This is Not a Test - Riot Grrls in the New World (4ZZZ, Brisbane)

By Tiarney Miekus

Riot Grrrl: loud, brash, ferocious.

Riot Grrrl is not simply a period of feminist punk in the early
90s, but is a movement whose ongoing thoughts, ideas and challenges
have enriched human liberation. Riot Grrrl is a recurring motif for
empowering females, placing Grrrls at the centre of music and for
showing everyone the saviour of rock and roll: women.

I started ‘This is Not a Test’ with a thought: What did Riot Grrrl
mean in the 90s and what could it possibly mean for women in
Australia now? As a 22 year old who is still trying to figure out
the ties between womanhood, feminism, music, culture and politics
in Australia, one of the most telling narratives that has framed
these elements has been Riot Grrrl.

‘This is Not a Test’ has since taken me from Riot Grrrl’s first
days in Olympia, Washington, to its small manifestation in Brisbane
in the 90s, to Pussy Riot in Russia and finally to the
here-and-now: Brisbane 2014. If music tells the story of ourselves
and our world – our oppressions, desires, anger and humanity – then
this documentary uses Riot Grrrl and music as a lens for women in
contemporary Australia.

‘This is Not a Test’ not only has a jolting all-woman soundtrack
from Bikini Kill to Huggy Bear to Feathers, but a series of
interviews that point to the complexities and contradictions of
Riot Grrrl, feminism and society. This includes:


Christine Barrett: A former Riot Grrrl in Hussy and current youth
culture lecturer at Griffith
Everett True: Music journalist and writer
Alex Gunk: Lead-woman of Gunk and creator of fem-zine Slubs
Bek Moore: Lead-woman of bands Scrabbled and Clag
Bianca Valentino: Renowned zine-maker and writer known for
Conversations with Bianca.


Like any liberating movement, Riot Grrrl is many things to many
people and ultimately it enhanced a culture that still exists today
- a culture that stares down gender imbalances in art and politics
and liberates women from oppressive institutions.

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