Marta Pallarès Olivares’ 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

Sad news to all our music industry colleagues in the UK... 😢 "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.” https://lnkd.in/dG2m4mFA #misogyny #musicbusiness #nda #harassment #discrimation #equality

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.

A groundbreaking study by Concerts SA, in collaboration with SAMRO, IKS Cultural Consulting, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, has unveiled the harsh realities faced by women in live music. Conducted in late 2023, this research surveyed 357 industry professionals, revealing profound gender inequalities 🎶🚨 . Key findings: - 56% of women earn less than R5,000 per month. - 63% face inappropriate remarks and mansplaining regularly. This vital research underscores the urgent need for systemic change to ensure fair pay, safe working conditions, and genuine representation for women in the industry. Despite the financial and psychological costs, an impressive 90% of women in the study feel confident in their place within the live music sector. It's time to address these disparities and support the incredible women who drive our industry forward. Read more about the study and join the conversation on how we can foster a more equitable and inclusive environment for all. #WomenInMusic #LiveMusic #GenderEquality #IndustryChange #SupportWomen https://lnkd.in/dCRJ7vp8

Extract-Half of women in music experience discrimination, report finds Misogyny, sexual discrimination and harassment are still everyday problems for female musicians in the UK, a damning new report has found. It says that one third of women in the music industry have been sexually harassed at work, with many reporting it as a barrier to their career. Women are also eight times more likely to face discrimination than men. The findings come from the first ever UK Musicians' Census, conducted by the Musicians' Union and Help Musicians. It surveyed more than 6,000 music industry professionals, of whom 2,526 identified as women. The report said women are paid less than men, and often experience shorter careers, despite being trained and educated to a higher level. More than a quarter of female musicians (27%) said they did not earn enough from music to sustain a career, compared to 20% of men. On average, women earn 10% less than their male counterparts, with an average annual income of £19,850 compared to £21,750 for men… "It's vital that the industry makes genuine commitments and takes decisive actions" to "prevent" the findings being repeated, said Nadia Khan, founder of the non-profit music development organisation Women in CTRL. "True progress can only be achieved when we address these systemic issues head-on and create a more equitable landscape for women in music." The new findings echo a report made by MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee in January. They described the music industry as a "boys' club" where sexual harassment and abuse are "endemic", and called for legislation to tackle the problem. The report, by a cross-party group of MPs, followed an inquiry into misogyny in the music industry, which began in June 2022. It heard evidence from people including the former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Macmanus, known as Annie Mac, who said there was a "tidal wave" of revelations about sexual assault in the music industry waiting to be told… Jobs are often stereotyped by gender, too, the report said. Only 12% of studio engineers, 8% of rappers, and 24% of DJs are women. By contrast, women account for 59% of the roles in classical music. Naomi Pohl, general secretary of the Musicians' Union, said stories like these illustrated how women were still being "held back" in the music industry. "We have long advocated for better pay gap reporting, and hope the census findings will encourage the industry to take action, be more transparent and make change." https://lnkd.in/e9iv9MB6

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.

In January, the UK parliament’s Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) published the report for its Misogyny in Music inquiry, with strong criticism of the music industry’s culture and practices. It offered a number of recommendations to music companies, but also to the British government. Now the WEC has criticised the latter for its response. “It stopped short of accepting the cross-party Committee’s wide-ranging recommendations to transform industry protections,” said the committee in a press release. Those recommendations included giving freelance workers more protection; imposing a duty on employers to protect workers from sexual harassment; and barring the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases involving sexual abuse, harassment and misconduct, as well as bullying, harassment and discrimination. “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,” said committee chair Caroline Nokes MP. Read The Full Story Here: https://lnkd.in/dv9Tsd8t #UKPolitics #MusicIndustry #Equality #musically #musicnews #readmore

The 25 Best Pride Songs of 2024 (So Far): Staff Picks https://ift.tt/SMigbl4 At a time of year where calls for increased representation reach a fever pitch, the LGBTQ+ community is especially in need of greater depiction in the music business. As a recent survey conducted by Queer Capita, The Orchard and Billboard found, nearly half of surveyed LGBTQ+ workers said they found the music industry’s current levels of representation to be lacking, while a mere 8% felt their respective companies provided adequate resources for their queer-identifying employees. Simply put, queer music professionals are ready to see real change happen for their community. Related Love Letters to the LGBTQ Community: Read the Notes From Doechii, UMI, Allison Ponthier… 06/01/2024 It’s a sentiment shared by the queer community at large today — while state legislatures around the U.S. have already introduced over 500 anti-LGBTQ bills, reporting shows that public reception of such legislation has shifted. The Human Rights Campaign released a polling memo in May, showing that according to a number of national polls, a majority of Americans agree that legislation against the LGBTQ+ community has gone too far. Yet in an industry where queer professionals feel they’re not being adequately platformed and a time where LGBTQ+ people are actively under attack, it sure feels like 2024 has been a banner year for queerness in music. Across genres and styles, LGBTQ+ artists have provided fans with some of the most-loved music of the last six months. Some queer artists have even managed to find massive success on the charts, a feat considered practically impossible in musical eras past. If the first few years of the 2020s marked a queer awakening in popular music, then 2024 may well serve as the start of an official queer renaissance. With so many excellent entries from LGBTQ+ musicians to choose from in 2024, which ones stand out amongst the rest? Below, Billboard staffers offer our picks of the 25 best songs from LGBTQ+ artists released in 2024. via Billboard https://ift.tt/3t6jFcM June 26, 2024 at 01:00PM

Happy International Women's Day! At Pandion Music Foundation, we are so proud to have an all women-led staff and Board, and an audience of 60% women music creators. We want to take a moment to mention the amazing work that USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative is doing to study and track data surrounding diversity and inclusion in the music industry. Without this research, we would not be able to accurately measure growth, or pinpoint areas that still need improvement in the industry. 
 The report’s Associate Professor of Communication, Stacy L. Smith states, “‘The changes for songwriters are doubtlessly due to the work of numerous groups working to support women in music…Whether She Is The Music, Spotify Equal, Moving the Needle, Women’s Audio Mission, Be the Change, Keychange, Girls Make Beats, or others, there has been a groundswell of support for women across the last several years. This advocacy and activism is propelling change in the industry. While there is work to be done, these groups are well-positioned to keep fighting for change.’” 
 We are honored to be another nonprofit doing this imperative work to help shift the industry toward one that is more supportive across all lines of diversity.    Check out more stats from the Annenberg report here: https://lnkd.in/gPBayKk8 #internationalwomensday #womenshistorymonth #musicians #nonprofit

NEARLY ONE-FIFTH OF MUSICIANS FROM GLOBAL MAJORITY BACKGROUNDS SAID THEY COULDN’T SEE THEMSELVES IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY IN 5 YEARS TIME We cannot let that happen. It’s time to address bullying and harassment in the UK music industry. Black Lives in Music (BLiM) are launching their #YourSafetyYourSay survey on Bullying and Harassment in the music industry. https://lnkd.in/ee_qgPxz BLiM is an organisation set up to address racial inequality in the music industry and create opportunities for Black, Asian and ethnically diverse musicians and professionals. BLiM will use the anonymous survey to collect real-world data. This will inform legislation and the work of the new Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) and the wider music industry. It will also be used to support BLiM’s forthcoming Anti-Racist Code of Conduct and reporting tool, which will work towards eradicating discrimination, bullying and harassment throughout the music ecosystem. Roberto Neri, CEO of The Ivors Academy, said “There is no place for bullying, harassment and discrimination in music. No one in the industry should be abusing their positions and no victims should be silenced through NDAs or fearful of the implications of speaking out. It is time that freelancers are not left vulnerable and isolated. Black Lives in Music’s research is a powerful way to give voice and drive the change that we need. I encourage everyone in music to complete the survey and take us one step closer to a fair and just industry." Complete the survey in full now. https://lnkd.in/ee_qgPxz Your answers can help us shape the music industry for the better. #YourSafetyYourSay #shareyourstory #saferspacesnow #musicindustrymatters #equality #socialjustice #diversityandinclusion #inclusionmatters #changetheworld #musicindustry #musicindustrynews