A Little Less Conversation…
Something is going wrong with diversity panels – we keep needing to have them. My work teaching on the Popular Music Degree at the Royal Northern College of Music has led me to develop a particular interest in the lack of female pop music instrumentalists. While panel talks and discussions on the topic are often rich, each has a sense of returning to ‘square one’ – establishing the problem, and trying to unpick the reasons why. The ‘whys’ are of course important, but they are not solutions. While we talk and talk, the cultural perception of guitar, bass and drums as inherently male becomes further ingrained.
Devil in Disguise
I moved a recent discussion I chaired onto possible solutions. One colleague suggested that perhaps the audition list for his institution was too ‘rock based’ and therefore might be off-putting to females. In a discussion with my class a few years ago at another institution, one female student contributed that perhaps it was because guitars are ‘too heavy’. Another suggested that it is simply a case of ‘family life’ making such a career an ‘impossibility’. It is interesting how those who wish to break down the barriers can also be subconsciously guilty of their reinforcement.
Suspicious Minds
But what about PJ Harvey? Meg White? St Vincent? Whataboutism does not detract from an overall picture of under-representation (and if anyone brings up the guitar made ‘for women’ with a cutaway to make way for breasts, I offer in response Yngwie Malmsteen’s beer gut. If that bad boy doesn’t get in the way, let’s not pretend that breasts do).
So what can we as educators do?
Girls! Girls! Girls!
- We know we should consider gender diversity in the classroom when choosing examples but do we always do it? Highlighting gender diverse contributions may not reflect the popular music canon as it exists, but it’s necessary in order to ensure the future canon fully represents and reflects the population. We need to look harder.
- We must consider gender diversity not just among staff – but visiting lecturers, masterclass givers, external examiners. We should consider the balance of our marketing materials, the staffing of open days and auditions, and how a young person’s initial contact with our environment proves to them that there are no boundaries to their musical goals.
- Anecdotal evidence from European colleagues at a recent conference supports Green’s work (1997) in showing that gendered activity (pre age 14) had positive results at their institution, with young females flourishing in female only bands. What targeted initiatives are we putting into practice to help redress the balance?
She’s Not You
- Young women are less likely to speak up in large, male-dominated groups. Let’s target our encouragement, giving additional training and support where necessary to make this change. Let’s be aware of the gendered groups that fall within the classroom – is lunchtime dominated by a gendered clique? Can we make space for different groups to co-exist?
If I Can Dream…
- Research suggests that young females are more likely to avoid risk, as they develop a sense of it earlier than males. Can we give them that extra encouragement to experiment within their songwriting and improvisation work? Despite the pressures of curriculum and grading, we must work to encourage creativity, experimentation and rule breaking. Popular music is not about following the status-quo, but establishing a new one. One with some gender diversity would be nice.
…It’s Now or Never!