First published 2010
Riot grrrl burst from the underground in the early 1990s, urging girls to grab guitars, publish zines, and embrace political activism. These young women rejected both conventional female roles and their mothers' version of feminism. They scrawled "slut" across their skin, paired feminine dresses with military boots, and spoke frankly about sexual politics. Media coverage turned frenzied as the movement's "revolution girl-style now" evolved into commercial "girl power" through the Spice Girls and countless products. Critics dismissed this shift as shallow or exploitative. Marisa Meltzer disagrees. She argues that girl power created space for today's confident young women who form bands at unprecedented rates. Meltzer combines personal stories with interviews featuring Tobi Vail of Bikini Kill and Amy Ray from the Indigo Girls. She examines artists from Bratmobile and Sleater-Kinney to Alanis Morissette, Britney Spears, and the Spice Girls themselves, mapping how women in rock can move forward.
Genres: feminism, non-fiction, music, activism
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: cultural-history, social-change
Period: 1990s
162 pages · Paperback · Farrar, Straus and Giroux