What can we do about the way the music industry treats women?

In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal and the subsequent #metoo campaign, attention has turned to the world of entertainment and cast a damning light on how the business treats women. The world of music is no different – genres like hip-hop and rap have always been under fire for this, but the problem permeates considerably deeper than that, with music having a very dark relationship with women.

Music has had a deeply unsettling relationship with women in a number of ways. Let’s look, to begin with, at the music itself. Rap and hip-hop famously refer to women as ‘hoes’ or ‘bitches,’ with music videos depicting them in ‘trashy’ ways, often to be used by men. Other genres are just as guilty, though – there is a modern strain of country music, bromance country, which is inherently sexist in nature. Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising in a genre so dominated by men, but songs like Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Get Your Shine On,’ which essentially follows some guys encouraging a nameless woman (described only physically) to dance sexually for them go a little too far. Even in pop, we’ve got things like ‘Blurred Lines,’ which had its fair share of controversy when it first hit the charts.

There is a pressure on women to be sexy in order to sell records in a way that simply does not exist for male artists

There is a pressure on women to be sexy in order to sell records in a way that simply does not exist for male artists – stemming from this, then, there have been numerous attacks on female artists for not being conventionally attractive. Kelly Clarkson has spoken out frequently about those within the industry (both news and media) who criticised her weight, telling her that she was ‘too fat’ to be a star. A woman can’t be too fat nor too skinny, because – to put it crudely – sex sells.

Even when female artists are being abused by male co-workers, there is little that has been done. The Kesha v. Dr. Luke case is a prime example. Kesha sued Dr. Luke (her producer) for drugging and raping her over 10 years, with the abuse causing her eating disorder. It was suggested during the trial that Sony Music executives were aware of the conduct, but simply chose to turn a blind eye – all charges were thrown out and eventually dropped but, despite the support of a large number of celebrities and the general public, it seemed that there was nothing that could be done to help a woman who had been abused by those who should have been looking out for her.

An increased awareness of the misogyny in the music business will help bring issues and abusers to light

It isn’t just stars who suffer, though. The successful music photographer Sarah Ginn left her field in September, stating that her achievements counted for nothing ‘if people objectify you as fair game because you are backstage’ and that her pride in her work ‘is not enough if you get judged on just what you look like.’ Similarly, artist manager Sarah Bowden has said that exploitation happens ‘all the way down through the industry,’ with a promoter exposing himself to her at a festival and her firing from a job after refusing to have sex with her manager being just two examples she gave in a BBC interview.

Where does music go from here? A number of high-profile names were already talking about issues of misogyny in the music industry (Nicki Minaj being a big example), and more people are speaking up in the wake of these allegations – both Sir Tom Jones and Paloma Faith have told the media that sexual abuse is rife in the music industry. Maybe an increased awareness of the misogyny in the music business will help bring issues and abusers to light, as seems to be the case in Hollywood – even so, the industry has a way to go to deal with the misogyny inside.