On International Women's Day, the mainstream media and social networks are invariably awash with platitudinous guff. So credit to the Independent for choosing to mark the occasion by publishing this expose of sexism and misogyny in music featuring contributions from Katy J Pearson, Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem), Rakel Mjoll (Dream Wife), Lily Fontaine (English Teacher) and Laura Mary Carter (Blood Red Shoes), among others.
What is abundantly clear is that this is not a case of rogue individuals, a handful of bad apples, but of endemic sexism, and of a boys' club culture that both facilitates and normalises abuse.
EMI marketing manager Daisy Carberry argues that "[i]t is the subtlety of misogyny that makes today's industry more dangerous than ever before", echoing a point made by Charlotte Church in conversation with Richard Herring in Cardiff on Tuesday night. Things may have improved outwardly, but, in the words of Pale Waves' Heather Baron Gracie, misogyny remains an "insidious presence".
The hope is that the piece "encourages more women to speak out, and that the British music industry will wake up and start holding those who abuse their power and influence to account". The second half of that sentence is important - while women should of course feel able to talk about their experiences, the burden should not be on them to speak out but on the industry to change.
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