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The Bad Girl Club

Women who changed the world as bad girl revolutionaries

Anthony Best|Gus Franklyn-Bute

Updated September 2021

Well-behaved bitches seldom make history

A West Indian “bad gal” became an icon, seemingly overnight – a star that shines bright like a diamond. Neither delicate nor timid, her self-tagged “bad bitch” persona commands attention and is a statement of intent to achieve galactic domination. But, this is not about Robyn Rihanna Fenty, it is about women like her.

The Bad Girl Club is a fellowship of the ‘gentle sex’ who are pioneers of their time. They are feisty warriors who persevered, survived, crisscrossed lines, challenged social order, and escaped unthinkable conditions to accomplish missions and ambitions. Tooled up with an arsenal of intellect, sexuality, and the art of manipulation they changed the world around them, making history as bad-girl revolutionaries.

Source: By SIGMAVimeo: Fenty Beauty by Rihanna (view archived source)

Bad Girl Club

For the average teen whose anthropology is referenced by YouTube, BET, and MTV, Bad Girls are those whom Usher ‘wanna take to the restroom’ – this is not about them. For Bad Girls who are brats with too much access – this is also not about them.  The Bad Girl Club is not a new revelation. And, it is certainly not Oxygen network’s reality show featuring women with big mouths, questionable-sized minds, and gold-digging ambitions.

Grace Jones, Credit: Stuart Sevastos

The Bad Girl league of champions is made of women who, by design, desire or DNA surveyed their situation and rather than accept certain demise, being hushed, marginalised, or misrepresented, step up to and played the life game by their own rules. Bad Girls reigned through the ages, from BC to the noughties. Today’s booty-shaking prima donna may characterize a dumbed-down version of these sacred women, yet is akin to the Amazons. They forged a blueprint of iconic heroines who are a  tour de force. They defined their era, and impacted generation, after generation. The Bad Girl Club is a social order by which society and today’s pop culture define themselves.

If Rihanna is right that “well-behaved bitches seldom make history” (a requote of Lauren Thatcher Ulrich’s “well-behaved women seldom make history”), is it DNA that distinguishes the good girls from the bad?

Bad Girl: Miss-Representation

Whether by intent or accident, a Bad Girl is an activist of courage and consciousness.  While we may be complicit in joining the media in slagging off Bad Girl protagonists, their choices and voices are integral to the critical role of women in shaping modern communities and nations.  All hell broke loose when women demanded the right to vote, let that sink in! In Saudi Arabia, women are just about allowed to drive themselves to the mall – let that really sink in! In many communities, the type of work women are permitted to do is still contrived by law, religion, or culture.

Long before the world heard of Rihanna, another Bajan beauty ruled Bridgetown. Madam “Rachel Pringle” Polgreen was a hotelier and shrewd entrepreneur in the late 1800s.  Her mother was a slave and her father was her mother’s master.  Voluptuous in her magnificence, frank and robust in character, Rachel Pringle was a “trollop” by staunch Christian standards – the religion introduced as an institution of control for West Indian slaves. Her Royal Naval Hotel brought her notoriety and was a hotspot brothel favoured by British Naval personnel.  Prince William Henry and his troop of chauvinist naval, alpha males rampaged through the brothel one debaucherous night, wrecked it, then departed.  Shrewdly and fearlessly, this feisty daughter of a slave presented the prince with the bill for damages – he paid up!

This single act of fierceness brought Rachel Pringle greater recognition and her business portfolio expanded to ownership of ten hotels in the city of Bridgetown. Rachel Pringle is an original Caribbean Bad Girl. She dared to choose a controversial line of business in an age when men ran things. Defying the odds as a freed slave, she achieved unprecedented success and was an unlikely champion, unapologetic and headstrong. Yet, Rachel Pringle is an iconic caricature more for her tits, rather than her wits.

Bad Girl: Transcending Reality

The Bad Girl persona transcends reality and emerges in contemporary, pop culture. The “Olivia Pope” character in Shonda Rhimes’ political thriller, “Scandal” set on Capitol Hill and based on Judy Smith, a former press aide in the George Bush administration, is a recent example.  Kerry Washington, as Pope, is a crisis-management fixer. She is a Bad Girl who is cool-tempered, sharp-witted vixen, and apathetic to the man’s world in which she functions. With audacity, Pope shuts down anyone remotely contrary to her solutions to the USA’s biggest scandals. She fiercely dominates her environment meriting her inauguration as a bad girl revolutionary, pop culture icon.

Bad Girl Strategy: Art of Manipulation

Long before the Real Housewives mumbo-jumbo, Cleopatra VII Philopator, or simply Cleopatra, was a prototypical woman in command. Scaling the pinnacle of epic empire politics, this Bad Girl wielded power and influence. In a world of warriors and mercenaries, she seduced, manipulated, and killed for a throne. Sexuality was her weapon, beauty her asset, and the art of manipulation the linchpin of the strategy. Cleopatra was famed for her many consorts and was an assertive woman for whom men were objets j’art. She was the matriarch of manipulation. There are similarities between Cleopatra and Bad Girls, Eve and Delila. One disobeyed her God, luring her hubby and dooming mankind to mortality; the other betrayed her lover’s power – if you are a believer.

To some, a true bad bitch is a mélange of high class, explicit seduction; dexterity in manipulation; and capability of the unthinkable.  These are not qualities mommy instills as she braids her little princess’ hair, yet they are skill sets in demand. The ghetto superstar Bad Girl might want to sit this one out!

The Bad Girl Temptress is ever-present in the field of espionage, conscripting her full artillery of womanhood: intelligence, passion, sex appeal, ambition, the thrill of excitement, and disregard for conventions.

Lawrence_Alma-Tadema-_Anthony_and_Cleopatra

Mata Hari 1910 foter com f photo 7410598622 d55cec65d4“Salt”, available on Netflix, starring Angelina Jolie and “Colombiana, with Zoe Saldana are both aggressive ass-kicking women out to draw blood.  What about Pam Grier’s “Jackie Brown” as one of the pivotal game-changers for black female characters and actors?  These screen characters are not the pure creative brilliance of Hollywood scriptwriters, producers, and directors. The Bad Girl Club can conjure real living-breathing-dying heroes from its fellowship. Margaretha Geertruida Zelle, famously Mata Hari was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan. Accused of spying for Germany during the First Great War, she was executed by firing squad in France in 1917. The beauty and allure of this femme fatale gave her access and opportunity during wartime Europe, and her active service was attributed to the deaths of over 50,000 soldiers.

Bad Girl, Mia Mottley: Power and Prejudice in the Caribbean

Official State Portrait of Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, QC, MP, EGH, OR, Prime Minister of Barbados

Powerful Caribbean women are often feared, revered, and criticised.  Barbadian Mia Amour Mottley is an eloquent, feisty political figure, and sharp as a tack.  Mia Mottley, QC, MP, EGH, OR hails from a family of strong individuals and aged 29 became the youngest appointee to a ministerial post in Barbados, as Minister of Education.  Should you ever witness or be the unfortunate recipient of a tongue thrashing from Ms Mottley one would quickly understand her prowess.  She became Attorney General, Minister of Home Affairs, and the first female opposition leader. With every achievement, she broke gender barriers with her tenacity.

Yet, in Caribbean nation-state politics, where prominent women with influence are often adjudged as gaining leverage off the shoulders of husbands, Ms. Mottley living out her dream and ambitions drew speculation of her sexuality.  Such are the antics, prejudices, and imbalances that may drive a good woman to join the Bad Girl Club.

In the 2018 general election in Barbados, Mottley achieved another first, becoming Barbados’ first female Prime Minister. Mottley led the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) to the biggest majority government in the country’s history, winning over 70% of the popular vote and all 30 seats in the legislature.

It is lazy to think of a Bad Girl as a woman who has made poor choices.  See her instead as a woman unapologetic about the decisions she makes. By default or design, the Bad Girl is an activist who through perseverance develops characteristics that set her apart.  Her life is never shy of controversy, and in living out her ambitions she is either admired or revered, but never ignored. Trying to contain a Bad Girl is like trying to silence an activist.  Attempting to chain a confident, self-assured woman who looks to no one to define her, is a bridge one should never try to cross.

Who do you suggest is worthy of recognition by the Real Bad Girl Club?

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18 Comments

    1. Scottie: Maybe there should be a social media movement to promote the positive aspect of the BAD GIRL – Women of valour

      1. true ,rather the negatives ; An empowered woman cares about herself and takes good care of herself in different aspects:
        Her body: this is the temple of her soul and it is sacred to her. She uses it and does it well through dance, sports, and/or other physical activities. She feeds it high quality foods that will make it stronger, more energized, and more attractive. She shares it with only those who have shown to her that they care about what’s inside he
        She is in her power and knows that her utmost priority is to belong and be happy with herself (body, mind, heart, and soul) because that is where her greatness and beauty stems from. Fulfilled and joyful, the empowered woman takes pride and is delighted to be the mother, sister, daughter, wife, lover, professional, role model she is to those in her life and to the world.SO as @mack say BAD GIRLS MOTHER cause my mom is also one of those mother she did alot to keep her kids from hunger ,keep me and sibs in school to get a education to make her proud ..i also like to name some very bad girls .Boudica ,Joan of Arc,Mary Wollstonecraft (fight for the right of women) these women are the true positive Badgirls

  1. well since you outline it like that i think the real bad girls are the mother who work hard two and three to feed the kid and keep a shelter over her head

  2. Mack; mothers were not forgotten. Anyone of West Indian decent, especially, knows what an important role the strength and determination of Island mothers and grand mothers played in the moulding of genreations for people. Great Point.

  3. @Anthony nice man ..I WILL BE STRONG SUPPORT OF THE WHOLE Acubien team i cant wait for the next post #amazing article i love itttttttttttttttttt

  4. @Scottie there is most definitely be a Part 2. Thank you all for the supportive comments and the great feedback. We will continue to provide you with great reads and unique perspectives.

  5. One thing you cant deny is that a Bad Girl exudes confidence. What is one of the most appealing qualities of a woman? Confidence.

    My favourite line of this whole piece is “This Bad Girl league of champions are women who, by design, desire or DNA surveyed their circumstances and rather than accept certain demise, be quieted, marginalised or misrepresented, step up to the mark and played the life game by their own rules.” You have to be confident to do this, and if you can do that you can do anything.

    Good piece!

    1. Ricardito: Like a double edged sword, a woman of Great Confidence can strike fear into others– Many men do not know how to relate to a Confident, independent woman!

  6. if being a “bad girl” means an empowered woman, i would recommend Assata Shakur, and Winnie Mandella as my examples of “bad girl”.

    1. empress modupe olufunmi-jacobs: Excellent recommendations, Thank you. On a survey currently running our Facebook page about which women are inspirations, Mary Seacole is currently the leading woman. However, so few have so their own suggestions . Is this a reflection of the shared knowledge of collective history? See survey status here:
      https://www.facebook.com/pages/acubien/116540158500740

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