The most influential femme rockers of our time did not make their mark as easy as their cis-male counterparts. Fighting tooth and nail, these femme listeners, artists, and community members still face intimidation because of their gender expression. Here's a comprehensive list on how to be an engaged, mindful, and affirming ally for the women in rock music.
1. Make space for the girls!
In a quite literal sense, make space for women in rock! When in a physical place such as concerts, there is a tendency for meant to barricade near the front of the stage whether they intend to or not. This pushes other participants, most of which are women, to the back and creates a strained and detached experience during live shows.
Pushing other participants to the back, regardless of what they identify as, asserts a tense and hostile environment. No matter if you're moshing or simply jumping up and down in place, those who which to participate or simply observe have the right to do so. So that being said, move a couple steps over, you're still gonna get the same view as the girl who's been waiting in queue for as long as you! Oh, and if the artists performing shout "all girls to the front", that means ALL GIRLS TO THE FRONT!
2. Amplify voices.
There are times and places for opinions, thoughts, and ideas to be shared. Whether it be discourse over bands, discussions on how to make a stand, or simply ideas for fashion choices, it is important to have diversity within those discussions. There has been a common trend of women or femme presenting individual's voices being suppressed or not as valued in these spaces.
A great way to be a solid ally to the women in rock is to ensure that their voices are heard as equally as their male counterparts. If you see someone in the midst of sharing a thought and they're interrupted or unjustly shot down, take the time to affirm that they have the right to share their opinions. Say something like, "Hey, I found that thought you were sharing to be really interesting _____, I'd love to hear more if you're willing to share" or, "Sorry (interrupter), but (interrupted) was sharing something and it's only fair if we let them finish".
Also, another way to amplify femme voices (that also falls under some of these other tips), is to share or repost any works or thoughts that you think are interesting! Social media is a very powerful tool and when used wisely, it can help get these femme voices out.
3. Branch out!
Have you ever taken a look at the artists you listen to and thought to yourself, "damn, they're all kind of the same"? That's a telling sign that you might need to diversify your pallette a little bit. Now don't get me wrong, Led Zeppelin and some good ol' Black Sabbath have their bangers and there's absolutely nothing wrong with listening to artists who have a pretty good rep in the community, but it also doesn't hurt to listen to those who might look or sound a little different.
Through the help of modern technology, a quick google search of "female rock bands" can take you a long way. Take the time to look and listen to these women-fronted or majority bands, it is beneficial in expanding knowledge on the rock community as well as making you a good ally to the underrepresented. Bands like Sleater-Kinney or The Runaways will surely get you addicted to their sound, so pop those headphones in and open your ears. You never know, you can probably find your new favorite sound!
4. Be mindful of who you are listening to.
This tip goes beyond face-value of who is visible in the artists you listen to. Pay attention to the history, actions, or words spoken by the individuals who are a part of the bands you like. Problematic behavior from some cis-male performers is unfortunately not an uncommon trait in rock. Whether it be sexism in their music, shows, or their overall attitude and actions towards women, there is danger in amplifying voices that are objectively irresponsible.
For instance, Guns N' Roses is a very well-known band within rock music. Having plenty of hit songs, the members of GNR have made quite the name for themselves. This being said, in their album art, lyrics, and overall actions towards women, they've been incredibly sexist, reckless, and irresponsible. From depicting women being sexually assaulted in their album art or having history of domestic violence with their partners, the band members of GNR have had quite the problematic past and for the most part, have not taken proper accountability for what they've done. Continuing to outwardly support artists like GNR despite knowing the things they've done or said only creates an unsafe space for women in rock.
Along with the male artists, make sure that the same research for the women you decide to support is done as well. The last thing you'd want to do is to amplify a femme-presenting individual who has their own problematic past, for it will only add more stigma to an already underrepresented and under-respected community in rock music.
5. Where is this critique coming from?
No one is going to or should be forcing you to like each and every female rocker you listen to, that would just be performative allyship. You are entitled to your own opinions on the things you listen to just as much as the next person is. If you don't like someone's sound or you just can't seem to find the hype in a band's style, that's perfectly okay and normal.
However, when you are critiquing something that you don't like, it's always a good rule of thumb to ask yourself why you don't like it exactly. What's stopping you from enjoying this band or what is this band doing that you just can't quite get behind? Without a valid reason popping up immediately, such as not liking the way the band utilizes their instruments or not liking the lyrics or art, it might be a good idea to go deeper on your opinion. Look up other artists you listen to and see if there are any commonalities.
If the bands you like have similar techniques or sounds to the femme rockers you REALLY don't like, you should probably reflect on your own values and ear for music. It could be you don't like them because the femme rockers are simply just women, the sexist history of the rock community tainting your perception of the skill of these women. Reset your brain, take the time to do your research and educate yourself, and then come back with a more open ear and open mind.
Unjustly over-critiquing women because of their gender expression has been a rampant issue since the start of rock music, it's time to end it once and for all.
6. Actively support bands and artists.
You are now at the point where you've found some femme rockers that you can really get down with, go you! No matter how big or small these women are in the rock community, you are not only beign an ally to the women in rock, but you are also ensuring that there is diversity in the rock community.
So what next? Go to shows if you can afford them! One of the bands you like have announced a show in your city, ticket prices are affordable and you're free that night. That it is your sign to go! By showing up physically and supporting them in their venues not only helps these women revenue to continue creating what they love, but it also shows them that there are people out there who want to hear what they have to say!
Can't afford tickets? There are other great ways to support the femme-presenting individuals! Follow their social media, share and repost their music and announcements, tell your friends about them! Word of mouth (and text) go a really long way.
And with that, this concludes the list on how to be a good ally to the women in rock....for now at least. ;)
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