By: Makenzie Morales, Graduate Assistant
As many of us make our move to East Lansing in preparation for the Fall semester after a long year in quarantine, a sense of community and connection is needed now more than ever. Maybe you're like me, a new student who is anything but familiar with the campus environment, as well as the people and places off-campus. Maybe you're a super-senior (no shame) and have considered East Lansing your home for many years now. Regardless, we all could use a little community, a reminder of our humanity, if you will. Lucky for us, FemFest is right around the corner.
I love an event filled with music, art, and poetry as much as the next gal, and while FemFest is bound to be filled with joy and empowerment, it's important to reflect on why events like this matter in the first place. A space that is welcoming and safe for all genders and identities, gives students the platform to share pieces of themselves in a genuine way, while simultaneously celebrating their vulnerability and talent is not only a way to create meaningful connections, but will give us a sense of belonging that we so badly need.
"Okay, okay, Makenzie, we get it, you're excited for FemFest...but what does this have to do with feminism?" Well, I am so glad you asked! Although something as beautiful as music may seem harmless and innocent, the ugly underbelly of the music industry is anything but. As we loudly bump our favorite artists in our headphones, it's easy to forget that while female and non-binary artists' music can be heard anywhere, they are often excluded from the decisions surrounding their art. According to a study on representation in music, two percent of music producers are female, and 98 percent are men. 71.5% of all music producers are White. The rooms where music is written and created and decisions around money and marketing are made is off-limits to many. That is totally unacceptable, right? Now that we know that the business side of the music industry is White male-dominated and exclusionary, let's examine the way musicians have responded to the sexism they face. Artists like Dua Lipa, Miley Cyrus, Megan Thee Stallion, Lady Gaga, and many more have been writing about the dark reality of being a women in the industry for years...why does it seem like these messages are not being heard? Spotify released data based on a sample of 5 million subscribers and found that male-users listen to 94.2 perfect male artists. This means that while powerful women and non-binary artists are using their music to speak on these issues, it's not reaching men's ears. We know that these inequalities are found at every level within the music industry. What can we do about it? Well, supporting female and queer musicians is a great start. Several women and non-binary musicians are leaving their record labels and starting their own, with new ideals and values that bring historically underrepresented artists at the forefront of the label. With more musicians focused on making the structural changes needed, less men will be gatekeeping the industry. Show your favorite artists support by purchasing merchandise directly from their websites, attending their concerts when you can, and continue educating yourself on the discrimination female and non-binary artists face. Join us in empowering our community at FemFest and let's be the change we want to see. Catch ya later.
Interested in sharing your own "Thought Of The Day" or TOTD? Email us at wss@msu.edu.