In Wendy Syfret’s “How to Think Like An Activist”, she states, “When immersing yourself in research, take time to pause and ask: who else is impacted by this issue? If a system of power is oppressive to you, chances are it’s oppressive to others.” (46), in which I felt that this summarizes motivation to participate in activism for oneself as well as others. After reading this excerpt I chose to watch “The Punk Singer: Kathleen Hannah” because I have been a fan of her music for a very long time but I had not had the chance to dive deeper into what motivated her to be part of a feminist punk band and why her lyrics and tone take a specific approach. I am also writing in response to MeiQi’s snapshot as I felt it properly binded the film and excerpt and although it does not have any context it appears to possibly be a protest against rape and for equality in the workplace during the 70’s, judging by the participants style. I think it was interesting how Kathleen took the experiences of others and not simply her own and incorporated that into her music and was not afraid of making people uncomfortable because that was strictly the reality of situations in which women unintentionally find themselves because of the violence that men act on. Bikini Kill’s infamous “Rebel Girl” is a great representation of what women can do if one, if all, stand up for one another. Kathleen sings, “when she talks, I hear the revolution / In her hips, there’s revolution / when she walks, the revolution’s coming.” and not only was her music inclusive of others stories but her idea to allow women to create zines under “Riot Grrrl” also shows that she was not singing for just herself or her friends but for anyone that could relate to these experiences.
Syfret mentions the concept of difference and diversity serving as a force of unity and as presented through Kathleen’s efforts as well as the efforts of the women in protest in MeiQi’s snapshot, a visual representation of what this can look like. Syfret also mentions the concept of Inclusivity and research because although women may share the same oppressions, the differences in race and socio-economic status plays a role on a more personal level as someone from a lower class may not have access to the same aid and resources that someone from a higher class may have. Kathleen’s transition from bands like Bikini Kill to Le Tigre did not stop her from sending the same message and speaking out for the truths that many women would rather keep to themselves out of fear because society still operates under a level of male domination. In Le Tigre’s “Deceptacon”, Kathleen asks the public to “depoliticize her rhyme” as her participation was oftentimes not taken seriously because of the simple fact that she is a woman and the punk scene was generally a space for men due to the violence but this resonates with today as woman have had to endlessly protest for their human and political rights but have been dismissed because of their gender.
