Music and Gender

I can start off by saying that I believe gender plays a huge role in how music is sold, and how people's opinions of music are formed.

I was one of two girls in my high school marching band drumline. I at this time was small enough to fit in my own drum, and often liked to hide in its case. I played in a hardcore/alternative band when I was in high school, and I was the only girl. I still make music to this day, and sometimes find it kind of hard to be taken seriously.

When I first joined my band in high school, with was named Mirth, I started out playing the bass guitar. If it wasn't for the drummer I probably would have never been allowed in their he-man woman haters club. (Keep in mind these are boys ranging from the age of 16-17.) The guitar players were more reluctant and the singer didn't seem to care. Eventually, I took over the lead vocals and wrote all the lyrics and the band skimmed down to the drummer and his twin brother who plays guitar. Believe it or not, even though it was the year 2005, I heard every derogatory comment under the sun.

"She can't play. Chicks can't play guitar."
"She's just for looks."
and my favorite:
"I just don't think girls can sing as good as guys can. Especially when it comes to rock music."

I aptly reminded the people that told me these things that it was 2005 and women can vote now. Although Mirth never made it big, we played many shows and won every battle of the bands we participated in. To this day I still talk to the twins and we jam once in a blue moon.

Much like Kelly's story of her mother who wanted to play the drums, my mother went through the same thing and setttled for the guiatr ( which she traded in for a paint brush). I feel that today in our society women still have a struggle to be taken seriously, especially in music. Thinking back to the days of Britney Spears I have found a reoccurng theme that women have to bare it all and the music itself doesn't even matter. If you do happen to be someone of talent in the limelight (this is all subjective, mind you) such as Lady Gaga, Beyonce, or Madonna you have to deal with rumors about your sexuality and even your gender.

I was ecstatic to meet my hero, Lucia, the female singer of the band KMFDM. She is my favorite for many reasons; her talent, honesty, to be patient enough to be in a band full of men, and her ability to be sexy and keep all her clothing on. We touched on this topic and after becoming teary eyed when I told her she was my hero she told me to be myself, stick to my guns, and be "fierce and fearless". I wish we could see more women like her as musical role models.

I feel very lucky to have grown up in a home with parents who were supportive of me, even if playing drums and being in a band wasn't considered appropriate for a girl. I do hope that as time moves on things will balance out and women can be seen more as musicians and be in the limelight for their talent and not their rock hard abs and large bottoms.