You Can Run But You Can't Hide: The Incorporation of Riot Grrrl into Mainstream Culture - Alison Jacques

Alison Jacques article “You Can Run But You Can’t Hide: The Incorporation of Riot Grrrl into Mainstream Culture” explains the whole Riot Grrrl movement, with Girl being spelt Grrrl to give the word more impact to audiences. The article discusses how the Riot Grrrl movement didn't want any media influence, but that didn't end up being the case. It of course is now a mainstream movement.

As I learned in my history of Rock and Roll class, Punk is a male-dominated scene. It developed as sort of a backlash against New Wave, and Glam. The Sex Pistols who actually weren't the greatest punk rock band seem to be the face of Punk.  However, Punk didn't last because it wasn't marketable. Teenagers couldn't dance to it, and along came the next phase which happened to be Disco.

However, female punk bands weren't far behind. They joined up ranks, and sang politically influenced songs that discussed their oppression. The women in these punk rock bands were influential, and they tended to be white, middle-class women who knew what they were talking about. These women were usually graduates from Women Studies programs, and some were the daughters of the seventies libbers. 

The problem with mainstream culture is that it becomes over played jargon, it is understandable that they didn't want to become a mass media entity. It kills the sub culture, because mainstream is a culture of its own. However as stated in the article, if Riot Grrrl wants to "raise feminist consciousness on a large scale it will have to negotiate a relation to the mainstream that does not merely reify the opposition between mainstream and subculture." Suggesting that perhaps if they want their feminist voice heard that  mainstream may be the way to get it out there. I feel that while they think they might be selling out by becoming mainstream, that it is also a good way for them to get their voices heard. Riot Grrrl will remain authentic no matter what because it is inspiring to women and young girls across the nation.

Even the Spice Girls were successful because of their Girl Power slogan that stemmed from the Riot Grrl ideal. It did manage to send out a message, regardless of whether they wanted it to be a mainstream commodity or not. In today's capitalism society, where people are obsessed with consumerism, whatever can be marketed will be. In some cases this isn't always a bad thing. 

Throughout the article there is the theme of Feminism, and Capitalism. I feel that the two can exist together with the right form of capitalism. If it takes a felt pen to speak out against women's oppression. The Riot Grrrl movement gave women an empowered voice, within a punk movement that was extremely male-dominated. The movement regardless of whether or not it has become a consumer capitalist entity was still a movement that gave women a voice. 

This movement gives a voice to thousands of young girls, and empowers them. Why not have that be broadcast to the world, regardless of it being mainstream, it is still authentic.