Media Marginalizes Women In Music

My favorite magazine is VenusZine. It is a music magazine that features mostly indie rock artists and focuses on female musicians. What disappoints me is that there is actually a strong need for a magazine such as Venus. Why is there such a need? Because the majority of music magazines on the market focus on male talent. Althought magazines such as Spin and Rolling Stone make mention of female artists, I find that women are often presented in a marginalized fashion.

Many female artists that earn attention from magazines are displayed as a flavor of the month. Some may argue that male solo artists and bands alike often grace magazine covers and lead articles in the same way. I disagree as the female artists that appear on the cover of mainstream media are often mainstream artists. There is a wide world full of female artists that do not get much media attention.

In the late 1990s there was a "women in rock" trend. Lilith Fair came into play and women were placed into two categories. "Angry" women such as Alanis Morrissette was pegged to be or "sensitive" folk singers like Jewel. Instead of being viewed as female musicians they became females who happened to be were musicians. They were female AND they were capable of making music. As if that was such a phenomenon!

In the late 80s and early 90s the Riot Grrrl movement consisted of punk bands that also created workshops and activities that encouraged feminism and a DIY (do it yourself) ethic. Unfortunately, some saw this movement as a cutsie trend and began shouting "girl power!" in a surfaced Spice Girl fashion.

It is my belief that many record companies and other forms of media perpetuate the myth that music must be about what's flashy only and not about making people think. Should we be worried about the future of music? Should we be worried about how women are perceived in music?

To be honest I do get scared sometimes. On the one hand I see what a powerful force women are in music. On the other hand I see how some women are either neglected, superficially marketed, marginalized or exploited.

One example became blatantly apparent on a routine trip to the market. How many of us trot up to the check out aisle and take a glimpse at the yellow journalism staring us in the face by the gum and TV guides? I know I do. We all know that the trash magazines are stacked strategically in attempts to tempt us into making an impulse purchase.

To my surprise The National Enquirer featured a photo of one of my favorite music artists. Beth Ditto is the lead singer of one of my favorite punk bands The Gossip. She is a powerhouse all on her own. Her voice is amazing. Even if the band isn't your taste in music I think most will agree the girl's got chops.



So, why was she on the cover of this gossip magazine? Because she's heavy. A photo was taken of her in a bikini and she was labeled as having one of the worst "beach bods". I was surprised to see her in the magazine and then my surprise quickly turned into frustration. The Gossip is not a mainstream band and is not played on any mainstream radio station. I'm sure many who saw the photo thought to themselves...Beth Ditto who? The Gossip who? Apparently she is news worthy though, not because she has a powerful voice but but because she is a heavy woman.



In weeks following the Beth Ditto mention in the Enquirer I noticed that she kept popping up in the same magazine. I don't know how Beth was portrayed in any article that may have appeared on the inside of the magazine. But it's safe to say that her weight was more of an issue than her talent. While the Enquirer is not a music magazine, their photo spread is just one example of how the media is willing to portray female artists.