Conversation so far:
Exactly what is meant by the Spice Girls Girl power?
The phrase "girl power" put a name to a social phenomenon, but the slogan was met with mixed reactions.
What mixed reactions did it have?
post classical neo-feminist empowerment embraced by the band: that a sensual, feminine appearance and equality between the sexes need not be mutually exclusive.
What else happened following these mixed reactions?
it was not until the emergence of the Spice Girls in 1996 with "Wannabe", that the concept of "girl power" exploded onto the common consciousness.

Question: Were there a lot of controversy going on at this time?
Self-contained rewrite: Were there a lot of controversy going on at the time when "girl power" became a part of the common consciousness?