The Girls of Rock and Roll

Women and Punk.

Punk became a test case for the abilities of a young generation to assert authority and alter values. Women were able to abandon the underground limits of performance and became increasingly present on the scene. Artists like Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees, the Slits, the Raincoats, the Mo-Dettes and the Catholic Girls all pushed idealism of women to the limit. Sioux graced the stage in a fetish costume, the Slits stood naked on the cover of their album, all female punk bands openly defied the tradition of conforming to a conservative British society.

Sex Wars ensued. A literal battle for the territory of stage between males and females, as well as in the street, in the workplace. Women were getting noticed as capable and equal.

The “harshness” of female punks seems to be in direct opposition to the “liberation” and sexual freedom of the 60’s and 70’s. New punks decided that sexual freedom of women was in fact just an easier reason for Men to sleep with them, and that nothing was really achieved as inequality was still rife.  The ‘hippy’ views of sexual-liberation seems to be at great contrast to the ideals of empowerment.

Marianne Faithful says of the time she met Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones in the 60’s “I was in his flat, I was a pretty girl… it was almost de rigueur tha the make a pass at me, it was the new sexual politesse. For my part, i thought, Oh he’s making a play for me. I really should let him… Hippie ettiquette. You just sort of went along, didn’t you?” So in the time of the sexual revolution, it seems that if you weren’t sleeping around, you were holding up the revolution.

Punk provided an outlet for agression, experimentation and open reaction to the new ideals emerging on female sexuality. The women in the punk movement connected with the feminist literature of the time, and believed not necessarily in forming to simulate other punk bands of the era but instead to be different.Liz Naylor, co-editor of Manchester-punk magazine ‘City Fun’ said it was “More about being a freak than a punk” when referencing the movement of women forming bands.

It was about finding strength and confidence for women. “We’d walk down the street as a bunch and feel very, very powerful,” says a member of the Slits.

by kass.

Sabin, R. (1999) “Punk Rock: So What?” Routledge Press.