Bikini Kill

Bikini Kill are a feminist punk band I started listening to as a young teen. I feel that this was my first introduction to a feminism that I could really relate to in that they were talking about feminism with regards to a time I was growing up. I had always know of feminism but for some reason this was always linked to a past or a historic event never talked about with regards to the present (I guess since most women have the right to vote .......thats enough), When listening to the "girl revolution" music by Bikini Kill I began to think of feminism in terms my own experience as a girl, I was so excited because it validated feelings and frustrations I was facing as a teenage girl. Bikini Kill gave power back to you in the bands raw confrontation with sexism. They took back control in a way that had shocked me with songs like " I like sugar " , I questioned why I was nervous listening to this song aloud, why am I so comfortable seeing a woman being sexually objectified on the cover of a magazine yet when an authentic expression is given from the perspective of a female about sex I was stunned by its strangeness, Although familiar and relatable with regards to the musics lyrics what was completely alien to me was that this was being unapologetically screamed aloud to an audience. I feel this music gave me the courage to identify as a feminist and express feminist perspectives within my work. As I continue to express feminist motifs within my work I still feel I have to remind myself to not hold back and that this is an important perspective, one that needs a voice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAg9bItrsII