Schilt Critical Review

Schilt gives a historical background and analysis of the Riot Grrrl scene that emerged in the early 1990s. Interviewing bands that were identified with the scene, such as Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Suture, she was able to learn more about the origin and the ideas behind this scene. Starting up in Olympia, WA and then Washington, D.C., Riot Grrls seem to be the product of punk and feminism. As punk and metal became a a hardcore scene, there was more male-dominated violence and aggression that pushed women behind the scenes as groupies and tour managers. No longer were they equal members of the music and the music experience.

In response, women began punk-style bands with females and more political music. This led to many zines as a forum to discuss sexism in music, especially in the rock and punk genres. The political message eventual led to issues of Riot Grrrl identity as the question was posed - Is it about the music or the message? This problem was directly counter to the original ideology of Riot Grrrl that there wasn't one. There was no manifesto or definition so that Riot Grrrl could be applicable to all females and not be pinned down by the media. Eventually the media began to paint pictures of what a Riot Grrrl was, losing the scene subcultural capital and strong female musicians who were not Riot Grrrls, but who would have been otherwise supportive of the cause.

Question: Do you think that scenes hurt themselves by holding their own group to such high standards? The women who gained notoriety were thought to be "selling out" the Riot Grrrl scene. Racial issues became a topic of discussion even though participants tried to be inclusive claiming "every girl is a Riot Grrrl." Does the internal tension and need to be underground with scene cred hurt the cause, the participants, and the scene itself?