a zine for all the riot grrrls of the world
hey girlfriends! capitalism fuels my anger but refuses to fund it made from a concoction of anger, the colour pink, and a love of bikini kill and riot grrl music, this zine exists for anyone who is interested in riot grrl culture, and feminism. a celebration of bikini kill, who are embarking on a world tour throughout 2022 and simultaneously celebrating 30 years since the release of their self-titled ep and label debut, this zine is here to embody everything they stand for: feminism, creativity, and saying “fuck you” to the powers that be!
i got a proposition hey like wouldn’t it be fun if we made a girl band? formed in olympia, washington in 1990, bikini kill is a feminist punk band consisting of Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, and Tobi Vail. they initially ran until 1997 with a guitarist named Billy Karren but reunited briefly in 2017 and got together again in 2019 (both times without Karren). they still play together to this day. alongside fellow musicians Bratmobile, Heavens to Betsy, and Excuse 17, they’re hailed as pioneers of the riot grrl movement. riot grrl music is a sub-genre of punk that originated in the 1990s in the US. through this movement, female musicians rejected the patriarchy and restrictive ideas of femininity, whilst embracing ideas of female empowerment. songs addressed topics such as rape, assault, harassment, abuse, sex, politics, and anarchy. criticized for its lack of intersectionality in the 90s, the modern revival of the movement is known for being more inclusive.
dare ya to do what u want
acclaimed alternative acts of all time
i wanna be like the girls i see on tv
artists like grimes are fans of bikini kill and have sung their praises
i wanna be free to make things that destroy me bikini kill says they believe that “if all girls started bands the world would change” they themselves were inspired by babes in toyland, a punk band formed in 1987 and they went on to inspire bands like sleater kinney, one of the most successful and
riot grrrls paved the way for feminism in mainstream music for acts like the spice girls and taylor swift these days punk can be found anywhere riot grrrl is in the fiber of modern music even if artists themselves don’t know it
dare ya to be who you will
they want women to be feminine
i’m disgusting and dumb
they want women to be likable and polite and in line with their thinking
i wanna fuck and wear pink watch tv till my brain goes numb
but they hate femininity
bikini kill railed against gender roles and limitations
and they also hate when women reject the feminine
but what it means to be a woman or feminine aligned person isn’t something that can be defined
women and femmes have such a rich and complicated existence
the concept of femininity can’t be defined here but what can be said is that people fear it
your womanhood and femininity are your own be nothing and everything
dare ya to cry right out loud (interlude)
i wish i didn’t feel so much
maybe it’s hormones it’s only hormones it’s only how i feel it’s only some pain
i wish i was made of plastic
isn’t that part of having a uterus? suck it up and get on with your day silly girl silly girl silly girl get a grip and do something real silly girl silly girl silly girl
i wish i wasn’t ashamed of everything i thought could maybe be fantastic silly girl silly girl silly girl get a grip and do something real silly girl silly girl silly girl i like what the boys like
don’t cry when you want to that’s such a stereotype
tell me i feel like you tell me i can fit in your shoes
you cold hearted bitch maybe i can fuck you to life
what does it take to be digestible for you
chew me up, spit me out
Your whole fucking culture alienates me
you’ve got to know what they are i wanna be like him walking through the park getting drunk in the dark i wanna be like him demanding more money bleed the boss dry, honey human rights are not optional no matter your race, gender, age, religion, or orientation, everyone should have the same rights and expectations of rights this includes the right to have an abortion
the right to protest the right to question people who want to take away our ability to protest if you are a woman or are perceived as one you have the right to be paid as much as your male co-workers you have the right to your own body you have the right to walk in the park alone at night without fear you have the right to fight for your life
you’ve got no reason not to fight people want to take them away rob them from you with new laws that destroy your right to say last year politicians in the uk tried to grant the police more powers The Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill which was finally rejected this year sought to criminalise protesters
by allowing police to enforce noise limits as well as start and finish times for gatherings do you know about the brutality women faced in 2021 when they attended peaceful vigils? the way they were beaten by police for mourning sarah, sabina, and blessing? did you know misogyny isn’t a hate crime in the uk? did you know it’s legal to protest outside of abortion clinics? it happened this year.
you! do! have! rights! trauma is no big deal now The Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill has been defeated but the culture that encourages its ethos of staying silent and tolerating abuse rages on 1 in 3 women throughout the world will experience physical or sexual violence rape culture is our culture
women are harassed, assaulted, raped and we go on with our days as though such things aren’t anything more than inconveniences or awkward encounters most people don’t feel comfortable going to the police because of this attitude many people won’t even know they’ve been raped or assaulted (but they’re my friend, they wouldn’t do that to me)
(but he stopped when I said no)
refuse to be forced to feel weak
but help is out there
tell your boss that you know your rights
rape crisis scotland has a helpline for people of all genders on 08088 010302 your friends are a lifeline talk to them and be there for them attended protests together email your local representatives when you’re angry find out who they are at theyworkforyou.com
ask for the wage you think you deserve read the news be angry but give yourself a break to feel joy education is important and anger is necessary but joy is vital isn’t it aggravating that we need to be so angry all the time?
double triple fuckin dare ya girlfriend! what’s the difference between singing and screaming?
so make something. for yourself or someone else.
sometimes life gets busy and we forget what we really want to do.
whether it’s a statement meant for the world, or just for fun, who cares.
we forget that we should be allowed to do more than just pay the bills
there’s power in joy.
why do you want to make?
who inspires you?
what’s stopping you?
how do your fears feel?
what are your dreams like?
when did you last cry?
why are/ aren’t you angry?
grrrl style: the playlist double dare ya- bikini kill bitch theme- bratmobile oh bondage up yours! - x-ray spex racist, sexist boy- the linda lindas rebel girl- bikini kill i wanna be your joey ramone- sleater kinney dirty old fart is waiting for my reaction- otoboke beaver sweet ’69- babes in toyland terrorist- heavens to betsy hey girl- tacocat i’d rather eat glass- excuse 17 suck my left one- bikini kill
you've got no reason not to fight
thank you for reading photographs courtesy of jem, _Jessthreat_, sarae, PHOTO/ arts Magazine, and JCHaywire on creative commons written and designed by emma reilly