Found Feminism: When your (rock ‘n’ roll) idols take notice

A two-for-the-price-of-one music-inspired Found Feminism, from our ed Miranda.

Image source: www.towntalk.co.uk

We like it when people we think are cool come out as feminists, or even just express views broadly in line with feminist ideas. It makes us feel cool. And if we can’t feel cool, we don’t wanna be part of the revolution. More seriously, it’s important to celebrate that folk come to feminism through all sorts of different routes and in their own time.

Whenever a person has a feminist revelation of the sort that we might think is obvious (such as the lack of good female role models in certain music genres), instead of going “well, duh?!” and getting cross, here at BR Towers we go “hey, yeah! Grab a drink and join the party.”

First up, Jade Puget, guitarist for chart-topping emo-punksters AFI and one half of EBM/dance project Blaqk Audio, realises there are barely any women in his beloved electronica.

I was reading one of my computer/electronic music nerd alert magazines today and I noticed that every one of these acclaimed electronic producers is male. I realized that the electronic music scene is almost completely male-dominated. …. we need a lady-led revolution in the scene, girls making ill breakbeat hardcore, wobbly dubstep basslines, 20 minute psybient epics.

Next, Hayley Williams, lead singer in chart-topping emo-pop-rockers Paramore, declares that she’s researching Riot Grrrl.

After finishing “Charlie Chaplin’s Own Story”.. I’m currently reading this book. Mostly to satisfy my thirst for knowledge on the Riot Grrrl Movement in the 90’s and bands such as Bikini Kill and Bratmobile. But I’m finding more and more that I wish my 13 year old self could’ve read it. Girls, women, ladies: check it out!

Both posts may have been up a little while, but finding them at the same time brought a smile.  I love that both of these excerpts reveal the demand for women past and present in the music business, and that rather than merely noting absences they are positive calls for action, alongside ways to get involved.

• Found Feminism: an ongoing series of images, videos, photos, comics, posters or excerpts – anything really, which shows feminist ideas at work in the everyday world. Send your finds to [email protected]!