Riot Grrl is an explicit, incendiary brand of feminist punk rock, formed circa 1991 in Olympia, Washington and Washington, D.C

With the rallying cry, "Revolution Girl Style Now!" bands like Bikini Kill and Bratmobile created a mini-movement to combat the male-dominance of the punk scene and, by extension, the rest of the world. Riot grrrl lyrics often address gender-related issues such as rape, domestic abuse, sexuality, animal rights and female empowerment. Riot grrrl activities included national conventions in D.C., the Pussystock festival in New York City, and a slew of zines, notably Girl Germs, Satan Wears A Bra and Quit Whining. Much to their chagrin, the riot grrrls found themselves in the media spotlight during 1992, featured for dragging feminism into the mosh pit in magazines like Seventeen to Newsweek. This lead to much conflict within the riot grrl community because many felt that Riot Grrrl could not be defined, it meant many things to many people. Needless to say, fallout from the media coverage led to resignations of people like Jessica Hopper, who was at the center of the Newsweek article. Riot grrrl leader Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill called that year for "a press block" and reporters from papers like the Seattle Times, Washington Post, and Houston Chronicle found themselves fleshing out riot grrrl articles by describing exactly the way in which various scenesters hung up on them. Possibly the most defining moment for the riot grrrl movement occured when Courtney Love punched Hanna in the head backstage at Lollapalooza. Since most riot grrl bands weren't very prolific, the movement's initial spark of enthusiasm faded after a few years, but it still continues to enjoy a lasting impact in indie culture.