Questions, mostly

No, and that's on purpose. Each gaggle is fully autonomous. The international network is deliberately disorganized: no dues, no bylaws, no central committee. We're more of a shared spirit than an organization.

All it takes is a few good women of that certain age, a shared sense of outrage, and the willingness to get out there and sing about it. We have a full Starter Kit with everything you need: how to pick your issues, write your songs, find your granny garb, and get raging.

Most gaggles meet regularly to rehearse and plan actions, but how they organize is entirely up to them. Some rotate facilitation, some have a designated convenor, some just show up. Nobody has to file paperwork with anyone. The one thing we do have in common is that we make decisions by consensus, free from hierarchical leadership.

The international network does not. Most gaggles operate informally and self-fund through their members. If you want to support the work, support the issues we're singing about.

We write them ourselves, almost without exception. We set our lyrics to familiar tunes (lullabies, hymns, pop songs, folk standards) so audiences pick up the melody immediately and the satire lands. Some songs travel between gaggles; many stay local to the issue and town that birthed them.

Two reasons. First, a familiar tune means we don't burn rehearsal time we'd rather spend protesting. Second, the contrast between a tune the audience loves and lyrics that name the thing nobody wants to name is exactly what makes the joke work.

Our Song Library is a collection of nearly 1,500 songs written by Raging Grannies from gaggles all over the world. You can search by issue, by gaggle, or by tune, and every song has a printable songsheet you can download and bring to your next action. Think of it as our shared arsenal, one verse at a time.

Yes, with credit. Our songs are part of an activist commons. Alter the lyrics to fit your situation, swap in your local issue, change the city name. That's the tradition.

Mostly no. We're a live, in-public form, and the songbook is the durable artifact. A handful of gaggles have made recordings over the years; most haven't bothered.

Song submissions are open to Raging Grannies only. Head to our Submit a Song page for details and access.

Whatever needs raging about. Peace and anti-militarism (the founding issue), the environment and climate, healthcare, reproductive rights, racism, economic inequality, ageism, and whatever else needs naming this week. Each gaggle picks its own focus based on what's happening locally.

No. We are not a political party and we are not affiliated with one. Individual grannies hold all kinds of political views. What unites us is a commitment to peace, justice, and the belief that ordinary women can make extraordinary noise. We take positions on issues, not personalities.

No. We come from many traditions and none. We sometimes coalition with peace groups, environmental groups, healthcare advocates, and others on specific actions, but the gaggle itself doesn't represent any other body.

The "raging" in our name refers to creative rage: a combination of deep compassion, concern for the future, and a willingness to confront social issues with wit and perseverance. We rage because we care. And we do it with song, humor, and a flowered hat, because nothing catches people off guard quite like strong lyrics coming from sweet little old ladies.

Of course. Eighty-plus autonomous groups are not going to march in lockstep, and we wouldn't want them to. When differences come up, consensus is always the goal, both within gaggles and across the network. If two gaggles take different positions on something, that's the network working as designed.

If your story is about a specific gaggle, reach out to that gaggle directly through their page. For questions about the international network, the songbook, or the movement as a whole, use our contact form and we'll route you to a Granny who can speak to it.

Most gaggles are happy to come sing if the issue aligns with our work. Reach out to the gaggle nearest you. There's no booking fee, but covering reasonable travel costs is appreciated. Don't expect a polished concert. Expect activism with hats.

Show up to actions. Share songs and posts. Donate to the local issues we're singing about. Tell your friends. And if you're a woman of that certain age with a sense of humor and a sense of outrage, maybe it's time to stop supporting and start singing.

Photos belong to whoever took them, so we can't grant rights centrally. For songs, our parody lyrics are usually freely available for nonprofit and educational use with credit. For commercial use, contact the gaggle the song came from.