Punk zines and feminism

Punk zines opened up the concept and platform of zines to a variety of different subcultures, with some incredibly powerful results. The movement of zines as a whole, engrained so deeply with the DIY ethic of punk rock, attracted a number of voiceless subcultures to publish their ideals to their communities. From the queer community, to the feminist riot grrrls as well as a huge following in art, culture, and photography, the zine became a platform for ideas, images, texts, reviews, rants, quips, comments, drawings, comics, and a huge amount more. To cover the entire influence of zines on more modern subcultures would be a dissertation in itself, so I've decided to specifically focus on the punk rock riot grrls of the 80's and 90's.

"Zine culture has primarily been male produced. (Amy Spencer, 2005) As a product of its time period, it has historically consisted of male writers involved in sci-fi fandom, 60s independent newspapers and those at the forefront of punk. Eventually, women who were interested in the potential power of independent media but did not see their own experiences reflected in the existing publications to produce their own."

The feminist movement began long before the creation of the zine, with its birth in the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century through political activism. This carved the way for the beginning of the suffragettes, a group of women demanding for their right to vote and run for office. Women's suffrage was a mountain step for the feminist movement, that led onto women's participation in World War two through jobs left over by the men fighting. This change in standards in Great Britain allowed for a welfare system to be created which hugely impacted the way we live today.

Feminism, around the time of punk and the re-invention of zine culture, was growing rapidly, and women began demanding the right to legal and safe abortions. Along with the invention of the Pill a decade or so before, womens' ability to choose whether or not she was to conceive altered the role of women in family units. Despite these colossal changes in women's rights and equality, many felt their voices weren't heard, and began to follow the zine culture with their own; the riot grrrl.

With the birth of Bikini Kill, The Slits and X-Ray Spex, the riot grrrl zines were also born. Zines such as Riot Grrrl, Jigsaw, Girl Germs and Bikini Kill (created by two members of the band of the same name) began emerging throughout the US during the 80's and 90's. Women of this time had had enough of being told what to wear, how to please your man and to 'sit down and shut up'. Women began to realise they had a voice and the zine was the perfect platform for them to shout loud.

Women of the 90's riot grrrl movement began to realise that they didn't have to belong to any of the cultures that society had presented them, and reinventing the zine and embracing the DIY ethic of punk rock allowed them to control and define their own identities. The media no longer represented a huge collection of women, and with that, an underground reaction occurred. The creation of these zines wasn't just a personal portrayal of riot grrls, but the opportunity to voice political ideals, empower and encourage women as unique individuals and spread the message of equality and rights for all.

Amy Spencer (2005). DIY: the rise of lo-fi culture. US, UK: Marion Boyars Publishers Ltd.  p47