Music & Gender

 
    Music has and always will be a powerful form of art that can be used to express emotions, communicate, and influence culture. However, the music industry has displayed a growing reflection of gender bias and inequality. An evident form of gender bias that has become extremely prevalent in today's music industry is the portrayal of both men and women. Women in most of today's music are often presented in a sexual manner, and lyrics often focus on a woman’s physical appearance. Many music videos often showcase harmful stereotypes to women in the industry, and ultimately influence the public’s perceptions on all women. The degrading portrayal not only impacts the way female artists are viewed but impacts the young female listeners who could potentially internalize these stereotypes. Below I have included a song that opposes the gender bias I have described above. Keri Hilton’s song “Pretty Girl Rock” was a staple in my childhood and still to this day I still have this song on repeat. My mother would always play this for me and my sister growing up, and always reminded us to be confident in who we are and to let no one try to destroy what we have built within ourselves. The song has multiple messages embedded within the lyrics, and reminds one to be proud of their beauty.  The primary message in this song is simple yet effective, the artist repeats the same refrain “Don’t hate me ‘cause I’m beautiful.” This teaches young girls to be unique, and to be true to who they are. 

In contrast, men are often portrayed as dominant figures within the music industry. They are depicted as leaders and independent while women are displayed as incompetent and dependent. Many lyrics and music videos utilize men as central figure to reinforce tradition of masculinity. Many male artists often feel confined to this and an emotional restraint is placed on their shoulders. It’s rare that male artists explore themes of vulnerability, and express their emotions within their music as this goes against the representation of their masculinity. Recently, there have been a growing number of male artists who are now openly exploring themes of pain, mental health, and heartbreak. This allows for their listeners to appreciate an artist's authenticity as everyone goes through some form of emotional distress. This growing theme of emotional openness has made room for conversations to be had about the importance of expressing emotions and seeking help if needed. Below I have included a song from one of my favorite artists. Giveon’s music resonates with so many of his fans because of his ability to be his true authentic self, and his ability to sing and capture the stages of emotional distress which makes him stand out from other male artists. The song below “Another Heartbreak” tells about the repetition of emotional pain. Giveon captures the ongoing cycle of falling in love and being let down. The song and the lyrics are so personal, it’s as if we are seeing this experience real time which makes the song so relatable. Giveon’s ability to explore emotional experiences and allow the world to hear his pain is one step closer to removing the stereotypes placed on male artists.