riot grrrl

noun

-ˈgər(-ə)l 

variants or Riot Grrrl or less commonly Riot grrrl

plural riot grrrls or Riot Grrrls also Riot grrrls

1

: a girl or woman who participates in a feminist punk movement and subculture

Thirty years ago, the riot grrrls raged against the patriarchy's ills …

—Amina Cattaui

Riot grrrls' unifying principle is that being female is inherently confusing and contradictory and that women have to find a way to be sexy, angry and powerful at the same time.

—Kim France

also : the movement and subculture of feminist punk that originated in the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. in the 1990s

I struggled to remember when I was first introduced to a version of feminism that I resonated with. I knew it wasn't through reading bell hooks or Gloria Steinem. … Turns out, my entry point to feminism was through Riot grrrl.

—Tiffany Diane Tso

In the era of MeToo, Riot Grrrl's condemnation of sexism, sexual violence, and gender power imbalance remains crucial and necessary.

—Jolie Braun

2

: feminist punk music

Introduce that young aspiring punk in your life to riot grrrl with an essential album from one of the greatest bands of the irreverent, feminist subgenre.

—Amanda Waltz

L7 and other female-fronted or all-female bands of this era, such as Hole, Babes in Toyland and Veruca Salt, often got thrown in with riot grrrl. … These bands weren't as political as bands like Bikini Kill—L7 were a fearless LA rock band that just happened to be four women but their feminist message still hit hard.

—Kate Hutchinson

To understand how and why Riot Grrrl music emerged, it's important to understand that it's never just been about the music, but also the activism that Riot Grrrl artists incited.

—Sydney Hsu

Word History

Etymology

riot entry 1 + grrrl, respelling of girl, with grrr representing a growl

First Known Use

1991, in the meaning defined at sense 1