The Punk Singer: The Return of Kathleen Hanna

This post was written by DOC NYC blogger Krystal Grow

“Is this thing loud enough? Because I want to make sure I’m heard,” Kathleen Hanna said, taking the microphone for the Q&A after the NYC premiere on Saturday of THE PUNK SINGER, director Sini Anderson’s documentary of the legendary feminist and front woman for the bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre and The Julie Ruin.

Hanna has been making noise for over 20 years. As one of the most vibrant voices of the riot grrl movement, Bikini Kill would challenge the dude-dominated grunge scene, and—just as Hanna would demand during their shows—bring the girls to the front. Anderson traced Hanna’s roots as a spoken word poet and visual artist who studied photography and made fan zines that became lo-fi field guides for women who found a kindred voice in Hanna’s smart, brassy and defiant delivery of serious feminine angst.

Bikini Kill fought many battles against many foes, but their own internal battles were ultimately the hardest to win; the band split in 1997, leaving an indelible mark on music history and in the hearts and minds of girls everywhere. But Hanna didn’t stop making art. She purged eight years of chaos into an 8-track recorder and emerged as Julie Ruin. The stripped down electro-dub diary she masterfully created in her bedroom would eventually become art-punk-synth-pop trio Le Tigre.

In the midst of an epic tour, Hanna suddenly became ill with an unknown affliction that forced her to quit Le Tigre, and stop performing completely. After seven long and painful years of misdiagnoses, her intense physical and neurological symptoms were finally given a diagnosis.

“I always had it in my mind that I would make another Julie Ruin record. It was just something I knew I had to do,” Hanna said to the sold out crowd at the SVA Theatre on Saturday night. With her illness now more manageable, Hanna has realized yet another milestone in her legendary existence as her new band, The Julie Ruin, is touring on their first release, “Run Fast.”

She is still inspiring people with her wit, wisdom and unshakable resolve to speak up and be heard. “Feminism is a verb. It’s something you do, not something you are,” she said to a blue-haired 17-year-old in the front row. Wearing a shimmering gold top Hanna, was a beacon in front of the screen after the credits rolled, delivering sage and savage wisdom to all who basked in her glow.

“The younger generations can do it, and can probably do it better than we did,” she said. “It’s not really true that we had this amazing community in the 90’s. It was us and Bratmobile and that’s really it. The positive thing now is that we’re willing to admit that we’ve all influenced and inspired each other. We don’t have to pretend like we just fell out of the sky with these ideas. We’re all a part of it now.”

Krystal Grow is a freelance journalist, photo enthusiast and arts administrator based in NYC.