This week the Women And Equalities Committee in the UK Parliament published a damning report on misogyny in the music industry. Researcher and consultant Vick Bain has closely followed issues around diversity and inclusion in the music business, through her academic research and industry roles, for many years. She also founded The F-List For Music, a not-for-profit organisation supporting female musicians. Here she considers the report's findings and how the industry should respond.
Vick Bain
Vick Bain has worked in music for over 25 years; for six years she was CEO of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers & Authors (Ivors Academy) and is now the Past President of the Independent Society of Musicians. She is a Henley Business School MBA graduate, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a member of the British Academy of Management and was enrolled into the Women in Music Awards Roll of Honour and Radio 4 Woman’s Hour Music Industry Powerlist.
Vick is researching a PhD in women’s careers in music at Queen Mary University of London, is an Associate Lecturer on the Music Business masters program at Falmouth University and is a regular guest lecturer all across the UK. She has also authored and co-authored numerous reports and book chapters on various aspects of diversity in music and is the Founder of The F-List for Music, a not-for-profit organisation supporting and campaigning on behalf of women and gender diverse musicians.
The publication of the Women And Equalities Committee’s report on Misogyny On Music has been met with strikingly different responses. From one corner there is muted silence from the ‘industry’, ie, labels, publishing companies, agencies, promoters and collecting societies to name but a few. But from the other corner there are cheers of validation, from women in music campaigning initiatives and organisations.
This is not surprising because I have experienced, time and time again, denial and sometimes anger from calling out unacceptable behaviour in music. I have been told data and evidence isn’t true or that, if it is, publicising it is not good for the image of the music industry.
I have experienced personal backlash and blaming and I know I have most definitely been removed from numerous party and event invite lists. Because as a researcher and campaigner you are the bringer of bad news, the holder of the mirror and what we see in its reflection is not nice. In fact, it’s sometimes disturbing, even harrowing, and the messenger often gets shot.
Thus we at The F-List for Music are delighted to read this hard-hitting report; though it is bittersweet because it gives voice to a side of the music industry many wish to deny, discount, diminish or force into silence through the misuse of non-disclosure agreements or threats of reputational damage. This report makes us feel supported, listened to, and validated. As a woman who has worked in almost all areas of music for over 25 years, I have personally experienced many of the issues raised in the report.
As a PhD researcher in women's careers in music over the last year I have also heard the confidential testimony of 50 incredible women in music, and the vast majority of them have stories of discrimination, harassment, sexual abuse, unequal pay, precarious working environments, lack of support, and overbearing control over their careers manifested in many ways. It is often the most under-represented groups, such as Black, Asian, trans and disabled women who struggle the most. Even the ones who have not directly suffered, have been aware of others who have, which still has an impact on the whole culture.
But these women, and many of the women who have given evidence to the Women And Equalities Committee inquiry, have spoken about their experiences anonymously. In fact, there had to be a promise of parliamentary privilege to get women to come forward and discuss non-disclosure agreements, an unprecedented move! That is how much women are scared into silence.
I have been contacted today by numerous press outlets looking for women musicians to talk to, and they are struggling. It is because women are frightened they’ll never be signed or booked again. Even if the NDAs are removed (and they absolutely should be, they hide so much appalling behaviour) we have to make a commitment to NOT punish the women who speak out, to NOT blame them or claim they are too difficult, to NOT sack them. Because we know this is exactly what happens now.
The report acknowledges there is a problem with discrimination and harassment in many sectors of our society but there are unique features in music with its obsessive and intense focus on the appearance of women musicians, with an expectation of model-level beauty, appearance, and weight to even be considered commercially. I have heard numerous examples of this in my PhD research.
And ageism and ableism is rife, and having children is a career stopper unless you are already hugely successful and can afford a support network around you. All combined with an expectation to be exceptional in musical capability and skill.
There are also the extremely high levels of self-employment in the industry, which leads to vulnerability and precariousness. These conditions lead to extreme competition and power imbalances and women often have little, if any, power in negotiating industry contracts or rates of pay.
Freelance workers in music do not have the same level of legal protection as those on employment contracts. So we are delighted to see calls for freelancers to be given protections under the Equality Act, and reintroducing protections from ‘third party harassment’. This means that women performing on stage will have some means of redress from abuse from audience members, sadly a too common experience.
Yes, we have made strides in the industry, participation statistics are slowly getting better and we must celebrate the wins (and this definitely includes the BRITs nominees list this year), but there is clearly still much to do. Most of us diversity campaigners are doing this entirely voluntarily, which of course contributes to the problem because we are not resourced properly. There is no national 'women in music' organisation and that is what is needed; full, systemic, coordinated action so we can change the culture for the better, and make it a safe and positive working environment for all.
We know greater diversity and inclusion is morally the right thing to do and we also know it’s better economically for business, with greater creativity and innovation, and happier workplace cultures. We shouldn’t have to rely on government committees to be heard or taken seriously; I call on the music industry to work with us in helping to make positive changes for the benefit of us all.
