by Audrey Farris ‘25

The Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s was loud, gritty, and rule-breaking for many young women. It was, simply put, life-changing. Women were able to use their voice and speak up, or rather ‘sing-up’, about the issues facing their community and their own lives. Whether that was through music, [maga]zines, protests, or art, a community was built around female empowerment. 

In the 2000s through the 2010s, the movement died down. Less ‘zine making, less riot grrrl music, and less protests. The community had faded out. The spark had died. In recent years, with the uproar surrounding many social justice issues, including the Me Too movement, using your voice for change has become more important. More people are newly confident in speaking up about issues, especially teens. With new movements rising to the forefront of many people’s minds, they have also been rising to the forefront of many people’s feeds. Social media has been taken over by information about how to help in your community by safely and respectfully using your voice for change. 

Earlier this year, Moxie!, a movie directed by Amy Pohler, was released. The film centers around the Riot Grrrl movement and the main character Vivian finding her voice. This movie is one of the first times many people were exposed to the Riot Grrrl movement, especially the rallys, music and ‘zines. In the movie, Vivian was struggling to find something she cared about. After finding her mother’s old trunk full of Riot Grrrl memorabilia, it lit a spark in Vivian, and she made her own ‘zine titled Moxie, which she distributed at her school anonymously. The anonymous spreading of ‘zines portrayed in the movie had the biggest influence on the young watchers. After learning about ‘zines, many of these young women were curious and wanted to learn more. This led to the popularization of Riot Grrrl, 20 years after the cause was lost.  There is so much excitement that Riot Grrrl is being revived, and young girls and women are finding their voice in a creative way. 

Though there is a common concern around Riot Grrrl’s revival being a trend and the people involved are acting performatively, this is not the case. Performative people, though holding progressive beliefs, do not put in any energy or effort into activism, therefore not providing an opportunity for change.  The people interested in Riot Grrrl are there to speak up about women’s issues, be part of the community, and engage in activities like creating ‘zines, making music, and going to rallys. Riot Grrrl has been able to provide an opportunity for young women to find their voice and uplift each other through creative expression. It will be great to see what happens next and how the youth will put their own spin on Riot Grrrl.