AFRAM Blog Post 3

Emma E

Blog Post 3

In, “The Great Indie Debate,” White describes women being pushed to the “borders of the mosh pit” (476). Many women punk singers recognized that women would need to carve their own place in punk, and called out the male-dominated genre, like Mary Lou Lord on her track “His Indie World.” Lord’s track points out that the indie world was his. In order to change this narrative, Riot Grrrls found themselves taking an aggressive push into the scene, calling the bullshit of the borders that kept women from participating in the punk scene, the mosh pit being the most blatantly dangerous and barring women from the scene. Riot Grrrls like Kathleen Hannah changed the ways that women experience punk by saying “girls to the front,” creating a safer space that prioritizes women’s safety and participation.

            In “It’s (Not) A White World,” Nguyen describes the bordering of people of color in the punk scene. Just as White describes how women were pushed to the outside of punk, Nguyen points to PoC being pushed to the outside. For PoC person to be inducted and accepted into the punk community, they were expected to give up their identity, “To get our official membership card, we’re supposed to give up our put certain parts of ourselves aside — or at least assign them to a secondary rung” (2). Those who do not fit in the whitestraightboy category find themselves on the outskirts, having to fight for a way in and to be recognized, accepted, and prioritized.

Santigold- L.E.S. Artistes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz0Qb5ws98k

Beach Bunny-Sports: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szeXkBYq5HU

NoSo-Summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7uhZKcDiww

Santigold, a Philadelphia-born artist, defies genre (as she proclaims on her self-written bio, but is very true) and draws on all sorts of influences in her work, including punk. But as a black woman, she likely would not be found on an “indie boy’s” radar as they look for next-generation punk music. Santigold doesn’t fit within the typical boundaries set for black women and was simply labeled as “alternative” when I googled her. I don’t think it’s fair to assign her one genre, as she draws from all over the spectrum to create her own sound, but it would be fair to acknowledge her influence and revival of punk-era sounds and ideas. Beach Bunny rekindles that 90s sound as well, even more obvious in their influences, belting over quick rhythms. NoSo takes a softer approach, and I think her influences are most obvious in her guitar style (she’s a brilliant guitarist!). However, as a queer woman of color, who is vocal about her identities, I don’t know if she would be accepted into the communities her genre most closely aligns with. Not that any of these women need to be labeled, but if they chose to pursue a space in punk or other whitestraightboy communities, they likely would not feel as safe, welcomed, and accepted as those who fit in the whitestraightboy category.