Girl power experienced a definite boost this election season as women made their presence impossible to ignore in the political arena. Hillary Clinton was a serious frontrunner in the Democratic primaries; Michelle Obama showed us an eloquence and intelligence equal to that of her potentially presidential husband when she delivered her keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention; and Sarah Palin ... well, if she can be a vice presidential candidate, anyone can, so I guess she's sending out a positive message.
The point is that women didn't always have a place in politics and it's refreshing to see strong, independent females hold their ground against the best of the boys. The same applies for any field -- almost. Rock appears to be a genre in which the position of frontman is still intended for a man and females are not fully accepted for breaking that glass ceiling. The most surprising part is that a lot of the opposition to female lead singers in rock comes from other females.
One would think that women would be especially supportive of representatives of their gender in an often male-dominated field, and in certain cases they are. Sub-genres like pop-rock and alternative rock have had an increasing number of female lead singers rising to the top of mainstream charts such as Amy Lee of Evanescence and, more recently, Hayley Williams of Paramore and Lacey Mosley of FlyLeaf, who have gained popularity among females and males alike.
In the heavier genres of rock like metal and hardcore, however, the number of females at the mic or acting as spokesperson for the band is shockingly small. Metal and hardcore may be characterized by aggression and anger, which are typically classified as masculine attitudes (see, I am learning something in my "Television and Histories of Gender" class), but that does not mean women are excluded from feeling or expressing such emotions.
Whether most women consciously decline to breach the performance arena of heavier genres because it's not in keeping with feminine behavior, because of an inherited or innate lack of aggression (which is debatable on many levels) or simply because musical preferences lead them to do so, there still are women who do revel in the headbanging, air-punching, guttural-screaming spirit of those genres. Vocalist Angela Gossow of Arch Enemy dishes out demonic power screams, lead singer Ryann Donnelly releases shrill cries to the horror-punk of Schoolyard Heroes and all-female metal outfit Kittie flaunts intense, heart-pounding riffs.
Yet, the support such women receive by members of the same sex is not always immense. I've heard female music fans make blanket statements such as "I don't like female lead singers." The statement isn't necessarily a self-sexist one; some listeners do not find the sound of female vocals laid on top of rock pleasing, which is not a conscious decision to dislike female lead singers.
Some of these statements, however, are made by women who would prefer a male vocalist to a female vocalist even if they sounded comparable. Part of this population may just not be able to part with the ingrained idea that the role of lead singer in a rock band is intended for men. I also think that for some in this group of naysayers, an element of jealously plays a role. I'm sure other female rock fans have fantasized about fronting a band at some point or another (I know I can't be the only one who pretends a hairbrush is a microphone and stage dives off her bed), and seeing another woman strutting her stuff on stage with the boys in the band backing her may spark some resentment. As passive aggressive tactics are often the weapon of choice for women, the simple comment that "I don't like female lead singers" ends up being evoked.
Whatever the reason may be, I would hope that we are not still confined to beliefs dictated by gender stereotypes and outdated ideas of appropriate forms of masculinity and femininity. I would also hope that we are capable of setting aside our jealousies so we can support talented female vocalists for the sake of the advancement of women and the growth of music.
And with that, I will end on a particularly sexist and vulgar note, reiterated in many a classy song: Damn, them b*tches be hatin'.
Divya is a staff writer for The Mirror. Girl knows how to rock out.
