Girl power! A look at feminism in the 90s

No decade enabled the Girl Power movement to more succinctly extend down to younger girls than the iconic 1990s. Here is a look back at the glory days of bucket hats (the first-time round), full neon Adidas tracksuits, and butterfly clips. Enjoy this platform peep-toed stroll down memory lane. Remind yourself just how fabulous that decade was! There was, indeed, growth in feminism in the 90s.

Women in 90s music

All music genres in the 1990s saw a surge in female artists and positive female representation. Hip-hop, up to this point a male-dominated machine, brought us bad-ass female rappers such as Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, and the ultimate scene-stealer Missy Elliot.

Yes, Missy Elliot really was right when she talked about being “worth it,” ladies. Never forget your worth!

Undeniably the forerunners of the Girl Power movement, the mighty Spice Girls burst onto the music scene in 1995. Ginger, Scary, Baby, Posh, and Sporty formed the all-girl group. They were and always will be massively influential figures in 90s feminism.

“Girl Power is being able to do things just as well as, or even better than, the boys and be what we want to be.” – Melanie Chisholm, 1999.

The Spice Girls inspired an entire generation of women, their anthems still holding a powerful place in their hearts. Check out 8ball.co.uk for a fantastic range of 90s t-shirts emblazoned with numerous 90s music, movie, and comedy idols.

Women in 90s comedy

The quick-witted and hilarious female comedians of the 1990s paved the way for the smart, funny women of today, both on and off-screen. Saturday Night Live was, even then, a stalwart of our TV viewing schedule. Might female comics from the 90s include Jan Hooks, Rachel Dratch, Ana Gasteyer, Cheri Oteri, and so many more.

Sitcoms never failed to let us down in the 90s with powerful, fleshed-out female characters storming our screens. Some of the best female sitcom characters from the ‘90s include opinionated teenager Blossom, feisty Peggy Bundy, and Saved By The Bell’s Jessie Spano.

However, the biggest and most seminal TV series was undoubtedly the mighty Friends. All three female leads provided inspirational moments throughout the seasons of strong, badass girl power.

They were Rachel Green, Phoebe Buffay, and Monica Geller. Although not exactly fully woke – take Fat Monica, for example – Friends always gave all three characters the space to explore and explain their stories and life choices.

Feminism in the 90s movies

The 1990s were a decade alive with positivity and vitality that promoted eternal nostalgia. There were copious 90s movies that promoted feminism throughout the decade, all with women at the core.

Hands down the ultimate road trip movie, Thelma and Louise is an incredible celebration of the strength that another female’s friendship provides. Alicia Silverstone’s character Cher in Clueless overtly promotes a woman’s right to govern her own sexuality.

And the chilling Silence of The Lambs proved how all of us should make our mark in a predominantly male-dominated world. The 90s truly was a decade where female liberation started to take hold.

 

Top photo by cottonbro from Pexels