Pioneering Women of Punk

Romilly L-C

Photo by Micheal Putland/Getty Images

A couple months ago, for international women's day, I sat down to write a short piece reflecting on the women who, past and present, have shaped my musical journey. However, it quickly became more obviously a piece about the early women of punk and their immeasurable revolutionary presence in progressive activist music. As I had noticed, in my earlier teenage years, in my discovery of punk music, that, while the women in punk were arguably more revolutionary and important in reshaping music and culture, they are overshadowed by their male counterparts in historical memory. So I took a step back and put the idea aside to be revisited through a slightly more focused lens. That is what this is.

When I first got into punk music, my naive understanding of the 70s/80s scene was that it was very male heavy, names like Sex Pistols, The Clash, Ramones, Dead Kennedys, and Black Flag (although the list goes on) came to mind and upon surface level evaluation seemed to dominate the scene. When I looked up early punk, all these bands and artists came up and so few women. So I primarily associated female punk involvement with the 90s ‘riot grrrl’ movement. And had unintentionally erased and dismissed the women who paved the way for this movement.

The women of punk have always left me in awe. Bands like The Slits and artists like Siouxsie Sioux embodied the punk spirit in a way that spoke to me. I've come to understand that all music and art is inherently political, regardless of intention. But the women of punk elevated politically driven art to a sublime form of resistance. It then became about gender too. Their very existence in the punk scene was a bold declaration of autonomy. The way they commandeered stages, these women weren't just making music; they were rewriting the cultural narrative, their artistry a form of activism, each performance a radical act of defiance. They came across so differently from the way that I had previously seen women perform in more commercial environments, in pop per se, where female artists were selling an act, being sexualised and polished for viewer consumption. And this was in the 2000s and 2010s even presently, yet these women in the 70s aligned so much more with my understanding of femininity and strength. And as I grew older, my teen angst, in a way that the music of their male counterparts couldn't. 

Through the women of punk I found not just inspiration, but a roadmap for navigating a world that often seems hostile to authentic self-expression. So I wanted to pay homage to these significant women by taking a look back and zeroing in on some pioneering women of the punk scene. The women who paved the way for the later 90s emergence of the riot grrrl scene and for punk in general. 

Photo: MusicFilmNetwork

The Slits 

Formed in 1976, The Slits were trailblazers in the punk scene, standing out as one of the first all-female punk bands to combine punk’s raw energy with reggae and dub influences, creating a unique sound that defied genre boundaries and allowed them to forge their own path in a male dominated scene. This punk blend of reggae and dub is the kind of blend you see take shape in the later works of The Clash such as the 1980 album ‘Sandinista!’. (A band who comparatively receive far more recognition for this) Their 1979 album ‘Cut’ was not only progressive musically but also lyrically provocative, featuring lyrics that criticised gender norms and mocked the conventional expectations of femininity. Tracks like ‘Typical girls’ satirises the limiting roles women were expected to perform. The Slits overall band ethos also rejected sexualised, polished presentation of women in rock through their chaotic, rebellious and androgynous visual and sonic style, redefining what women in music looked like. That women were not just performers but creators and, in their case, social disruptors. The band's approach was deeply shaped by the punk DIY ethic, which was crucial in giving them creative independence and a rebellious identity, just as it was for most bands in the punk scene. However, The Slits used this creative freedom to advocate for greater social change and held heavier criticism than seen before. As prior social rebellion was mostly expressed through male perspective. 

X-Ray Spex: Poly Styrene and Lora Logic

Fronted by the iconic Poly Styrene, X-Ray Spex emerged as a groundbreaking punk band renowned for their fiercely anti-consumerist and feminist anthems. Though with feminism not being as widely embraced or discussed in mainstream culture in the 70s, X- ray Spex didn't explicitly label their music as the latter. Their famous track, "Oh Bondage Up Yours!", boldly confronts patriarchy, subverting and satirising the notion that women desire to be controlled or restrained by men. This song became a powerful rallying cry against oppression and conformity.

Poly Styrene’s distinctive style—both visually and musically—was a vibrant explosion of color, energy, and unapologetic individuality. Her raw, impassioned vocals channeled a potent mixture of rage and hope, which resonated deeply with a generation questioning social and cultural standards. Poly Styrene’s race and mixed heritage were central to her identity and profoundly shaped her experience as a pioneering figure in punk. As a half-Somali, half-British frontwoman, she stood out in a predominantly white, male punk scene of the 1970s, confronting both racism and sexism head-on. She embraced a complex, multifaceted persona that challenged stereotypes and expanded punk’s cultural and political scope.

The band’s unique sound was further enriched by the contributions of Lora Logic, whose innovative saxophone lines added an unexpected and compelling dimension to their music. Together, they crafted a sound that was as rebellious as it was inventive.

X-Ray Spex’s landmark 1978 album, "Germ Free Adolescents", remains a seminal work in punk history, featuring a collection of songs that capture the angst, defiance, and social critique that defined the era.

Photo by Kevin Cummins

Siouxsie Sioux: 

Siouxsie Sioux was my gateway into the early women of punk. A poster of her has been looming over me from my bedroom wall over the past 3 years, serving as a reminder for her unparalleled influence on punk/ gothic music and on me and my reception of these genres. Siouxsie’s unassuming but commanding stage presence captivated audiences with her unique gothic twist on punk. I remember seeing her in an interview alongside Sex Pistols, almost like an accessory, as I had previously perceived women of the scene to be. I soon came to recognise her as the pioneer she was, after discovering her music, certainly no groupie, as I had mistaken.

As the lead singer of Siouxsie and the Banshees, Siouxsie was a key figure in post-punk’s emergence, influencing goth and alternative rock with her powerful voice and dark aesthetic. Siouxsie also challenged the traditional role of women in rock, but in a different way to bands like The Slits and X-Ray Spex; by embodying strength, mystery, and artistic control. Her vocal style is highly distinctive — haunting with a dramatic intensity, which became a defining element of the band’s dark and atmospheric sound, helping to shape the post-punk and gothic genres.

Photo by Donna Santisi

Blondie’s Debbie Harry

Blondie bridged the raw rebellious energy of punk with the accessibility of pop and an innovative blend of new wave. As the lead singer, Debbie Harry helped pave a sound that was both edgy and commercially appealing, allowing the band to achieve mainstream success without compromising punk's core spirit of nonconformity and defiance. This balance was crucial in allowing punk to break through into the mainstream music industry. Harry’s distinctive vocal style, magnetic charisma and striking visual presence embellished her as a punk icon, ensuring her legacy endured despite the frequent historical erasure of women’s contribution to punk.

Further influential figures 

Photo by Philippe Carly, 1978

Figures like Gaye Advert of The Adverts and Poison Ivy of The Cramps were instrumental in shaping punk’s raw aesthetic and attitude. Gaye Advert, being one of the earliest women to gain prominence on the punk scene, was an icon of punk's DIY ethos and style. She demonstrated that women too could be integral, visible members of punk bands. Poison Ivy, co-founder and guitarist of The Cramps, a band that combined punk with rockabilly and garage rock, stood out for her dynamic, energetic playing — embracing the punk spirit with a gothic retro flair that broadened punk’s reach. Both figures combined aggressive musicianship with a striking visual style that defied conventional femininity. 

During Belinda Carlisle’s short tenure as lead singer of the Germs, she contributed to the band’s raw, chaotic sound that helped define the West Coast punk scene. Carlisle, later gaining recognition as the lead vocalist of The Go-Go’s, one of the first all-female bands to achieve major commercial success, helped to pave the way for women in rock and punk by showing their broad appeal and musical versatility.

Exene Cervenka, co-founder and vocalist of the Los Angeles band X, infused punk with poetic, introspective lyrics and a distinctive vocal delivery. Her vocal partnership with John Doe created a dynamic interplay of male and female perspectives, expanding punk's narrative range. 

Lydia Lunch, frontwoman of Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, took punk’s confrontational ethos to experimental extremes. Her work blended noise, spoken word, and performance art and she maintained an uncompromising anti-commercial ethic. She brought provocative themes of violence and sexuality to the forefront. Her all-encompassing artistic approach pushed punk’s creative boundaries. 

Women of early punk were not just background players but essential architects of the movement. Their music and stories offer indispensable insights that are vital in gaining a deeper, richer understanding of punk and its rebellious spirit and cultural impact. Beyond that, they stand on their own as revolutionary figures who transformed how women are presented and seen at the forefront of music and culture. They didn’t just contribute to the scene — they revolutionised it, harnessing punk’s defiant energy to push their own intersecting social and political agendas. The artists I've highlighted are merely scratching the surface of the countless women who’s immeasurable contributions have shaped punk and sonic rebellion. Their stories deserve to be preserved and celebrated just as much as those of the male musicians in the genre — not only to honour their legacy but to continue to inspire the same radical spirit. As we witness a resurgence of politically charged defiant music during a time that often feels politically regressive it is more important than ever to preserve and recognise these roots.