The dataviz Riot Grrrl project explores the feminist punk movement that emerged in the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

Originating in Olympia, Washington, the movement combined music, activism, and self-published media to challenge sexism in both society and the punk scene itself. Riot Grrrl gave rise to a new form of feminist expression, rooted in lived experience, collective action, and a strong DIY ethic.

The project traces the first wave of the movement between 1991 and 1994, followed by the emergence of the Sista Grrrl Riot movement. Multiple geographic hubs played a key role in its development, including the Pacific Northwest, Washington DC, and parts of England.

Through timelines, maps, and networks, the visualization highlights how ideas circulated across locations and communities. Bands, individuals, zines, and venues are treated as interconnected nodes, revealing both the density and diversity of the movement.

Mapping of the Riot Grrrl Movement

One of the central ambitions of the project is to represent the Riot Grrrl movement as a whole. Rather than focusing on isolated events, the visualization attempts to capture relationships, influences, and shared spaces, making visible the social fabric that sustained the movement.

The large-scale visualizations, presented at the bottom of the page, invite slow exploration. They emphasize connections between people, places, and creative families, offering a comprehensive view of a movement that was both fragmented and deeply connected.

This visualization is part of a larger collection of data visualizations by Marlene Dorgny, which you can explore on her website.