Hebert de Almeida 🎯’s Post

There are real challenges around misogyny in music. Last month our government (sighs but not surprised) rejected the findings of a report about this https://lnkd.in/e9nq22Js Ill be on panel discussing this at a Gender in Music Conference this month led by the The F List for Music My focus will be the misogyny queer women face. When I set up Out & Wild Festival I was focused on supporting the audience but it soon became clear artists value the space because they just don’t get the representation they should. Especially at Prides. Last year one of the biggest Prides in the UK had less than 20% of acts identify as queer women or non-binary. And 26 acts (over 50%) were drag queens with just 2 drag kings. And when women do appear it tends to be the acts that gay men loved growing up, most of whom are not queer women. I speak to acts who never get asked to perform at Prides, despite being massively talented. Many also say they find Prides or events play heavily to stereotypes and are feel over sexualised. Making them not the best spaces to perform at. I was involved in setting up the Women’s Stage at Pride in London when we suggested moving it from the back of a van (literally) to Leicester Square we had to fight a lot of criticism to make it happen. There are over 200 Prides across the UK. They should be for the whole community. If you are a brand that sponsors Prides I have two questions for you. Because unless you challenge you are supporting the problem. 1️⃣ Are you checking the gender balance on the board or committee. Because we all know how important representation is here. 2️⃣ Are you asking them how they ensure a fair representation of their community on stages. The good Prides do focus on this and track it. Out & Wild will be working with the F-List and others to measure representation this year. And we will report on it. Because this needs to change. #womeninmusic #pride #genderrepresentation

Gender inequality in the music industry is particularly prevalent among women and gender minorities in genres like rock, rap, and wild electronic music. Women make up a small percentage of artists, producers, and musicians. A 2020 study found that between 2012 and 2019, only 21.6% of artists on the Billboard Hot 100 were women. This gap extends to concert lineups and music festivals, where male acts dominate. Addressing this gap is critical to creating a more diverse and inclusive music industry.

The language in writing about women musicians must not describe them as outliers but reflect them as an integral part of the industry. For instance, when writing about a particular achievement of a music star, their gender need not be the focus. They should not be described as one of the best ‘female’ music stars, but rather as one of the ‘best music stars.’ Read more on the underrepresentation of women within the music industry at https://lnkd.in/ggXTNkuV #WomenInMusic #MusicWithoutBias #FemaleEmpowerment

This is just outrageous. Participating in this report was so empowering, and the final recommendations of the WEC made me hope for a safer, fair environment for our female colleagues in the UK. Wishing the WEC is able to make the Government rethink its stance. We deserve nothing less than that. ***** UK Government ‘falling short’ over action to help protect women in the music industry from harassment and discrimination, Women and Equalities Committee warns The UK Government has rejected recommendations to help protect women in the music industry from harassment and discrimination despite unequivocal backing from the creative industries watchdog CIISA and a myriad of female voices speaking out across the sector. In its response to WEC’s landmark January report on ‘Misogyny in Music’, the Government said it is “clear that everyone should be able to work in the music industry without being subject to misogyny”. However, it stopped short of accepting the WEC’s recommendations to transform industry protections, despite WEC’s warning women in music face “endemic” discrimination. It also recommended the Government should legislate to protect workers from sexual harassment by third parties, a proposal the Government initially supported and then rejected last year. On non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), the report cited distressing testimonies of victims “threatened into silence”, with WEC urging to prohibit NDAs in cases involving sexual abuse, harassment, misconduct and bullying. The Government plans to bring in such measures in higher education but did not support the recommendation to do so for music despite the compelling evidence presented. Chair of the WEC, Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP said: “The Committee’s report laid bare a “boys’ club” where sexual harassment and abuse is common and where ‘endemic’ misogyny has persisted for far too long.   “Following its shocking findings, women across the music industry have spoken out in the clearest possible terms about the need for transformative change. Improving protections and reporting mechanisms through necessary legislative and structural reforms are essential steps to achieving that.   “Ministers are letting women down with their feet dragging over NDAs. We have had platitudes and reassurance, but still no action despite evidence that the use of NDAs is rife, in far too many sectors, and they are being used to protect perpetrators and silence victims. “WEC is calling on the Government to re-think its stance, equip CIISA with the powers required to drive the changes needed or risk falling short over the action needed to protect women in the music industry from harassment and discrimination.” WEC will be holding a follow-up evidence session relating to its report on April 24th. https://lnkd.in/djCCGUCj

Yesterday Out & Wild Festival got rejected for a joint Arts Council Bid. Next week Ill be waiting for the rejections or lack of reply when I reach out to brands to support the biggest festival in the UK for queer women and those who are non-binary. Lack of funding and support for women in arts and music is shocking. This year The Department of Culture, Media and Sport refused to take any of the concrete actions recommended by a Misogyny in Music report. This was despite the report clearly showing discrimination and harrasment alongside documented evidence. 1️⃣ 51% of women reporting experiencing gender discrimination and 2️⃣ 33% reporting being sexually harassed while working as a musician. Almost two thirds of respondents said that this abuse and harassment is a career barrier. This goes alongside the shocking findings that nearly half of female festival goers (43%) under 40 say they have faced unwanted sexual behaviour at a music festival, We need the abuse and misogyny to stop. And we needed funding for support and safe spaces. #womeninmusic

New Post: Melissa Etheridge Reflects On Early Career In ‘Gender Equity In Music Report’: ‘My Queerness Protected Me’ - https://lnkd.in/gGm_WQ3c - Today (March 8) is International Women’s Day, and to mark the occasion Tunecore has released its fourth annual Be The Change: Gender Equity In Music Report. Prepared by research firm Midia, the study offers key findings on progress and challenges around representation for women and nonbinary people in the industry. Beyond the findings, the study incudes a forward from rock pioneer Melissa Etheridge, who reflects on the discrimination she has experienced and witnessed during her four decade career. She notes that while women have dominated the charts for decades, “typically white, male executives have profited from our labor.” She also tracks some of the changes she’s seen during her long music career, noting that the industry has become more inclusive for women and gender expansive people since she started out in the ’80s, a time, she writes, when being gay protected her from some of the discrimination she saw straight women experiencing. She emphasizes how crucial it is to truly be the change one is hoping to affect, writing that “people are sometimes driven by their own misunderstanding and fear, so if you become the love you want to see, we hope they will feel that and change.” Read Etheridge’s foreward in full: It’s no secret that the music industry has historically been a boys’ club. There have been decades of music defined by incredible women dominating the charts, but behind the scenes women have often been pushed aside and prevented from reaching the same career heights while typically white, male executives have profited from our labor. When I started in the business back in the ‘80s, the A&R reps who came out to see me were all men. There were very few women in the business, and this was the norm at the time. In the late ‘80s, the industry started to change. There was finally a bit of interest in women artists’ music and experiences. In 1988, when I was finally signed and my album came out, women were starting to break through the industry wall. Tracy Chapman, k.d. lang, Toni Childs, and Sinéad O’Connor were writing and releasing songs, and people finally started paying attention and realizing we had something to say. In music—as in life—being a woman comes with its own set of obstacles, both seen and unseen. Ranging from unequal pay and a diminished sense of autonomy to the countless cases of sexual harassment and abuse that have come to light in recent years from all corners of the industry. And, these obstacles are compounded for women of color and gender expansive individuals. What was the hardest for me was also a blessing. I was lucky enough to find steady work in L.A.’s lesbian bars, so when I entered the music industry, it was already known that I was g

Share the Air - Representation on Canadian Radio ( 2013-2023 ) - Executive Summary ( SongData + Women in Music Canada + National Arts Centre - June 2024 ) - TOP 150 SONGS ON THE YEAREND REPORTS ( 2013 to 2023 ) reveal that songs by women and Trans* artists ( including transgender, nonbinary, genderqueer ) have been underplayed - - on Country, Alternative Rock and Active Rock radio, songs by women are most under-programmed ( average of 8.0% across formats ), women of colour ( average of 0.7% ) - on Top 40, Mainstream AC and Hot AC radio, there was more diversity on the yearend reports, with songs by women averaging about 1/3 of the airplay. However, this was mostly for songs by white women, as songs by women of colour averaged just 6.5% across these formats Throughout the analysis of the top 150 songs played on the 6 mainstream formats, a significant racial inequity was observed wherein songs by white men received the most airplay and those by artists of colour – especially women – were under-programmed. Perhaps most disconcerting of these findings is the near absence of songs by Indigenous artists from all 6 formats. Because the industry has historically been an inequitable cultural system, developed around racial segregation and gender discrimination, and because each sector of the industry has historically relied on the data generated by their own internal processes to make business decisions, they are reinforcing and indeed exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and discriminatory practices. See - Executive Summary ( English ) - https://lnkd.in/eGQGcMa5 Full Report ( English ) - https://lnkd.in/e_sVspwH See - Share the Air + Partageons les Ondes - https://lnkd.in/ebKXTTzK

🎵 "Breaking Down Barriers: Women in the Music Industry" 🎵 🔥 When #MeToo shook Hollywood, the music industry couldn’t escape the spotlight. Now, it’s time for our own reckoning. 💥 🚫 Gatekeepers—those industry insiders—hold the keys. They decide who gets airplay, who shines, and who stays silent. But here’s the twist: they’re also responsible for diversity. Let’s break the mold! 🌟 🎤 Empowering artists means diversifying gatekeeper roles. It’s time to amplify women’s voices, challenge norms, and create equal opportunities. 🙌 💰 Equal pay? Still a battle. But let’s bridge gaps—race, LGBTQ+, and beyond—through community and empowerment. 💡 👉 Read more 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eqqerr7a 🎶 #BreakingBarriers #MusicIndustry #WomenInMusic

I personally have felt that being a female has hindered opportunities for growth, so I think its important to drive awareness. Though awareness isn't enough without action. And sometimes I think people are too scared of losing their industry jobs to speak up; putting ethics and morals aside to be in the music industry because they worked so long and hard to get there or know how competitive it is to risk it all. It's sad when something is that "powerful" to make one not do the right thing. I know the article is focused on UK, but we experience it in the U.S. as well. I do think the issue with this article is it starts out with half the women, but its only surveying 6K and it seems like the 6K are all in UK. So if we want people to take it seriously, we need be more representative and expansive in our surveying. How many women are in the music industry as a whole, then look at the 6K, then look at the amount who are women, then look at the amount who say they are discriminated against. We got to come with some trustworthy data if we are supporting a cause here.

Women are almost invisible on some radio formats in Canada, according to an extensive study by Dr. Jada Watson through her research program SongData. Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023) was prepared in collaboration with Eugénie Tessier and in partnership with the National Arts Centre and Women in Music Canada. Share the Air: A Study of Gender Representation on Canadian Radio (2013-2023) aims to address this gap and focuses on radio as an entry point to discovery and exposure within the industry and examines gender representation across six radio formats in Canada. Taking an intersectional approach, this study investigates the rate of airplay for songs songs played between 2013 and 2023 to consider how often their songs are played across the national Country, Alternative Rock, Active Rock, Top 40, Mainstream Adult Contemporary, and Hot Adult Contemporary radio formats. This study was supported by Creative BC and the Province of British Columbia. Learn more: https://lnkd.in/e3W9VwKG