welcome to the Riot Grrrl sub, a place to talk about: activism, feminism, music, punk, riot grrrl (the movement and the music) and anything related to these subjects. This sub is for both riot grrrl nostalgia, the current riot grrrl movement, and wanting a riot grrrl revival. If you are interested in, want to learn, consider yourself a riot grrrl or boy, or have questions about riot grrrl, this is the subreddit for you as well.
What Is Riot Grrrl?
Riot Grrrl is an underground feminist punk rock movement that started in the early 1990's. The movement is often associated with third-wave feminism. Zines and DIY are a big part of the riot grrrl movement. Riot grrrl is also a genre of music.
Join us on http://irc.snoonet.org and join #riotgrrrl
Sister Subs
Similar Subs
/r/IAmAFeminist (private sub PM /u/grrrlriot for access)
/r/riotgrrrl
11,233 Subscribers
Ani - Witch ⛤
06:56 UTC
Riot Grrrl’s influence on modern culture
The Riot Grrrl movement essentially died around 1997 when mass media came and commercialized it as an aesthetic, making it more difficult for the underground dissemination of riot grrrl media, along with the long list of contradictions within the movements philosophy. The controversies mostly had to do with the majority of privileged college educated white women having the loudest voices within it when it claimed to have intersectional feminist philosophy. As well as the contradiction of remaining underground while also spreading a feminist message. Regardless of its unsurprising fall, I believe Riot Grrrl changed the course for women in music forever. Whereas prior, most women gained their prominence in the music scene from sex appeal and conforming to the patriarchal expectations of femininity. It opened doors for women like Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette, etc.
In present culture I feel like I’ve seen a rise in female punk rock bands that conform to riot grrrl ideology yet with more progressive stances. Women are now allowed to sing about women’s issues in their songs under big record labels, sparking conversation and revelations to their listeners. Does this mean there can be a second wave of riot grrrl, but with corrections from the past? I think so (maybe without the big record labels, but I digress). While Riot Grrrl was not only a musical movement, music was a huge part of uniting a transnational community. In 2024, bands like Mannequin Pussy, come to mind. Despite working under a commercialized label, the subject matter of their music falls into the core philosophy of Riot Grrrl. Songs like I Got Heaven and Pigs are Pigs have strong ties to defying the status quo and spark interest in their listeners to take action against it!
Anyways, I’m curious to know what artists yall think draw from Riot Grrrl’s influence in the present day and how has the movement changed music forever?
14:40 UTC
nyc riot grrrls???
would love to see any nyc/tri state area riot grrrls at stone circle theatre nov 17th for the riot grrrl inspired musical/diy show I co wrote <3333 it’s all ages !
21:23 UTC
Industrial Riot GRRRL
Hey y'all! I'm looking to introduce someone to Riot GRRRL, and I need music/group recs. I would REEAALLLYY appreciate some recs for Industrial music, especially Riot GRRRL groups that are considered foundational and/or heavily impacfful in the Industrial genre.
Thanks y'all! Happy Halloween! 🤺
17:37 UTC
Slant 6 members Instagram
Do any of the members of Slant 6 have Instagram accounts?
(Sorry for the flair, I didn't know what to select)
15:28 UTC
Does anyone in the band mommy long legs have an inftagram?
I want to keep up with all of their new music so lmk if that exists thanks
12:04 UTC
looking to start a band (essex/london,UK)
hey i'm (20f) looking to start a riot grrrl band, i play guitar, sing a bit and really love songwriting. i'm currently based in essex but can easily travel to london if theres anyone interested. i'm also way into grunge and shoegaze but riot grrrl has had a chokehold on me for years. would be cool to find some people to play with !!
08:03 UTC
y’all fw my brick?
15:15 UTC
NOMORE
I have to tell you about this band I just discovered. Politically minded, feminist punk with amazing vocals and tight music. From right here in my town of Gainesville, Florida.
07:02 UTC
Any riot grrrl recomendations in Spanish ?
Specially Latinas band !!
14:46 UTC
Whats your favorite bratmobile song, and why?
the title says it all
01:54 UTC
Alanis Morissette - U R (guitar cover)
23:18 UTC
Community in RiotGrrrl Spaces
I'm currently doing research on community-building in feminist spaces, and was wondering if anyone feels that the riotgrrrl/feminist-punk communities are a large party of their lives. As someone who didn't have a lot of family around in my childhood, I really loved the support and community I found in fem. punk spaces, but I've also witnessed a lot of gatekeeping in the community and sadly in some spaces racism and homophobia. I know this subreddit is a safe space and accepting of all people (thank you mods), but has anyone else experienced a strong sense of community, or clique-ness in the community?
18:32 UTC
Diy help
So I got this awesome shirt at a bikini kill concert couple months ago and I really need help doing something diy with it, I have bad sensory issues when it comes to any type of graphic tees that’s why I already cut the neck part off but it still isn’t exactly what i’m looking for if that makes sense? sorry if this is really vague im really bad with words but I guess I just need ideas cause I LOVE this shirt and I want to wear it a lot more than I do
16:33 UTC
Thing I made (pictured: kate sheppard)
07:11 UTC
Music recs
I just started getting in to the whole riotgrrrl scene and music and I started out listening to bikini kill i love them but want to get into more of it so any recommendations you have are great
Edit: thank you all so much I'm so excited to dive in to all these awesome recommendations again tysm you guys are awesome
Edit 2: thank you all so much I've listened to a few of the recs and love them this was very helpful so thank you all
05:28 UTC
Ever heard of Sista Grrrl Riot ?
Hey, im writing my phd on intersectionality in the early movement of the riot grrls ! But i cannot find any album or songs from the Sista Grrrl Riot which seems to have been an influent grp on the small black queer scene back then ... Does anyone know where i could find smth ?
12:34 UTC
Sleater-Kinney tour
I traveled to the New Haven, CT show in July which was cancelled just minutes before it was set to start because Carrie was sick. It was okay in the end, the opener was amazing (shoutout @Die Spitz) and Carrie's health obviously comes first but I'm also still heartbroken! I lost a parent quite unexpectedly in January and "Little Rope" has been an important album to me this year so the timing felt perfect, and it was disappointing that this dream of a show didn't come true. I've promised myself that the next time they are in the east I will go see them even if it requires some travel. SO, my question (I saw someone ask a similar question about another artist on a different sub and felt inspired) is, does anyone have any insight on East Coast shows or rescheduling the ones that were cancelled this summer?
04:13 UTC
band recommendations?
especially if they sound like mommy long legs or x-ray spex <3
19:40 UTC
Help me find israeli riotgrrl bands!
Ive been searching for riotgrrl bands in my language(Hebrew:3) i cant rlly find any that are still alive :( or im just confused if they r actual riotgrrl Ive found some bands The witches שדיים למעלה (breasts up) Thats it i think pls help me :D
20:47 UTC
Hellfury - Toxic Agenda
May not be explicitly riot grrrl, but a crossover hardcore punk/thrash metal song with explicitly pro-choice lyrics seems like it would appeal to some of us. NSFW lyrics (swearing)
20:42 UTC
Tried to make a riot grrrl-inspired album
I love Veruca Salt, Sleater-Kinney, and Hole. My band tried to make a riot grrrl-inspired album. I’m not sure how we did. What do you think?
05:10 UTC
sewed my first patch onto my jacket!
first patch! yippee!!!! patch is from the etsy shop chaoscrationsSCO, and i hand sewed it on with dental floss. yahoo :3
03:15 UTC
Question
Is it okay to listen to some riot grrrl songs and not know much about the hisotry? I enjoy some songs but don't wanna be disrespectful
04:19 UTC
Our album Millennial Breakdown is out now! Here's my inspiration for all of the songs:
Last time I post about our album, I swear! Thanks for the support so far :) In short, this album was heavily influenced by my depression and feminism. But here's a breakdown (pun intended) for the inspiration for each song:
I Don't Care I wrote these lyrics and the melody, but they didn't fit my existing bands. I'd wanted to start a riot grrrl band for a long time, and this was the perfect start as I said to myself, "I'll do it, I don't care," despite not being used to singing at that time. Trying is nothing to be ashamed of, but something to be proud of. Sometimes others' expectations can feel paralysing. But trying something anyway — even if you fail — is always a win. What makes your life worth living can only be defined by yourself.
Lies This song centres around the betrayal you feel when someone you trusted turns out to be a completely different person. Realising you didn't really know them because they put on a mask, a show for you. But why would they hurt you like that? Because it's never been about you. It's been about them and what they wanted to gain from you.
Threat In the punk scene, as well as in the leftist community in general, many think that sexism is a thing of the past. Everybody's a feminist and we're all equal, right? Some might be reading this, already laughing, because you know what I'm talking about. The scene is often not too different from society in general. Unfortunately, women* worldwide are ridiculed, discriminated against — and, in the worst cases, killed. There's still so much to do. It's an ongoing struggle, but we'll keep on fighting. This is a threat.
Shut Up Lyrically, this track is a continuation of "Threat." What happens when sexist behaviour is called out? How are people treated who don't just "let it slide"? Patriarchal structures can be found in many punk groups, venues, and collectives — just like in society in general. And the reactions are similar: "It's always been like this," "Don't make a fuss," "You're too sensitive." No more excuses for sexist behaviour! We must do better. And I, along with many others, won't shut up about it.
Time's Up Climate anxiety is something I've been struggling with for a long time, which has led to many doom-scrolling sessions. There is an immense sense of helplessness I feel when thinking about climate change. I try to limit my own emissions and be mindful. But what can I do when the issue is literally global and the vast majority of the impact comes from corporations and a wealthy elite? It's depressing. And maybe it's already too late.
Dandelion Girl Being an extrovert, I've always been a social person, but I often felt like I didn't really fit in. I'm not that popular, pretty girl everyone wants to be friends with, nor am I someone whose smile and laugh can light up a room and make everyone feel good. At least, that's what I feel like. Like a dandelion, I'm just there, everywhere, but not feeling welcome. But what dandelions lack in looks and usefulness, they make up for in resilience. Always growing back unless you take out the whole root. And those are long, deep, and a nightmare to remove.
Still Here Multiple songs on this album were influenced by my depression — this one probably the most. I've been dealing with mental health issues since I was 13, with on-and-off medication, therapy, etc. Living with it is tough. You feel inadequate; you lose people because your behaviour was unhinged in a bad episode. But you cannot change what happened. One thought that many people with similar issues might know is not feeling like there is a future for you. But there is immense power in persisting when even your own brain is working against you. But you're still here.
Unconditional What if we felt appreciated in our society regardless of how "productive" we were? What if our value in the world was unconditional? I think that would be nice.
Masochistic Capitalist Despite often announcing this as a song for Elon Musk fanboys, it was initially inspired by my mother. She always had multiple low-paying "immigrant" jobs at once to have one okay-ish income in total. But despite still not being well off, going without vacations and other leisure activities for decades, she had a lot of admiration for rich people — without questioning whether they even worked half as hard or as much as her. The lyrics had been finished before we knew she had cancer and would die a year later. Unlike the person in the song, she realised that living this way was wrong. But it was already too late.
I'm Okay (I Promise) Inspired by the iconic My Chemical Romance song, I wrote this about my struggles with depression that started as a teenager (which was around the time the MCR song came out). At that time, nobody took it seriously until I started receiving anti-depressants and therapy at age 17. I've been struggling with mental health issues ever since, but society doesn't really have a lot of empathy for people struggling with their mental health. But I'm okay. I promise.
Album Cover The cover is a photo of a Polaroid photo that was taken this summer. I went to my childhood home one last time to get some personal belongings — and to sell the house after my mother's death. Her garden had always been her pride and joy and was always pristine. Coming back to this empty house, with weeds everywhere, I saw this massive thistle. Thinking to myself that this whole situation is the ultimate representation of my "millennial breakdown," I wanted to take a picture with it right after I came back from signing the contract to leave this part of my life behind.
I also posted this to our Instagram. The lyrics are all on Bandcamp.
21:38 UTC
what to expect and look out for at my first protest?
im kinda scared since in my country and specially my city they can get pretty violent even though its a peaceful protest. my mom (she doesnt have experience with protests either) whos going with me said even though theres no guns allowed someone will definitely bring them because of the way people are in this city. what should i expect? any tips for safety? any other tips?
20:43 UTC
RIOT GRRRLS OF NYC!!
bubbleteagrunge presents this four band show with a zineswap and vendors at Trans-Pecos on November 17th!!
All Ages! Starts at 2 PM, Ends at 5:30!
17:55 UTC