Jenny Jones
I can completely understand if a woman wants to identify as a ‘female drummer,’ but I have to admit to being in two minds about this. For myself as a drummer and drum kit teacher, I’ve spent the better part of my career trying not to call attention to the fact that I’m female.
I would venture to say that most of us simply want to be known as drummers. But this is not always straightforward.
On her Facebook site, Kim Thompson identifies herself as ‘Kim Thompson [Female drummer],’ using hard brackets and a capital F for what I imagine to be strong emphasis. This accentuation seems audacious, deliberately focusing attention to her gender. [Note: this has been changed to 'Drummer & Educator' since this blog].
The majority of the covers of the big drum magazines are of guys in ultra masculine pose. Inside these magazines you can be guaranteed to see at least one drummer (usually a pro) flipping the middle finger. What does this say, ‘I’m a drummer so f-you?’ Is that supposed to be cool? I find it tiresome and uninspiring. One gets the overwhelming impression that these magazines are geared to teenage boys.
I’ll never forget a certain issue that put me off buying a particular magazine ever again. The featured article was about ‘wild drummers’ and their off stage antics. It was crude and loutish and had nothing to do with music or drumming. It only served to encourage the myth of rock star prowess. The interviewee made some horrendous comments about even sleeping with ugly women because they may have had a certain physical proclivity. Boorish twaddle.
I wrote to the editor of the magazine and received no reply. I haven’t bought it in two years.
At least 50% of my students are female. How can I suggest they buy one of these magazines with that kind of content? How does that encourage their participation in music and drumming? These magazines barely represent drummers who happen to be female. You might see a woman on the cover every several years. More often than not, these magazines do not speak to women and in the case of this particular issue, it also denigrated them. It promoted age old stereotypes for both men and women.
It is true that the big magazines are having more female contributors and features about female players -- there is a shift in the tide, though it continues to be a predominately male sphere.
Thought-provoking, Kasey! I have similar discussions about the promotion of "female" entrepreneurship (I know there are big problems within employment, but my stance on entrepreneurship has to date been that if you put too much emphasis on claimed barriers to female entrepreneurship, you're perpetuating the notion that we need more help/it's more difficult to succeed. (I haven't found I have to, and I think some things claimed to be gender issues are actually other issues - like parenting issues.) Since so much of success is self-belief and confidence, I worry that it actually damages women's beliefs about entrepreneurship, and often focuses on creating 'bubbles' where women can fall into pattern of only doing business with women, rather than compete in the wider marketplace.
ReplyDeleteTho' I am open to having my mind changed!
So yeah, it is that question of 'is it unfair enough that we need to shout about it, or is it better to just get on and do it and let the naysayers catch up (catch on!)?'
Genre probably plays a big part too; Karen Carpenter would be the first person that springs to mind for me as a Female (big F!) drummer, rather than a rock one...
Also find it interesting that the magazine has a bloke's name, twice, in it! Maybe that's tongue-in-cheek?
Anyway, great post!
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ReplyDeleteThank you for your response Tracy. I certainly understand what you're saying. I don't think I'm perpetuating a notion that women need more help. And I really don't think I'm shouting about it (or 'moaning' about it as some fellas are want of putting it on drum forums). Hence my conflict of being in two minds. Nor do I believe that Tom Tom Magazine is shouting about it. While their magazine is dedicated to female drummers, its readership consists of both men and women.
ReplyDeleteI'm all for just getting on with it. But I'm also interested representation (and lack of representation) and am writing about my experiences as a player and teacher.
The main drumming magazines are fundamentally geared toward males. And that might have been fair enough say in the 1950s when it was a male preserve. But things have changed. One could say these magazines too are operating in 'male bubbles'. Disappointingly, they deal predominately with rock music. So yes indeed, genre is a whole other aspect. When top jazz drummers and educators pass on, ones who have left a substantial legacy to the art of music and drumming, they barely get a mention in these magazines.
Even Drummerworld, a fantastic online resource, separates female drummers into a category called 'The Ladies'. It's funny this whole notion of 'separation' and the ensuing criticism it provokes.
A tom tom (as I'm sure you're aware) is part of a drum kit. I suspect the folks at the magazine enjoy this wordplay.
Cheers again for taking the time to respond and your insights!