This document summarizes the experiences of women in the punk music scene from the 1970s-2000s. It discusses how, despite punk's ideals of openness, women faced rejection and abuse. It profiles several influential female punk artists like Patti Smith and Siouxie Sioux who challenged gender norms through their music and fashion. While their styles shocked many, they helped reshape the subculture. The document also discusses how media coverage stereotyped punk women and how consumer culture has since commercialized the rebellious spirit of punk.
Throughout the past several years, many people treated hip-hop as a brilliant resurgence of women who dominate the spotlight and charts. Traditionally, women performed specific roles in hip-hop. Women have been objectified in hip-hop through various forms of media. However, the role of women has evolved over generations to acquire an almost the same state as that of men.
The socio political influence of rap music as poetry in the urbanJonathan Dunnemann
This thesis examines the socio-political influence of rap music as a form of poetry in urban communities. It focuses on three seminal rap artists: Public Enemy, N.W.A., and Tupac Shakur. The thesis argues that rap music, like traditional poetry, stands as a means of creative expression for African Americans and also addresses social and political issues. It traces the roots of rap music to the black oral tradition and discusses how rap picked up where the Black Nationalist literature of the 1960s left off in using unconventional forms to challenge mainstream ideologies. The thesis analyzes the progression of Public Enemy's message from political critique to a more integrationist approach and examines how N.W.A. and T
This document summarizes and discusses a viewing of the documentary film "The Abolitionists" that took place at Nova Southeastern University's library. The summary critiques the film for largely omitting the contributions and perspectives of African Americans in the abolitionist movement. While the film featured some prominent abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, it only included two black voices and portrayed the movement as something whites did for blacks, rather than a joint struggle. The discussion after the film further highlighted this issue. Historians whose works focus on the key roles of black abolitionists had been consulted for the film but their perspectives were left out.
The document discusses several subcultures including goths, punks, hippies, and disco. It provides a brief history of each subculture's origins and evolution over time. For goths, it outlines the three generations from the late 1970s to present day. For punks, it discusses their emergence as a response to hippies and use of fashion and music to express political stances. Interviews suggest punks were often misunderstood. For hippies, it notes their experimentation with drugs in the 1960s but that they are now just normal people. The disco section explains how it provided escape and brought minorities together in the 1970s through dance music and drugs. The conclusion is that subcultures are
This document discusses the history and evolution of hip-hop music from its origins in Africa through its development in the United States. It covers early influential artists like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash, the rise of gangster rap groups like N.W.A., and the career of Tupac Shakur. It also examines the shift from early hip-hop that told stories to the more commercial gangster rap that was criticized for vulgar lyrics, and the subsequent growth of conscious rap artists with positive political and social messages.
The document discusses research on the "street code" culture found in some inner-city black communities. It describes how structural conditions like poverty, unemployment, and limited opportunities have led to the development of this code. The code emphasizes respect, social identity, and the use of violence. The author argues that gangsta rap music reflects and reinforces this street code through its lyrics about crime, violence, and street life. The study analyzes 403 rap songs to examine how the code is portrayed and how violence is justified in the lyrics.
1. Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk rock band that has gained notoriety for public performances criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Their lyrics address feminism, LGBTQ rights, and political issues in Russia.
2. While their brand of feminism differs from Western feminism due to Russia's political oppression, Pussy Riot draws influence from American feminist movements like Riot Grrrl. Three members were imprisoned for a protest performance in a Russian church.
3. Debate exists around whether Pussy Riot effectively promotes feminism or merely seeks attention by antagonizing Putin. However, Putin's regime has clearly restricted freedom of expression in Russia through Pussy Riot's prosecution
WendyWang_CouleursJazz_PatriciaBarber_0814Wendy Wang
Patricia Barber's music incorporates elements of rock music such as distorted guitar sounds and unconventional time signatures. She cites Joni Mitchell as a major influence for her sophisticated songwriting style. While not a rock concert-goer, Barber believes her music has been subtly influenced by the rock music prevalent during her career. She uses the guitar and lyrical themes of rebellion to express emotion in her jazz approach.
Throughout the past several years, many people treated hip-hop as a brilliant resurgence of women who dominate the spotlight and charts. Traditionally, women performed specific roles in hip-hop. Women have been objectified in hip-hop through various forms of media. However, the role of women has evolved over generations to acquire an almost the same state as that of men.
The socio political influence of rap music as poetry in the urbanJonathan Dunnemann
This thesis examines the socio-political influence of rap music as a form of poetry in urban communities. It focuses on three seminal rap artists: Public Enemy, N.W.A., and Tupac Shakur. The thesis argues that rap music, like traditional poetry, stands as a means of creative expression for African Americans and also addresses social and political issues. It traces the roots of rap music to the black oral tradition and discusses how rap picked up where the Black Nationalist literature of the 1960s left off in using unconventional forms to challenge mainstream ideologies. The thesis analyzes the progression of Public Enemy's message from political critique to a more integrationist approach and examines how N.W.A. and T
This document summarizes and discusses a viewing of the documentary film "The Abolitionists" that took place at Nova Southeastern University's library. The summary critiques the film for largely omitting the contributions and perspectives of African Americans in the abolitionist movement. While the film featured some prominent abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, it only included two black voices and portrayed the movement as something whites did for blacks, rather than a joint struggle. The discussion after the film further highlighted this issue. Historians whose works focus on the key roles of black abolitionists had been consulted for the film but their perspectives were left out.
The document discusses several subcultures including goths, punks, hippies, and disco. It provides a brief history of each subculture's origins and evolution over time. For goths, it outlines the three generations from the late 1970s to present day. For punks, it discusses their emergence as a response to hippies and use of fashion and music to express political stances. Interviews suggest punks were often misunderstood. For hippies, it notes their experimentation with drugs in the 1960s but that they are now just normal people. The disco section explains how it provided escape and brought minorities together in the 1970s through dance music and drugs. The conclusion is that subcultures are
This document discusses the history and evolution of hip-hop music from its origins in Africa through its development in the United States. It covers early influential artists like the Sugarhill Gang and Grandmaster Flash, the rise of gangster rap groups like N.W.A., and the career of Tupac Shakur. It also examines the shift from early hip-hop that told stories to the more commercial gangster rap that was criticized for vulgar lyrics, and the subsequent growth of conscious rap artists with positive political and social messages.
The document discusses research on the "street code" culture found in some inner-city black communities. It describes how structural conditions like poverty, unemployment, and limited opportunities have led to the development of this code. The code emphasizes respect, social identity, and the use of violence. The author argues that gangsta rap music reflects and reinforces this street code through its lyrics about crime, violence, and street life. The study analyzes 403 rap songs to examine how the code is portrayed and how violence is justified in the lyrics.
1. Pussy Riot is a Russian feminist punk rock band that has gained notoriety for public performances criticizing Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church. Their lyrics address feminism, LGBTQ rights, and political issues in Russia.
2. While their brand of feminism differs from Western feminism due to Russia's political oppression, Pussy Riot draws influence from American feminist movements like Riot Grrrl. Three members were imprisoned for a protest performance in a Russian church.
3. Debate exists around whether Pussy Riot effectively promotes feminism or merely seeks attention by antagonizing Putin. However, Putin's regime has clearly restricted freedom of expression in Russia through Pussy Riot's prosecution
WendyWang_CouleursJazz_PatriciaBarber_0814Wendy Wang
Patricia Barber's music incorporates elements of rock music such as distorted guitar sounds and unconventional time signatures. She cites Joni Mitchell as a major influence for her sophisticated songwriting style. While not a rock concert-goer, Barber believes her music has been subtly influenced by the rock music prevalent during her career. She uses the guitar and lyrical themes of rebellion to express emotion in her jazz approach.
Conscious inclusion of women musicians by Joan Cartwright, M.A.Joan Cartwright
Did you know that, although women pay 53% of the taxes on Earth, only 1-5% of public funding goes to women musicians and their musical projects?
This paper discusses the vast divide between performance opportunities and income earned by male and female musicians. Although female singers are quite visible on the world’s stages, few female instrumentalists are employed on a regular basis and even fewer women composers have their music commissioned for programs or films funded by private and public monies. Several proficient female jazz musicians are identified, and how and why women are omitted from performance is discussed. The need for everyone – producers, promoters, funders, and bandleaders – to consciously choose to include women musicians in programming, especially where public funding is involved, is emphasized.
Music, the sound of the spheres, begins in the womb!~ Diva JC
This document discusses how fashion was used from the 1960s-1990s to challenge and change traditional gender ideals. It provides examples such as Mary Quant's mini skirt in the 1960s which promoted female sexuality and empowerment. In the 1970s, David Bowie used androgynous fashion as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust to blur gender lines. The 1990s Riot Grrrl movement addressed issues like rape and abuse through their fashion, though some argue it promoted female objectification. Overall, the document examines how iconic figures manipulated fashion to both advance and sometimes undermine feminist messages and ideals of their time periods.
The document discusses the genre of gangsta rap, including its origins, themes, and cultural impact. Gangsta rap originated in African American communities and uses explicit lyrics about urban violence and crime to give voice to marginalized groups. While it can perpetuate negative stereotypes, gangsta rap also addresses issues like racism, oppression, and police brutality. The document examines examples of gangsta rap lyrics and images to analyze how the genre influences perceptions and can both challenge and promote certain ideologies.
This document provides an overview of women artists throughout history and how their roles influenced their art. It begins with a definition of "great art" and lists some male artists generally considered great. It then highlights works from several female artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, and Judy Chicago. The document poses essay questions about how women's roles shaped the significance of their art and how social ideals become art movements. It aims to have students consider how perceptions of women artists have changed over the past three centuries.
The document provides an overview of the Black Arts Movement. It introduces the movement as consisting of politically motivated black poets, artists, dramatists, musicians, and writers who emerged after the Black Power movement. It identifies Amiri Baraka as a prominent figure in the movement and discusses how his style was confrontational and aimed to shock audiences with the political concerns of black Americans. The movement focused on black power, economics, politics, and rebuilding black communities through literature, art, and activism.
This document provides an introduction to a microfilm collection titled "The Black Power Movement." It summarizes Amiri Baraka's journey from a leader in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s to a pivotal figure within the Black Power movement and beyond. It details his founding of organizations like the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School in Harlem and the Spirit House in Newark, as well as his leadership in groups promoting black nationalism, pan-Africanism, and socialism through the 1960s-1980s. The introduction provides biographical context on Baraka and outlines his significant influence and role in shaping African American art, literature, music, and political thought during this era of the Black Power and Black Arts movements.
The document discusses how female gangsta rappers construct alternative forms of femininity within the male-dominated genre of gangsta rap. It explains that women artists like Mia X, Lil Kim, and The Lady of Rage create identities that reject both traditional femininity and the roles imposed on women in gangsta rap. These alternative identities claim social power by redefining what it means to be a woman in the genre. The document concludes that female rappers have verbal and social power through their skillful performances that negotiate new styles of femininity.
Goths come in many varieties but generally have an interest in dark aesthetics and music. They dress in black clothing and are fans of Gothic literature, films, and music that appeals to darker aspects of human nature. While sometimes seen as outsiders, Goths participate in charitable activities through organizations like Goth Help Us, helping those in need through activities like food drives, toy drives, and cleaning services.
SHGC The Women’s Art Movement (Realism) Part 1rachaelwhare
The Women's Art Movement emerged in the late 1960s alongside the broader Women's Liberation Movement. Women artists found that the art world was dominated by men, as galleries and exhibitions primarily showed work by male artists. In response, women artists began organizing protests and alternative exhibition spaces to highlight women's exclusion from the mainstream art scene. They also developed feminist art theories and imagery that represented women's experiences and challenged patriarchal norms. Some key strategies included collaborative work, reclaiming craft techniques, and developing new female-centered subject matter. Major artists like Judy Chicago played a leading role in developing feminist art in the United States.
This presentation argues that Paul Gauguin's paintings are racial and gender stereotypes. It introduces the topic and thesis, then discusses how Gauguin depicted Polynesian women in a stereotypical manner as instinctive, sex objects obsessed with white men. The presentation cites critics like Abigail Godeau who argue Gauguin perpetuated a colonialist discourse that objectified Polynesian women without benefiting them. Sojourner Truth also criticized Gauguin for exploiting other cultures' sexual practices. In conclusion, the presentation proves Gauguin regarded indigenous people as "noble savages" and stereotyped Tahitian women in his paintings.
The document discusses several key media theorists and concepts related to representation, gender, and identity. It summarizes Laura Mulvey's concept of the "male gaze" and how women are displayed for male pleasure. It also discusses Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and Angela McRobbie's ideas about constructions of femininity in magazines. The document provides examples of how these theories could be applied when analyzing music videos or other media texts.
Patti Smith was a central figure in the 1970s New York pre-punk scene who was influenced by musicians like Jimi Hendrix and poets. She originally wanted to be a poet but pursued a musical direction, applying poetry through her haunting songs. Smith covered songs from various genres unexpectedly and was known for her masculine appearance and manly singing tones that challenged gender stereotypes of the time.
Heavy metal emerged in the late 1960s from genres like blues rock and psychedelic rock. It originated from bands like Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England that played heavily amplified, blues-influenced rock. In the 1980s, heavy metal became hugely popular commercially in the US and abroad, diversifying stylistically and attracting a more gender-balanced audience from various classes. However, the lyrics and imagery of many metal bands were criticized for celebrating misogyny, violence, and toxic masculinity. This led to parental advisory labels and Senate hearings over heavy metal's influence in the 1980s.
Women have played an increasingly important role in journalism throughout history. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many women took over family businesses and became journalists out of financial necessity. In the 19th century, women wrote about social and political causes like abolition, temperance, and suffrage. Their writing style was often conversational and emotional. As literacy and the middle class grew, so did the number of women readers. In the 20th century, women made further gains through exposing social issues and covering wars and politics, although barriers to full equality remained. Today, women comprise the majority of journalism graduates but still face some challenges in achieving equal representation and pay.
The document provides an overview of an English literature class discussing the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
It begins with defining the terms "loathe" and "loath". Then, it outlines the class agenda, including discussing the novel as a postmodern work, using a critical lens to analyze it, and examining how the American Dream is portrayed.
The document then delves into each of these discussion points, providing textual evidence and analysis to support analyzing the novel through postmodern and trauma theory lenses and how it depicts the American Dream. It concludes with reviewing the quarter and assigning a final exam essay.
The document discusses the social, cultural, and historical contexts reflected in the 1960s British television series The Avengers. It explores several key contexts, including the swinging 1960s culture in Britain; themes of music, drug use, feminism, and sexuality during that era; the Cold War fear of Russian spies; representations of ethnicity in largely white 1960s Britain; and changing gender roles in the 1960s prior to second-wave feminism. These contexts are reflected in episodes of The Avengers, such as in the characters of Steed and Emma Peel and the threats they encounter, and provide important background for understanding the series and its place in British popular culture during that transformative decade.
2014.4 journal of literature and art studiesDoris Carly
The document summarizes Charles Dickens' portrayal of self-damaging behavior in two female characters from his novel Bleak House: Lady Dedlock and Mademoiselle Hortense. It analyzes how their low self-esteem stems from various reasons and manifests in self-imposed isolation, madness, purposely dangerous acts, physical self-abuse, and destructive relationships with men. While Dickens did not intend to malign women, his depiction reflected the Victorian era's ambivalent attitudes towards strong female characters. The document aims to examine Dickens' exploration of self-damaging traits in women and understand the psychological forces driving such behavior.
Prominent early feminists of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s began voicing discontent with living in a male-dominated society. Women felt socially, culturally, and artistically disadvantaged and unrecognized for their contributions as workers, mothers, and homemakers. Germaine Greer, Gloria Steinem, and Betty Friedan promoted awareness through groundbreaking books examining how women were undermined in society. They coined phrases like "glass ceiling" to describe barriers women faced in advancing their careers. Feminism has since evolved to focus on women actively creating change socially, politically, economically, and artistically to establish their credibility on global issues.
Analyze one of the required readings from this week (Below), but.docxmelvinjrobinson2199
Analyze one of the required readings from this week
(Below),
but only one of the articles from the 1970's. There are several on feminism, from different perspectives, as well as one on the Nixon era.
To successfully complete this essay, you will need to answer the following questions:
Explain the cultural relevance of the article. Who funded this magazine? What are their political biases?
What is the main point of the article? What is the writer's message to his/ her readers?
Did the magazine make an impact on popular culture?
Your thesis for the essay should attempt to answer this question:
Explain the cultural relevance of the article. How did this particular magazine article reflect and/ or attempt to manipulate the cultural values of its audience? How can you prove this?
This essay should be 2-3 pages, in APA style. Please include at least one scholarly resource as a minimum in your essay.
Women's Liberation in the 1970's
Women's Liberation is also known as "the feminist movement", or "feminism". Although much of the successes of feminism took place in the 20th century, it has roots in American history that go back to the late 18th century. Some of the main issues that feminism refers to are woman's suffrage (the right to vote), political leadership, reproductive rights, sexual discrimination based on employment, and sexual and domestic violence.
The feminist movement can be examined in three "waves", or distinct periods of time. The first wave of feminism occurred during the 19th century, and was focused upon the issue of unequal rights women had at that time. Women in the late 1800's and early 1900's were becoming more educated, and were determined to have the same rights as men. This period of women's liberation only related to white, wealthy women, as ethnic minority women, and women without financial means had no voice at all in society at that time.
Second Wave Feminism
Second wave feminism, which took place from the 1960's to the 1980's, was geared towards removing the gender equality gap through taking on cultural and social issues such as those mentioned above. As discussed in previous modules of this course, the idea of "containment" applies when discussing the second wave women's liberation movement that began to take shape during the early 1960's. In terms of popular music for young women in the 1960's, musicians such as Carole King were writing songs from the perspective of independently minded, and sexually liberated women. This went against the dominant culture's attempts to contain women, and helped to shift the cultural values and mores of American society.
Gloria Steinem
One seminal contributor to the feminist movement is
Gloria Steinem
. Since the early 1960's, she has been a driving force in pushing forward the prosperity of women in the United States, and internationally as well. She began her career as a journalist in the early 60's, and during that time also worked as an undercover journalist for
Show
magaz.
Punk music originated in 1970s New York and provided both a musical and cultural impact. While initially seen as just an aggressive music style, punk created a community and ideals of resisting social norms and promoting a DIY ethic. Punk encouraged participation from groups typically excluded from rock music and taught about social issues. This DIY ethic was key as punk bands had to promote and produce their own music without label support. Punk spread this DIY knowledge through zines and instructions, promoting the idea that anyone could start a band and make music.
CIU211.1 - Dialectic Inquiry, Punk CultureBenVarela
The document discusses the punk subculture, describing its origins in the 1970s as a rebellion against mainstream rock music. It notes that punk values include anti-establishment views as well as individual freedom and non-conformity. The document outlines some of the major scenes within punk culture, such as street punk and hardcore punk, which have different fashion styles. It concludes that punk culture is about individuals not conforming to external standards but rather determining their own path.
The document provides context for a contextual research project on feminism in art. It discusses the student's initial reactions and influences, including Grayson Perry's work exploring gender and identity. It also outlines plans for a digital print project with a minimalist design aesthetic. Research will explore feminist movements and artists like Frida Kahlo who explored identity and femininity in their work.
Conscious inclusion of women musicians by Joan Cartwright, M.A.Joan Cartwright
Did you know that, although women pay 53% of the taxes on Earth, only 1-5% of public funding goes to women musicians and their musical projects?
This paper discusses the vast divide between performance opportunities and income earned by male and female musicians. Although female singers are quite visible on the world’s stages, few female instrumentalists are employed on a regular basis and even fewer women composers have their music commissioned for programs or films funded by private and public monies. Several proficient female jazz musicians are identified, and how and why women are omitted from performance is discussed. The need for everyone – producers, promoters, funders, and bandleaders – to consciously choose to include women musicians in programming, especially where public funding is involved, is emphasized.
Music, the sound of the spheres, begins in the womb!~ Diva JC
This document discusses how fashion was used from the 1960s-1990s to challenge and change traditional gender ideals. It provides examples such as Mary Quant's mini skirt in the 1960s which promoted female sexuality and empowerment. In the 1970s, David Bowie used androgynous fashion as his alter ego Ziggy Stardust to blur gender lines. The 1990s Riot Grrrl movement addressed issues like rape and abuse through their fashion, though some argue it promoted female objectification. Overall, the document examines how iconic figures manipulated fashion to both advance and sometimes undermine feminist messages and ideals of their time periods.
The document discusses the genre of gangsta rap, including its origins, themes, and cultural impact. Gangsta rap originated in African American communities and uses explicit lyrics about urban violence and crime to give voice to marginalized groups. While it can perpetuate negative stereotypes, gangsta rap also addresses issues like racism, oppression, and police brutality. The document examines examples of gangsta rap lyrics and images to analyze how the genre influences perceptions and can both challenge and promote certain ideologies.
This document provides an overview of women artists throughout history and how their roles influenced their art. It begins with a definition of "great art" and lists some male artists generally considered great. It then highlights works from several female artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Frida Kahlo, and Judy Chicago. The document poses essay questions about how women's roles shaped the significance of their art and how social ideals become art movements. It aims to have students consider how perceptions of women artists have changed over the past three centuries.
The document provides an overview of the Black Arts Movement. It introduces the movement as consisting of politically motivated black poets, artists, dramatists, musicians, and writers who emerged after the Black Power movement. It identifies Amiri Baraka as a prominent figure in the movement and discusses how his style was confrontational and aimed to shock audiences with the political concerns of black Americans. The movement focused on black power, economics, politics, and rebuilding black communities through literature, art, and activism.
This document provides an introduction to a microfilm collection titled "The Black Power Movement." It summarizes Amiri Baraka's journey from a leader in the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s to a pivotal figure within the Black Power movement and beyond. It details his founding of organizations like the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School in Harlem and the Spirit House in Newark, as well as his leadership in groups promoting black nationalism, pan-Africanism, and socialism through the 1960s-1980s. The introduction provides biographical context on Baraka and outlines his significant influence and role in shaping African American art, literature, music, and political thought during this era of the Black Power and Black Arts movements.
The document discusses how female gangsta rappers construct alternative forms of femininity within the male-dominated genre of gangsta rap. It explains that women artists like Mia X, Lil Kim, and The Lady of Rage create identities that reject both traditional femininity and the roles imposed on women in gangsta rap. These alternative identities claim social power by redefining what it means to be a woman in the genre. The document concludes that female rappers have verbal and social power through their skillful performances that negotiate new styles of femininity.
Goths come in many varieties but generally have an interest in dark aesthetics and music. They dress in black clothing and are fans of Gothic literature, films, and music that appeals to darker aspects of human nature. While sometimes seen as outsiders, Goths participate in charitable activities through organizations like Goth Help Us, helping those in need through activities like food drives, toy drives, and cleaning services.
SHGC The Women’s Art Movement (Realism) Part 1rachaelwhare
The Women's Art Movement emerged in the late 1960s alongside the broader Women's Liberation Movement. Women artists found that the art world was dominated by men, as galleries and exhibitions primarily showed work by male artists. In response, women artists began organizing protests and alternative exhibition spaces to highlight women's exclusion from the mainstream art scene. They also developed feminist art theories and imagery that represented women's experiences and challenged patriarchal norms. Some key strategies included collaborative work, reclaiming craft techniques, and developing new female-centered subject matter. Major artists like Judy Chicago played a leading role in developing feminist art in the United States.
This presentation argues that Paul Gauguin's paintings are racial and gender stereotypes. It introduces the topic and thesis, then discusses how Gauguin depicted Polynesian women in a stereotypical manner as instinctive, sex objects obsessed with white men. The presentation cites critics like Abigail Godeau who argue Gauguin perpetuated a colonialist discourse that objectified Polynesian women without benefiting them. Sojourner Truth also criticized Gauguin for exploiting other cultures' sexual practices. In conclusion, the presentation proves Gauguin regarded indigenous people as "noble savages" and stereotyped Tahitian women in his paintings.
The document discusses several key media theorists and concepts related to representation, gender, and identity. It summarizes Laura Mulvey's concept of the "male gaze" and how women are displayed for male pleasure. It also discusses Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and Angela McRobbie's ideas about constructions of femininity in magazines. The document provides examples of how these theories could be applied when analyzing music videos or other media texts.
Patti Smith was a central figure in the 1970s New York pre-punk scene who was influenced by musicians like Jimi Hendrix and poets. She originally wanted to be a poet but pursued a musical direction, applying poetry through her haunting songs. Smith covered songs from various genres unexpectedly and was known for her masculine appearance and manly singing tones that challenged gender stereotypes of the time.
Heavy metal emerged in the late 1960s from genres like blues rock and psychedelic rock. It originated from bands like Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England that played heavily amplified, blues-influenced rock. In the 1980s, heavy metal became hugely popular commercially in the US and abroad, diversifying stylistically and attracting a more gender-balanced audience from various classes. However, the lyrics and imagery of many metal bands were criticized for celebrating misogyny, violence, and toxic masculinity. This led to parental advisory labels and Senate hearings over heavy metal's influence in the 1980s.
Women have played an increasingly important role in journalism throughout history. In the 18th and 19th centuries, many women took over family businesses and became journalists out of financial necessity. In the 19th century, women wrote about social and political causes like abolition, temperance, and suffrage. Their writing style was often conversational and emotional. As literacy and the middle class grew, so did the number of women readers. In the 20th century, women made further gains through exposing social issues and covering wars and politics, although barriers to full equality remained. Today, women comprise the majority of journalism graduates but still face some challenges in achieving equal representation and pay.
The document provides an overview of an English literature class discussing the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy.
It begins with defining the terms "loathe" and "loath". Then, it outlines the class agenda, including discussing the novel as a postmodern work, using a critical lens to analyze it, and examining how the American Dream is portrayed.
The document then delves into each of these discussion points, providing textual evidence and analysis to support analyzing the novel through postmodern and trauma theory lenses and how it depicts the American Dream. It concludes with reviewing the quarter and assigning a final exam essay.
The document discusses the social, cultural, and historical contexts reflected in the 1960s British television series The Avengers. It explores several key contexts, including the swinging 1960s culture in Britain; themes of music, drug use, feminism, and sexuality during that era; the Cold War fear of Russian spies; representations of ethnicity in largely white 1960s Britain; and changing gender roles in the 1960s prior to second-wave feminism. These contexts are reflected in episodes of The Avengers, such as in the characters of Steed and Emma Peel and the threats they encounter, and provide important background for understanding the series and its place in British popular culture during that transformative decade.
2014.4 journal of literature and art studiesDoris Carly
The document summarizes Charles Dickens' portrayal of self-damaging behavior in two female characters from his novel Bleak House: Lady Dedlock and Mademoiselle Hortense. It analyzes how their low self-esteem stems from various reasons and manifests in self-imposed isolation, madness, purposely dangerous acts, physical self-abuse, and destructive relationships with men. While Dickens did not intend to malign women, his depiction reflected the Victorian era's ambivalent attitudes towards strong female characters. The document aims to examine Dickens' exploration of self-damaging traits in women and understand the psychological forces driving such behavior.
Prominent early feminists of the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s began voicing discontent with living in a male-dominated society. Women felt socially, culturally, and artistically disadvantaged and unrecognized for their contributions as workers, mothers, and homemakers. Germaine Greer, Gloria Steinem, and Betty Friedan promoted awareness through groundbreaking books examining how women were undermined in society. They coined phrases like "glass ceiling" to describe barriers women faced in advancing their careers. Feminism has since evolved to focus on women actively creating change socially, politically, economically, and artistically to establish their credibility on global issues.
Analyze one of the required readings from this week (Below), but.docxmelvinjrobinson2199
Analyze one of the required readings from this week
(Below),
but only one of the articles from the 1970's. There are several on feminism, from different perspectives, as well as one on the Nixon era.
To successfully complete this essay, you will need to answer the following questions:
Explain the cultural relevance of the article. Who funded this magazine? What are their political biases?
What is the main point of the article? What is the writer's message to his/ her readers?
Did the magazine make an impact on popular culture?
Your thesis for the essay should attempt to answer this question:
Explain the cultural relevance of the article. How did this particular magazine article reflect and/ or attempt to manipulate the cultural values of its audience? How can you prove this?
This essay should be 2-3 pages, in APA style. Please include at least one scholarly resource as a minimum in your essay.
Women's Liberation in the 1970's
Women's Liberation is also known as "the feminist movement", or "feminism". Although much of the successes of feminism took place in the 20th century, it has roots in American history that go back to the late 18th century. Some of the main issues that feminism refers to are woman's suffrage (the right to vote), political leadership, reproductive rights, sexual discrimination based on employment, and sexual and domestic violence.
The feminist movement can be examined in three "waves", or distinct periods of time. The first wave of feminism occurred during the 19th century, and was focused upon the issue of unequal rights women had at that time. Women in the late 1800's and early 1900's were becoming more educated, and were determined to have the same rights as men. This period of women's liberation only related to white, wealthy women, as ethnic minority women, and women without financial means had no voice at all in society at that time.
Second Wave Feminism
Second wave feminism, which took place from the 1960's to the 1980's, was geared towards removing the gender equality gap through taking on cultural and social issues such as those mentioned above. As discussed in previous modules of this course, the idea of "containment" applies when discussing the second wave women's liberation movement that began to take shape during the early 1960's. In terms of popular music for young women in the 1960's, musicians such as Carole King were writing songs from the perspective of independently minded, and sexually liberated women. This went against the dominant culture's attempts to contain women, and helped to shift the cultural values and mores of American society.
Gloria Steinem
One seminal contributor to the feminist movement is
Gloria Steinem
. Since the early 1960's, she has been a driving force in pushing forward the prosperity of women in the United States, and internationally as well. She began her career as a journalist in the early 60's, and during that time also worked as an undercover journalist for
Show
magaz.
Punk music originated in 1970s New York and provided both a musical and cultural impact. While initially seen as just an aggressive music style, punk created a community and ideals of resisting social norms and promoting a DIY ethic. Punk encouraged participation from groups typically excluded from rock music and taught about social issues. This DIY ethic was key as punk bands had to promote and produce their own music without label support. Punk spread this DIY knowledge through zines and instructions, promoting the idea that anyone could start a band and make music.
CIU211.1 - Dialectic Inquiry, Punk CultureBenVarela
The document discusses the punk subculture, describing its origins in the 1970s as a rebellion against mainstream rock music. It notes that punk values include anti-establishment views as well as individual freedom and non-conformity. The document outlines some of the major scenes within punk culture, such as street punk and hardcore punk, which have different fashion styles. It concludes that punk culture is about individuals not conforming to external standards but rather determining their own path.
The document provides context for a contextual research project on feminism in art. It discusses the student's initial reactions and influences, including Grayson Perry's work exploring gender and identity. It also outlines plans for a digital print project with a minimalist design aesthetic. Research will explore feminist movements and artists like Frida Kahlo who explored identity and femininity in their work.
This document discusses issues related to women in art and new media. It provides statistics showing that while women earn over half of MFAs and make up 51% of visual artists, only 5% of art in museums and 3% of artists in the Modern Art section of the Met are women. It then profiles several influential feminist artists including Jenny Holzer, Nan Goldin, Petra Collins, and Judy Chicago, discussing their groundbreaking work addressing themes like sexuality, the female body, and the male gaze from a woman's perspective.
This document discusses the evolution of female protagonists in young adult dystopian novels from the late 19th century to present day. It notes that while early "New Women" in the late 19th century resisted traditional gender roles, they did not seek to redefine women's roles broadly. Not until the 21st century did young women protagonists in dystopian novels more consciously explore navigating nontraditional roles and societal liminality. The document then discusses how novels like Reviving Ophelia and themes of the Riot Grrrl movement captured adolescent girls struggling against the pressures of unrealistic cultural ideals in the late 20th century. Finally, it outlines some typical conflicts young women protagonists in dystopian novels
Net Neutrality Essay. Net Neutrality 03. Net Neutrality Book Report/Review Ex...Theresa Moreno
Why Do We Need Net Neutrality? - Free Essay Example | StudyDriver.com. ≫ Pros and Cons of Net Neutrality Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com. Argument analysis: Net Neutrality | Net neutrality, Teaching curriculum .... Net Neutrality Essay (Free Example). Net Neutrality Nonfiction Argument Analysis | Net neutrality .... Sample Essay on the Issue of Net Neutrality - Blog | Ultius. Download Free: Net Neutrality for Broadband: Understanding the FCC's .... Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know. Net Neutrality Essay | PDF | Net Neutrality | Federal Communications .... net neutrality essay. ≫ Issue of Net Neutrality Removing Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com. Net neutrality Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays .... Net Neutrality Essay by Mary Hancox - Issuu. Net Neutrality Essay by Writing Paper Services Boston - Issuu. Net Neutrality Book Report/Review Example | Topics and Well Written .... ≫ The End of Net Neutrality Free Essay Sample on Samploon.com. Infographic for net neutrality | Net neutrality, Friendship essay .... (PDF) Netflix and Net Neutrality Essay | Dominique Lauf - Academia.edu.
This document examines the adversity faced by women in the music industry over time. In the classical era, talented female composers faced suppression and were unable to perform on stage due to their gender. Isabella Leonarda overcame these challenges to publish numerous compositions. During the 1940s and 1960s, women began performing in bands and solo but faced expectations to be sexual icons. Figures like Ella Fitzgerald and Joan Baez achieved success despite struggles and used their music to advocate for civil rights. By the 1990s, women rappers addressed topics like sex and drugs openly. Today, women in music have achieved greater equality and respect and can pursue diverse genres freely by learning from the accomplishments of those who came before.
The 1960s saw the rise of rock music and the counterculture movement in the US and other Western nations. Young people questioned social and political norms and embraced ideals of peace, love, and personal freedom. Rock genres like psychedelic rock and folk rock became popular. The Beatles emerged as the most commercially successful band of all time. The 1970s saw the rise of disco music and the growing popularity of reggae artist Bob Marley. Women and minority groups advocated for greater social and political equality. Environmentalism also increased during this period.
The 1960s saw many social and political upheavals in the United States and around the world. The decade was defined by the civil rights movement, opposition to the Vietnam War, and the youth counterculture phenomenon. Music played a key role, with new styles like rock and roll emerging and bands like The Beatles achieving enormous popularity. The 1960s also saw increasing debates over issues like free speech, gender roles, and individualism.
The 1960s saw many social and political upheavals in the United States and around the world. The decade was defined by the civil rights movement, opposition to the Vietnam War, and the youth counterculture phenomenon. Music played a key role, with new styles like rock and roll emerging and bands like The Beatles achieving enormous popularity. The 1960s also saw increasing debates over issues like free speech, gender roles, and individual freedom.
Phase One was one of the longest running lesbian bars in Washington DC, opening in 1970 during the Lavender Scare. It served as a safe haven and community center for generations of women, and was important in fostering the LGBT community. Phase One helped organize Capital Pride in 1975 and was home to the largest queer art and music festival on the East Coast, Phase Fest. The bar closed in 2015 after 45 years of providing support and space for the lesbian community in Washington DC.
The document provides details on the development of a feminist magazine fanzine. It includes proposed sections such as a colour scheme, font choices, quotes, and layout designs. Sample pages show definitions of feminism, articles on early feminist movements and current issues, and proposed interviews. The creator aims to represent feminism as always changing through the use of pastel colours. Overall, the document outlines initial plans for creating a fanzine celebrating feminism through quotes, articles, illustrations and interviews.
1. On Our Terms: The Undergraduate Journal of the Athena Center for Leadership Studies at Barnard College
Vol. 2, Iss. 1 (2014), Pp. 52 – 62
Bubblegum Girls Need Not Apply:
Deviant Women the Punk Scene
Anna Batt
Student of Journalism and Media Studies
Rutgers University
Abstract
Certain images surface when considering the history of the punk movement in the United States and
England: The Ramones, Dead Kennedy’s, Sid Vicious and with him, the Sex Pistols. Punk is a
subculture that prides itself on freedom of expression, and culminates in various art forms including
music and fashion. Despite the movements’ unwritten policy of openness, women within the punk
movement have experienced a complex record of rejection and abuse within the scene. Women who
felt they did not have a place within society during their place and time looked to the punk scene for
solace. In many cases, they were treated as deviants, and experienced disrespect or violence against
them. This paper explores how a variety of female punk acts were seen as deviant, and how their
philosophies and actions helped reshape the subculture itself. They themselves forged a place in
history as some of the most influential leaders in punk, or within any subculture. This paper also
interrogates the medias’ reaction to women in punk, and commercial efforts to commodify the
attitudes and do-it-yourself nature of the punk scene.
Author’s Note
Anna Batt currently studies at Rutgers University, where she is pursuing a major in Journalism and
Media Studies, with minors in Women and Gender Studies and Digital Communication, Information
and Media. She is an Editorial Intern at the College Music Journal in New York, where she researches
new music, writes album reviews and proves live concert coverage for the Journals’ website. In the
summer, she will intern at Rutgers University’s Graduate School of Social Work. In her spare time,
she loves listening to live music in basements of New Brunswick, reading comic books, watching
television and trying to be funny on Twitter.
Keywords: Punk Music,
1. Introduction
When one looks at a list of the 100 most popular artists in the 1970’s, a mere seven of the
artists listed are in bands with a female lead.1
On a similar list of the most popular bands in the
1970’s based on genre, of the twelve bands listed under the “Punk/New Wave” genre, only two
bands fit that same category.2
Even in a music scene that prides itself on its openness and
acceptance of all different lifestyles, women were still (and continue to be) the minority. However,
many extraordinary women broke through this tough exterior. For example, Patti Smith, Siouxie
Sioux, The Raincoats, Wendy O. Williams, Bikini Kill and the other Riot Grrrls were all influential in
1
“100 Greatest Rock Music Artists Of The 1970's,” last modified April 23, 2007,
<http://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_artists70s.html>
2
“Popular Music of the Seventies,” <http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/70smusic.html>
2. On Our Terms Batt: Deviant Women in the Punk Scene
53
the women’s punk movements from Britain and United States from the 1970’s-early 2000’s. These
women created and helped create a sub-cultural movement that deviated sharply from not only the
accepted and “appropriate” behavior for women in American society, but also from the male-
dominated musical scene that they were trying to join. As a result, they became some of the most
powerful leaders of a subculture and beyond.
In Lauraine Leblanc’s research on women in the punk scene published in her book, Pretty in
Punk, Leblanc interviewed a young woman who said that in her experience in the punk scene, she
“felt troubled about the male-dominated gender dynamics in the punk subculture, a subculture that
portrays itself as being egalitarian, and even feminist, but it is actually far from being either. Yet […]
she had found that this same subculture gave her a place to be assertive and aggressive, to express
herself in less ‘feminine’ ways then other girls.”3
The shocking way that the women in punk bands
presented themselves, from “boyish” clothing and unkempt hair to nearly naked women with
Mohawks, produced a variety of reactions. Many women hailed these punk women for their
aggressive rejection of the status quo. However, many people considered these women to be more
of a novelty rather than an actual force within the movement. Men within the scene had mostly
negative, disapproving reactions. A lot of the negative reactions came from media outlets, which
helped to create a society plagued with moral panic about the subculture beginning in the 1970’s that
prevails to the present. Stigmas against people in the punk movement worked to delegitimize their
aims, and developed fear against them. People outside the movement rejected what they did not
understand; this was a sentiment fueled by mass, mainstream media, which helped to perpetuate the
stereotypes and misinformation about the punk movement and more specifically about the women
within it. They promulgated an image that all punks (especially women) are violent youths, hell-bent
on the destruction of the American Way. The stereotypes of the women are that they drink, smoke,
have sex and are extremely dangerous. They are stereotyped as “unfeminine” and “inappropriate.”
Media and consumer culture always has had a dynamic relationship with the ideals and images of
women in punk.
Recently, the advertising industry, mainstream music producers and the fashion industry
have made the scene itself into a trendy commodity. It has transformed the rebellious spirit of the
punks into the world of fashion and commercial advertising. These industries have begun using the
DIY (do- it-yourself) fashion and music content in a commercialized way. They also promote more
3
Lauraine Leblac, Pretty In Punk: Girl's Gender Resistance in a Boy's Subculture (New Brunswick, New Jersey:
Rutgers University Press, March 1, 1999) 5
3. 54 On Our Terms
easily accepted, non-threatening and sexualized versions of the “angry female,” like the iconic
images of rock stars such as Patti Smith, clad in baggy t-shirts, a leather jacket and messy hair. These
images have been copied, mass-produced, and distributed.
2. Patt Smith and Androgyny in the New York Punk Scene
One of the most famous women in punk is Patti Smith. Smith has commented on her place
in the punk scene, saying: “These things were on my mind: the course of the artist, the course of
freedom redefined, the re-creation of space, the emergence of new voices.”4
Smith is one of the
most influential women in punk music not because she created punk per se, but rather on account
of her extraordinary ability to connect with her fans. Smith’s first single, “Piss Factory,” shed light
on her experiences at a factory in New Jersey, in which it “painted the factory as a place from which
a woman, a worker, had no escape.”5
After moving to New York, she set to give a poetry reading by
another poet, Gerard Malanga, and soon gained a reputation as a poet herself. She deviated from
other female poets of the time, creating her own vision of beat poetry, as it had seen a revival in the
New York punk scene in the 1970s. In an art form that was commonly perceived as male-
dominated, she tended to write about women from a more masculine perspective by either making
women the subject of her poetry, or speaking to them with admiration within her work. Smith
asserted herself as an artist like the male writers and musicians she respected. She was artistically and
physically androgynous, including her baggy clothing and shaggy, Keith Richards-inspired hairstyle.6
Few women strayed from the ideals of femininity the way Smith did at the time. In her book,
Mara Raha asserts, “Unlike Led Zeppelin’s groupies, Smith wanted to be her male idols as much as
she longed to be around them. And, unlike other women who fawned over male musicians, she
internalized and emulated the things she liked about them, creating her own statements, forging a
new musical woman.”7
In this way, Smith existed beyond the gender binary, and created her own
voice using symbols from both male and female behaviors, with her signature look and content. She
rejected ideals of what a woman could or could not be, and tended to function beyond the
constraints that most other women in her time were bound by. Her genderlessness and
4
Mara Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground (Emeryville, California: Seal
Press, December 31, 2004) 16
5
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, 17
6
Keith Richards a founding member of the English rock and roll group The Rolling Stones, well known for his
shaggy hair.
7
Raha Cinderella’s Big Score, 18
4. On Our Terms Batt: Deviant Women in the Punk Scene
55
representation of the “othered”, blue-collar workers in society made her very different from others
who came before her and forged the way for women in punk music. Though others in the punk
movement originally rejected her, she created music and forged her own path. Once she proved
herself as an artist and became a driving force of power for the punk movement, she was impossible
to ignore.
2. Sexuality, Politics and the Punk Movement
The 1970’s in Britain displayed a rise in feminism and for human rights. A significant
number of female heads of state were coming into power; for example, Margaret Thatcher became
the first female Prime Minister in 1979. The first Gay Pride march was held in London, on July 1st
,
1972. In 1977, the first Reclaim The Night march was held in London, to demand justice for rape
survivors.8
Diverse women with all different skills, styles and ideologies gained prominence in this
era. The punk scene was no exception. Some of the most influential female punk musicians rose up
in the scene during this period, all packed with the angst and fury it took to relay their messages.
A British performer, Siouxie Sioux, was also very influential in the punk scene in the ‘70s.
She was involved in the movement in a different way then Smith, however. She, along with other
performers in her category was more interested in redefining female sexuality. Sioux is known for
her image of anti glamour, mixing sensuality with disgust, and her clear rejection of traditional ideals
of beauty for women. Sioux said that her fetishized clothing had a purpose: “to show that erogenous
zones are overrated…and that tits are no big deal.”9
Larger culture viewed the punk, Sioux image as
“ugly.” Her unapologetic nudity functioned as a statement against sexual repression and shocked
audiences: “Sioux’s emotional and aesthetic multiplicity stood as a very public reminder that anger
and impulse weren’t singularly male.”10
Sioux and her band are also different from other women and
punk artists in that she wanted to create a totally different sound than what was being created at the
time. They incorporated tribal rhythms and abstract sounds that worked to expand the idea of what
punk could be.
At the same time in 1970’s Britain, The Raincoats were another punk band that prided itself
on its independent thinking and political activism but that did not adhere to the mores of the
8
"An Oral History of the women's liberations movement." Accessed February 16, 2014.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen/sisterhood/timeline.html.
9
Punk 77, <www.punk77.co.uk/groups.banshees.htm>
10
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, 78
5. 56 On Our Terms
prevailing punk sound. The band was not quite post-punk either, instead celebrating its unique
identity and experimentalism. “The basic theme of rock and roll is what goes on between men and
women,” they told American author, music journalist and cultural critic, Greil Marcus in 1980. They
separated themselves from mainstream music genres, exposing the stereotypes underlying those
movements: “Rock and roll is based on black music. And it’s based in the exclusion of women and
the ghettoization of blacks. Which is why we want to put a little distance between what we do and
the rock and roll tradition.” Along with the music they played, their dress did not conform to the
established ideal of the “punk woman” in the ‘70s, with rumpled clothing and knotty hair. The band
did not use the same type of theatrics that was traditional in punk performers, which set them apart.
The Raincoats seemed to be a strange, unexplained presence within the scene; as a result, many
people did not know what to make of them. They seemed to be deviants within an already deviant
punk scene. The Raincoats were inspirational to performers like famous ‘90’s grunge musicians,
Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Kim Gordan of Sonic Youth.
1981 saw the beginning of MTV and the presidency of Ronald Reagan, and with that came a
re-emergence of conservatism and traditional ideals of female appearance, behavior, and interests.
The decade also saw a rise in female performers at the top of the charts, such as Joan Jett, Whitney
Houston, Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. However, despite the increasing presence of female leads,
male-based acts continued to debase females with lyrics and videos that objectified women. For
example, Mötley Crüe’s “Girls, Girls, Girls”, J. Geils Band “Centerfold”, and ZZ Top’s “Legs” were
all based around sexist ideals and images. In the punk scene in United States, women such as Wendy
O. Williams worked against not only the objectification of women by male artists, but also against
the portrayal of women in mainstream media whose images of beauty and pop they rejected.
Wendy O. Williams, founder of the Plasmatics, may be one of the best examples of the
many ways that female artists in the punk scene were societal and musical deviants: she was
completely different from the women in the culture in which she had been raised, from the punk
movement she found herself immersed, and from the women who found their voices within the
scene. She was a heavy metal, chainsaw wielding, naked, and feminist rock star. She performed
dangerous stunts and destroyed things in an attempt to not only have fun, but also in a symbolic
rejection of the American need for material goods. She explained in a TV interview, “With the
Plasmatics, I have the opportunity to do what I love, which is smash these things and show they are
6. On Our Terms Batt: Deviant Women in the Punk Scene
57
just things. People in our society, I think, place too much value on things.”11
In a capitalist economy
that places so much importance on goods, Williams’s desire was to destroy what she describes as
“just things;” it was jarring for people who saw her act. She wanted to shock people in an effort to
expose the problems she saw in society. The stunts that Williams performed and the energy that she
displayed in those stunts surpassed the dynamism of almost all other acts in the punk scene:
“Besides sawing countless guitars in half, she drove a school bus through a mount of television sets
for a Plasmatics video and skydived naked for a Playboy centerfold shoot- the only way she would
agree to pose for them.”12
Williams’ commitment to extreme individualism set her apart from other
women in the punk scene solidifying her position as a true punk deviant.
Unfortunately, the 1990’s saw a regression in the types of mainstream female acts,
showcasing fewer acts like Pat Benatar and Joan Jett. The most popular content was either pop or
R&B, leading the way for artists such as Mariah Carey, Paula Abdul and Whitney Houston to
dominate the charts. About this shift, Raha says, “The dialogue acted like a call and response of
stereotypical male and female sexuality; the male’s rampantly heterosexual mating call, followed by
the tirelessly loving, sexually restrained female’s answer.”13
Mass media promoted these acts to
create a common sense about idealized beauty, and about what goes on inside the mind of the
“average female.” However, the acts that began to emerge in the underground music scene were a
clear response of the uneasiness that the women in the up-and-coming bands were feeling about the
homogeneity of mainstream music. In fact, that uneasiness took such a toll on these women that a
completely new revolution of “Riot Grrrls” emerged.
3. The Riot Grrrl Movement and Sexuality within the Punk Scene
The Riot Grrrl movement consisted of networks of young women who worked to challenge
male hegemony within the punk scene and in society in general. The Riot Grrrls began in the early
1990s by Washington State band, Bikini Kill, and lead singer Kathleen Hanna.14
Throughout the
history of the punk scene, many women took on this challenge, but the Riot Grrrls were the first
group to organize and hold women-only meetings in which they would discussed the ways sexism
controlled their everyday lives. The Riot Grrrl believed in a DIY (do it yourself) culture. They
11
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, 129
12
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, 131
13
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, 153
14
Riot Grrrl Manifesto, <http://onewarart.org/riot_grrrl_manifesto.htm>
7. 58 On Our Terms
rejected the popular culture of their time, so they worked to create their own music and fanzines
that confronted issues in their society such as body image head on. The Bikini Kill magazine
spearheaded by musician Tobi Vail and Hanna in the early 1990s was instrumental in spreading the
Riot Grrrl movement. They rejected the pressure to embrace the hegemonic ideal of female
perfection and celebrated diversity. They worked to redefine the word “feminist” as well as what it
meant to be a “girl.”15
The Riot Grrrls decided that they would no longer take part in the institutions
that oppressed them, but would create content of their own that embraced their ideals.
Throughout the time and spaces of the punk scene, the positive reactions to women came
from both men and women for different reasons. Many men saw punk women as a novelty and
because of this, they were mildly supportive. Authors whose work surrounds female artists, such as
Mara Raha, Lauraine Leblanc and Helen Reddington are all examples of positive reactions of women
in the punk scene. They have written researched accounts of what punk women stood for and
experienced as a part of the scene in order to open the eyes of readers. They work to debunk the
stereotypes that have plagued the punk scene since it’s humble beginnings. They also recognize the
impact of what women such as Patti Smith or Kathleen Hanna. For example, in 2011 The New York
Times published a story about the Riot Grrrls, describing not only their impact they had in the ‘90s
but also how they inspire women today. The article, by Melena Ryzik, described a tribute concert for
the Riot Grrrls. The piece chronicled the history of the movement, interviewed a diverse collection
of women in modern punk bands. They shared their experiences as women in the scene and how
they continue to be inspired by the Riot Grrrls and by one of its founders, Kathleen Hanna. Hanna
also discussed her ideology during the time of the Riot Grrrls, the issues they faced, and decisions
they made to cultivate their image 16
As many accounts by Kathleen Hanna and other punk women suggest, many men within the
punk scene were extremely unsupportive of women and presented contradictory expectations for
them. According to Leblanc’s research, this included pressure by men to be “tough like the guys,”
while remaining attractive and sexually available. Yet, though they were expected to be sexual, they
could not be overly promiscuous or they ran the risk of being labeled “sluts” not only by their male
15
Words + Guitar: The Riot Grrrl Movement and Third-Wave Feminism. Hilary Belzer. 2004. Georgetown U. April
23, 2004 <http://cct.georgetown.edu/research/thesisdatabase/HillaryBelzer.pdf>
16
Melena Ryzuk, "A Feminist Riot That Still Inspires."The New York Times, sec. Music , June 1 03,
2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/05/arts/music/the-riot-grrrl-movement-still-
inspires.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2& (accessed April 17, 2013)>
8. On Our Terms Batt: Deviant Women in the Punk Scene
59
counterparts, but also by other women. Punk women have reported rampant sexual harassment
within the community, which reflects their lack of acceptance.17
For example, Kim Gordan, a
member of punk band Sonic Youth discussed in a 1987 tour diary that a male fan in the audience
picked up a broken drumstick from the floor and threw it directly at Gordan, hitting her in the
forehead as she played. She said, “I didn’t know whether to cry or keep playing, but then I just felt
incredibly angry. […] It really made me feel sick, violated, like walking to the dressing room after a
set, and having some guy say ‘Nice show,’ then getting my ass pinched as I walk away.”18
Gordan’s
experience reflects a shared consciousness of many women in the punk scene and beyond. There is
an expectation to accept and embrace male attention without analyzing how it subjugates them.
Punk women rejected this expectation, and were some of the first females to make a public
statement about their anger and resentment about where their place in society was supposed to be.
They spit in the face of the patriarchy, making them leaders for future women, but deviant in society
and in media.
4. The Punk Movement and Popular Culture
Joan Jett, lead singer of the band The Runaways, explains her encounters with the media:
“First, people just tried to get around it by saying, ‘Oh, wow, isn’t that cute? Girls playing rock and
roll!’ and when we said, ‘Yeah, right, this isn’t a phase; it’s what we want to do with our lives,’ it
became, ‘Oh! You must be a bunch of sluts. You dykes, you whores.”19
The ideas that the punk
subculture represents tear at the fabric of mainstream society and capitalism. Punk ideology works to
challenge the status quo, and mass media and advertising depend on the status quo to function.
Stereotyping punks into something to be feared was an effective way to prevent many people from
involving themselves within the movement. Similarly, stereotyping the women in the scene as ‘sluts,’
‘whores’ and as a general danger to society pushes them aside, rendering them ineffective to those
who do not take a closer look into what they do beyond what is reported in mass media.
However, starting in the ‘90’s with the grunge movement, media and advertising could no
longer ignore the presence of the rock and punk subculture as it was becoming a part of what their
target audience was interested in. Grunge is a subgenre of rock music inspired by hardcore punk,
heavy metal and indie rock. The style of artists within this genre was similar to The Raincoats, with a
17
Leblanc, Pretty In Punk, 131-133
18
Raha, Cinderella’s Big Score, Introduction
19
Joe Garden, “Joan Jett”, The Onion AV Club (February 26, 1998)
9. 60 On Our Terms
rejection for theatrics and with a generally unkempt appearance. When bands such as Nirvana and
Pearl Jam become commercially successful, advertising and fashion began to reflect images of Patti
Smith for inspiration on how to appeal to this new generation of consumers. Fashion moguls began
looking at groups such as the Riot Grrrls, and Bikini Kill in particular, in the hopes of utilizing the
revolutionary spirit of women in punk that had become fashionable. When these women rejected
mainstream advances, media again used its power to undercut what these women were trying to
accomplish. For example, when Bikini Kill member and Riot Grrrl founder Kathleen Hanna chose
not to be interviewed for an article in Spin magazine, the writer lashed out at her, stating “Hanna,
however, doesn’t exactly have mass-media savvy- she declined to speak to Spin and, with that, gave
up the opportunity to reach thousands with her motivating voice. At a recent show, many guys
panted at the prospect of seeing Hanna topless, turning a potential act of defiance into an ogle
fest.”20
Because the interviewer, a representative of mainstream media, did not understand why
Hanna made the choice not to speak to Spin, they felt the need to turn Hanna’s act into something
with a negative connotation and undermine the validity of what she was trying to convey.
Mass media and mainstream culture could not reach characters such as Hanna within the
scene because they had departed from mainstream society after feeling rejected from it. Now that
they had formulated their own symbols and ideologies, they did not want to share them with the
masses, so media took matters into their hands. In his article “What Do I Get? Punk Rock,
Authenticity and Cultural Capital.” Brian Cogan discusses the process of dominant culture making
sense of subcultures. In this instance, the subculture is the punk movement. The process includes
writing news reports and articles exploring its historical context, and taking parts of the culture and
commodifing them for consumption. He uses fashion as an example and says, “safety pins, leather
jackets and ripped jeans are taken out of the context of rebellion and translated into runway fashion,
selling for thousands of dollars at ritzy boutiques.” 21
Mainstream music culture often takes a similar
approach to these female deviants. They cannot control the women who represent “the angry
female” within the movement, so they promote female artists that are seen as less threatening,
sexualized and commercialized versions of the real thing. For example, artists such as Alanis
Morissette or Avril Lavigne were both extremely popular, recording-industry depictions of “punk”
women who adhere to the MTV and commercial rules of being deviants, meaning taking their anger
20
Sara Marcus, Girls To The Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution (New York, New York: Harper
Perennial, (September 28, 2010) 191
21
Brian Cogan, What Do I Get? Punk Rock, Authenticity and Cultural Capital,
http://www.nyu.edu/pubs/counterblast/punk.htm
10. On Our Terms Batt: Deviant Women in the Punk Scene
61
fair enough to be trendy.22
They are self-described tomboys, who are mad at their boyfriends and
husbands (or ex-boyfriends and ex-husbands) for breaking their heart, but they do not explore the
why.23
The historical implications would be too subversive.
5. Conclusion
Women such as Patti Smith, Siouxie Sioux, the members of The Raincoats, Wendy O.
Williams and the Riot Grrrls were different not only from other women in mainstream society, but
also effectively became deviants in an already deviant punk subculture. They pushed the boundaries
of femininity, rejecting tradition in order to challenge the political, sexual and social issues in their
surroundings. This radical approach received both positive and negative reactions from men, women
and the media. Many of the negative reactions functioned to stereotype and limit the reach of these
women in rallying change, and the positive reactions (in part) worked to debunk these stereotypes.
Many of these women and their messages are not widely known. This article has sought to highlight
the women within the punk scene who have been critical examples of female leadership who have
probed and attacked stereotypes of female sexuality. While women such as Patti Smith and
Kathleen Hanna should be remembered for their fearless talent in the face of harsh criticism, their
message is becoming co-opted by the advertising and fashion industries that attempt to package
their revolutionary spirit and sell it in mass consumption. While the notion that punk counter-
culture has influenced mainstream culture displays the power of the movement, the
commodification of punk clothing and style is at odds with the central tenets of the genre. As
female leaders in a male dominated music scene, the punk women discussed in this piece directly
attacked assumptions based upon their sexuality and truly embodied the punk spirit.
22
Alanis Morissette’s lyrical content usually surrounds angst-filled songs about revenge.
23
Lavigne is portrayed as a tomboy who will only associate herself with stereotypical male skaters who rejects
femininity, yet can most recently be found in a Proactiv commercial.
11. 62 On Our Terms
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