I PREDICT A RIOT: THE RIOT GRRRL REVIVAL

In the summer of 2022, we witnessed the American government end the nationwide right to abortion. A third of all American women are now unable to access safe abortive healthcare even in circumstances of rape, incest, miscarriage, or stillbirth.

So far, the ban has caused great harm to women and children; According to a 2025 report by the Gender Equity Policy Institute, women in states with abortion bans are now nearly twice as likely to die during pregnancy or childbirth as those in states where care is protected with black and Hispanic women being three times more likely. Many states have criminal charges in place to punish those who seek abortions and those who assist them.

Since the turn of the decade, we have witnessed a countless list of instances where governments and societies have failed to protect their female and femme citizens from harm.

The UK's police force has been proven to have a culture of misogyny, lacking meaningful responses to reports of domestic violence, sexual crimes, and hate crimes. Reform, one of the UK’s most popular political parties, openly promotes discrimination against women, people of colour, people with disabilities and queer folks by vowing to revoke the Equality Act if they get into power.

One in three women have been subjected to sexual violence globally. 86% of women between 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment in a public space. 81% of women fear walking home alone at night because they fear violence or abduction. The world is demonstrating itself to be an increasingly dangerous place to be femme. As our rights come under threat, many of us have begun to seek spaces where we are protected from harassment and harm and where we are actively encouraged to express ourselves. These were spaces that Kathleen Hannah, lead singer of punk band Bikini Kill, and later Le Tigre, craved.

In the 90’s, most girls in the punk scene felt the same way as Vale and Hannah and were growing increasingly frustrated by their treatment within it. Many turned to fan-zines to share their ideas without ridicule. Fan-zines had been used since the beginning of the punk movement as a DIY way of sharing and perpetuating punk culture. Zines had once been the stage where the toxic-masculine punk ethos was shared, but now they were a space where femme-punks could find solidarity in each other's writings.

Hannah and Vale decided that if they really wanted to get their message to their community, the best way to do so would be through punk's main vehicle: music. So, they decided to form their own band: Bikini Kill, named after their zine together.

In Bikini Kill's second zine, the movement was given a name: Riot Grrrl. They created a manifesto for their movement, with their main aims being to create spaces where femme- punks could be seen and heard, praised and criticised, liberated, and taken seriously. These girls wanted to create a scene built on community, not competition, without conforming to male standards. They wanted to encourage girls to get angry, take up space, and be punks. 

This was the core ethos of the Riot Grrrl movement, and as a result, it gained immense popularity despite the mainstream media’s rejection. Kathleen and Vale, alongside other Riot Grrrl bands such as Bratmobile, Huggy Bear, and L7, created a world where girls were appreciated and respected without having to conform to the standards set by men. They sang about quintessentially feminine experiences, gave a platform to other femme-fronted bands, and discussed politics.

Riot Grrrl was a community made by femmes, for femmes - as a result, it angered many male punks; it was a scene completely unlike their own, a place they had little influence, power or control over, and a place that wasn’t designed for them.

At their shows, Bikini Kill encouraged girls to ‘get to the front’, something which put off male audience members and enraged them. Often, Hannah would have men attempt to assault her during her performances. She would retaliate and confront the offenders. Surrounded by a strong community of girls who were ready to defend one another in the face of violence, attacks became less and less frequent as the community grew.

Officially, the Riot Grrrl movement ended in the mid 90’s with the split of Bikini Kill. The community had grown considerably from its American roots, and Riot Grrrl was no longer one cohesive school of thought. Like 70’s punk, the ethos had splintered into extremes, fracturing the community. Soon, the members of Riot Grrrl moved on, and grunge took centre stage. Riot Grrrl was intelligent, badass and unapologetically feminine. It evoked real change in culture and the music scene; post-riot, expressing and discussing female rage in media became more accepted, with artists like Fiona Apple and Alanis Morrisette finding huge success for their expression of emotion and anger. Femme-punks and girl-rockers are now taken far more seriously than they ever could have been pre-riot - bands such as Amyl and The Sniffers, Lambrini Girls, Wet Leg, Wolf Alice, Paramore, and many more have found success in the footsteps of our rioters. As women's rights are threatened further, femmes will seek spaces where we can exist without fear. The more dangerous the world becomes for us, the more important these spaces will be, and the more popular they will become.

DON'T NEGOTIATE PROMOTIONS is one of these groups, dedicated to creating spaces centred around inclusion, protection, and freedom.

DON'T NEGOTIATE is a Bristol-based promotions company in the capable hands of El James, Sulli Jones, Ellen Dysdale and Adam Daniel, who created the company to champion Bristol bands and support the grassroots music scene that they love so vehemently.

They strive to make their events safe and comforting spaces for everyone, creating environments where each individual feels included, respected, and free to express themselves. They intentionally provide opportunities for artists of any size to express themselves authentically and showcase themselves, while creating connections and friendships. Their events focus on addressing and raising awareness of the issues they are passionate about solving. They aim to create a community of people passionate about supporting artists, grassroots music and the Bristol community. 

For their debut event, DON'T NEGOTIATE are hosting a Riot Grrrl night at The Exchange, designed to create a space for all to express themselves without fearing judgment, shame or violence - all three bands performing are femme-fronted, bringing girls front and centre, creating a space where femmes can be appreciated, listened to, respected and given the platform they deserve.

The Riot Grrrl movement has been extremely influential on DON'T NEGOTIATE, especially El James, who, through Riot Grrrl culture, found a place where she belonged in the male- dominated landscape of Rock.

‘Finding something that's a collaboration of women is always so beautiful to see. Riot Grrrl to us is empowerment, expressing rage in a passionate way, giving that big f*ck you to misogyny, and sharing personal experiences in a safe and loving environment.’