It's now taken for granted that women are in bands and you can say feminist things in your songs. But back in the early '90s, there was a lot of violence at Bikini Kill shows that people don't realize happened.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
People forget the punk thing was really good for women. It motivated them to pick up a guitar rather than be a chanteuse. It allowed us to be aggressive.
I think women are sick and tired of being portrayed as victims, a lot of the time anyway, the bulk of their time on film.
There is a lot to say about what Bikini Kill and other 'riot grrrl' bands were able to achieve when they first set out. They were not some momentary, convulsive, creative spasm of independent music. There was a very real, relevant point of view being expressed.
I don't think that the feminist movement has done much for the characters of women.
Cinema has only been around for about 100 years. Has all of the world's violence towards women taken place only within the past 100 years?
I do not consider myself a feminist. I do not believe that by doing female-oriented films that depict a woman fighting the system, we can change the system.
I think the problem is that there has been a kind of backlash against feminism. I think women just didn't really see themselves winning that fight, and I think that probably led to a lot women feeling trapped in a perpetual cycle of disappointment - trying to be feminists and failing to be.
Every single line, every single thing has to be fought over. There's kind of like an intrinsic doubt from absolutely everyone in my crew, my producer, everyone. It's not just the film industry - it's a worldwide thing. It's the culture of the world to doubt women.
As much as I was encouraged by the number of female-centric shows being bandied about, it feels like we're being treated like a trend or a quota to be filled.
I have never seen a connection between cinematic violence towards women and actual violence towards women in society.