OUGD505 Studio Brief 2 - Research - Female DJs

OUGD505 Studio Brief 2 - Research - Female DJs

Online Article Research

4 Unspoken Reasons Why Female DJs Are Unequal (And How To Conquer Them)

• Only 10% of performers at music festivals around the world are female, and an even smaller percentage of women are on music label rosters
• Women consistently underestimate their own talents and abilities
• Successful women are liked less than successful men
• When choosing who should DJ, men are significantly more likely to choose men
• In the DJing industry where most promoters, bar and club owners are men, they are likely to favour other men, with female DJs generally only getting a look-in when a promoter or club manager tries to put together an all-female night, or wants you to DJ "the ladies' night"
• Senior men are more likely to mentor young men than young women
•  Fewer women who are being mentored through their DJing careers by leading male DJs.

C, Millhouse. 2014. 4 Unspoken Reasons Why Female DJs Are Unequal (And How To Conquer Them) [Online]. [Accessed 2 May 2016]. Available from: https://www.digitaldjtips.com/2014/01/female-djs-arent-equal/

Do We Actually Need to Talk About 'Female DJs' in 2016?

• Whether it's on DJ Mag's Top 100 or on festival lineups, we're still an industry dominated by men.
•  Given that, are discussions about gender in club culture also becoming passé? Looking at lineups for any club night or festival you'd have to concede that no, we do still need to talk about gender in the music business, because there is pervasive gender inequality across the board. However, some women in the industry are increasingly getting frustrated when the conversation is always about that.
• one thing remains the same: women within the industry find themselves being treated differently to their male counterparts.
• doesn't feel that it's "necessary to emphasise on gender in our scene.
• As sad as it is to have to include, it feels like talking about women in club culture means also talking about harassment
• the male/female divide is always highlighted above talent or capability
• Indeed, the Internet provides a level of anonymity for women and shifts the focus back onto skill. But with music increasingly given away for free, artists are ever more reliant on playing live for revenue. And for the DJ, this is an even bigger reality than for recording artists. So until gender inequality is overcome, whether in regard to opportunity, or how women are judged, when audiences see a woman behind the decks, they'll continue, at least to some degree, have certain preconceptions and opinions.

K, Rymajdo. 2016. Do We Actually Need to Talk About 'Female DJs' in 2016? [Online]. [Accessed 2 May 2016]. Available from: https://thump.vice.com/en_au/article/do-we-actually-need-to-talk-about-female-djs-in-2016

THREE FEMALE CANADIAN DJS DISCUSS GENDER INEQUALITY IN THE DANCE WORLD

• EDM Doesn't Have a Woman Problem, It Has a Straight White Guy Problem
• We live in a inated world and even though there are very successful women, they will always be regarded as women. When there's a woman DJ, they'll say she is a successful female DJ, but I don't understand why gender needs to be underlined
• "I've had a very successful career, but it may have been even more successful had I been a man"
• "I remember it was like my third gig and someone came up to me and said. "I really didn't like your set, but I can see your tits, so it's okay." When a guy comes up to his favourite male DJ, you're not touching the small of his back, why are you touching the small of my back?"
• "People assume that I DJ only in certain spaces. I'll say I'm a DJ, but then they think I'm doing like pop-up shops or fashion-related things"

Thump Staff. 2016. Three Female Canadian DJs Discuss Gender Inequality in the Dance World [Online]. [Accessed 2 May 2016]. Available from: 

https://thump.vice.com/en_uk/article/three-female-canadian-djs-discuss-gender-inequality-in-the-dance-world

Numbers Don't Lie: Sexism in Dance Music Culture in 2014

• I think there are a lot of women [in dance music], but it is a matter of exposure. There are two sides of the coin: the creative artists side, and the business side. It's a boy's club when it comes to the festival industry and booking agencies; I've never really worked with a female booking agent, I've always had to work with guys. So I would have to say that there are not enough women in the business world. 
• I think when you think about DJs who are getting paid the most, it's definitely dudes 
• Women are often ignored during technical discussions when it comes to events 
• Female DJs are often judged on their looks – hardly an eyebrow-raiser – to the point where it impacts on their career progression 
• DJ and producer Sophie Lloyd is aware that she gets bookings, particularly for corporate events, on the basis of her looks, alongside her abilities: “In all honesty being attractive helps,” she says. 

M, Lhooq. 2014. Numbers Don't Lie: Sexism in Dance Music Culture in 2014 [Online]. [Accessed 2 May 2016]. Available from: 

https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/numbers-dont-lie-sexism-in-dance-music-culture-in-2014