Joan Jett was “disappointed” The Runaways had so many male fans.
The 63-year-old rocker – who was joined in the band by Sandy West, Micki Steele, Cherie Currie, and Jackie Fox – wanted to appeal to women but could understand why their female followers would be hesitant to mix with “leering” guys in the crowd.
She said: “I was disappointed to a degree that the audience was full of guys leering – but I also understood why.
I guess that had to be kind of scary for girls to go in there and watch to a degree – I wasn’t in the audience but I can only imagine the guys had quite an… energy about them out there.”
Joan felt it was important for her group to “give a voice” to unrepresented young women and got frustrated by the double standards that she faced.
She told MOJO: “Teenage girls think about sex, teenage girls talk about sex and just because it makes society uncomfortable doesn’t mean they’re going to stop.
“So you need to give voice to that because boys have a voice, being able to sing about their puberty, growing up, all that stuff.
“Mick Jagger can ride out on an inflatable penis… Not that I need to come out on an inflatable vagina – but I’m just saying I should be able to do it.
“As a kid, that’s what bugged me the most – the unfairness of it. It’s the principle. It’s the f****** principle.”
And the ‘Cherry Bomb’ hitmaker knew she and her bandmates had the musical talent to compete with other top bands.
She said: “I’d put our musicianship up against anybody’s. Sandy’s drumming up against any drummer. Lita’s guitar playing up against any lead guitar player.”