GIRLS TO THE FRONT

I want to do my part in making a positive change in the world by helping girls and non binary artists not be left out in the overpowering male domination of the punk scene. Though it should have always been obvious, the very idea that girls belong in punk didn’t come around until the riot grrrl movement that started in the late 80’s and early 90’s. I first got into punk music through riot grrrl bands, so I knew lots of them, but even so, it is still extremely difficult for non male bands to find success or respect in the world of punk rock.

As a child, I had pretty mainstream parents, so I listened to whatever was on the radio. When I got a little older, around sixth or seventh grade, the teen angst and need to rebel a little set in. However, I just wanted to be edgy and didn’t have enough revolution in me, so this started my very embarrassing emo phase. Though this music wasn’t good by any means, it was my introduction to alternative music, and my first taste of people using music to express the sour taste the problems in the world can leave in your mouth. Thankfully, my emo phase ended in eighth grade thanks to a woman that I still consider a close friend, her name is MaDonna Flowers. I was in ballet, but this was my first year of taking the belly dance class my studio offered, and MaDonna taught it. I loved having her as a teacher, and I saw her as a mentor and a role model, and as I grew older, we turned into friends. She would play music in class that was more appropriate for a very conservative ballet studio full of extremely strict helicopter parents, but in class she would tell me bands to listen to: riot grrrl bands. I don’t know how she knew I would like them, or that these recommendations would sculpt my adolescent personality development, but listening to tough women screaming about sexism, corrupt governments, and revolution changed my life. Once I started driving, I could finally go to concerts that my mom wouldn’t take me to, and this turned into me driving two hours to Minneapolis once a week so I could see local punk bands play in basements, garages, and even old breweries. I loved these bands, but I started to notice how almost all the bands on the bill at these shows were all male. There’s nothing I love more than hearing a girl scream, but all the work of these 90’s women seemed to be forgotten. The people of the DIY scene in Minneapolis weren’t blatantly sexist, but it could be seen in subtle ways like how girls in bands often got asked which band member they were dating, or how “female fronted” started being used as a genre, a genre that got you “good guy points” for liking. I love the local music scene, and the world wide punk scene, but I am tired of girls having to shove their way into a spot that a boy can just fall into.

The main way I can make a change about this is by yelling just like the original riot grrrls did. I’m not in a band yet, but I’ve got a lot of passion in me. I can’t make sure more non male bands play, because I’m not in charge of booking the bands or venues, but I will do my part by not shutting up about the importance of representation. Half of the motives of the riot grrrl movement is making sure women/nonmen are heard and included, but the other half is just keeping them safe. The motto “girls to the front” was coined by Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and The Julie Ruin. Girls wanted to be a part of these punk shows, but men were so aggressive and determined to keep them out. Women would be pushed to the back, brutalized in mosh pits, and seen as “coathangers”, standing off to the side, holding jackets and wallets of men that wanted to get front and center in the crowd. These women were tired of being harassed, so at a Bikini Kill show, Kathleen shouted “All girls to the front!” and they fought their way up. This worked temporarily, but it’s still tough to be taken seriously in the punk world full of men trying to prove they’re more hardcore. Both you and I can help this problem by watching out for each other at shows, not taking shit from anyone, and keeping an eye out for those in a vulnerable spot(watch for small people that get shoved in the mosh pit, people in dresses performing that way too often fall victim to pervy photographers shooting from skeevy angles, or anyone that could be in trouble when the show in a sketchy area is over and they have to walk to their car). If you have connections in the music industry, please be more conscious of accidental sexism in your lineups or who you sign or promote. If you’re not connected and just a part of the scene because you like it, join me by yelling, screaming, and fighting to get these girls and non binary folks up to their rightful place as equals in the world of punk rock.