Debbie Harry: A feminist icon in the heart of Blondie
Activism is not limited to one lane, so for International Women’s Month, we also uplift artists, as they inspire so many of us on our paths to free others. New Jersey has so many feminists, especially in music, which brings us to Debbie Harry.
Harry, the charismatic frontwoman of Blondie, has been challenging aesthetics in the male-dominated new-wave scene since the 1970s. Space and urbanism does not exist without music, art, and poetry.
Her shaggy bobbed platinum blonde hair, theatrical stage presence, and Hollywood coolness have defined what a rock star is for many. She embraced a persona that was red lipstick glamour smashed up with punk rebellion, using her image as a weapon and an inspiration. Her leadership in Blondie—a band that seamlessly fused punk, pop, and disco—was one of the first examples that women could command stages and creative direction with the same authority as their dude counterparts in the underground punk scene that orbited around New York’s CBGB. Harry was one of the first women who dressed herself AND dressed not for the male gaze but herself. Harry, gorgeous and brilliant, resisted the industry’s efforts to objectify her. She owned her punk rock sophistication that inspired feminist musicians and artists worldwide.
Artistic Choices and Advocacy
Harry’s feminism extended beyond her image into her music and activism. Blondie’s hits, like the assertive “One Way or Another,” showcased women as protagonists of their stories, radiating strength and resolve. She broke musical boundaries by incorporating rap into “Rapture,” one of the first mainstream tracks to highlight rap, underscoring her commitment to amplifying historically excluded voices. Offstage, Harry supported LGBTQ+ communities during the AIDS crisis and embraced drag culture, aligning herself with intersectional feminism before the term gained widespread traction. Her collaboration with diverse artists and willingness to experiment with genres in my mind reflected a belief in inclusivity and artistic freedom—a radical stance at the dawn of the 1980s, an era resistant to change and with a tendency for reactionism.
And her 40-year friendship with Joan Jett is both iconic and grrrl goals!
Legacy of Influence
Decades later, you can see Harry’s influence on artists like Katheleen Hanna, Courtney Love, Lady Gaga, Chappel Roan, and Miley Cyrus. By navigating the tension and terror between being a surrogate hole for misogynistic fantasies and a self-possessed artist, Harry paved the way for women to embrace complexity—and to be human rather than object. Her candid discussions about sexism in the industry and her refusal to be pigeonholed continue to inspire new generations. More than a rock star, Harry remains a testament to feminism’s core tenet: autonomy.
