harborshore: (buffy)
[personal profile] harborshore
Look. I've been seeing an argument made in a lot of places about the recent (and the not-so-recent) language fail in bandom, and I've been talking about it in a number of other people's journals, and I'm just—



It's not hard not to use slurs. It's not. That's not about policing language, that's a bare minimum of decency. Seriously. To imply that it's too high of a standard to hold MCR to is frankly insulting to them. It's not about expecting them to be super feminist. It's about not using harmful words that are more or less widely acknowledged as such (the fact that transphobic words are less well-known is a serious problem, but it doesn't mean that the fact that the word is hugely problematic is any less so because there's a chance they previously didn't know). Can we not imply or flat-out say that men are unable to do this? Particularly not dudes who previously have shown themselves as somewhat aware of problematic things in the scene?





And yeah, Z's recent interview was also hugely problematic. Of course it was. It's so emblematic of the way women are taught that they have to be the right kind of woman to make it, which I imagine is amplified by what is a very sexist music scene, and it makes me so goddamn sad to see it here too. Dammit, Z. I've emailed The Like pointing out that the way to have a productive discussion about issues like "women in music," which, it sounded like some of the interview was about that, is really really not to lash out at other female musicians for the way they dress, using a slur while doing so. That's harsh and harmful and I'm not down with that.





But fandom, fandom, if you're going to hold Z accountable for that (and I'm really not telling you not to!), then please refrain from making excuses for the boys. I'm tired of seeing Vicky-T yelled at every time she does anything at all, whereas Gabe is regularly offensive (yes, I find him endearing too, but seriously) and no one really talks about it, or for that matter seeing Lyn-Z blamed for the fact that Gerard is now apparently less feminist than before, like somehow he doesn't make his own decisions about what he says or how he markets his album. Or anything. Everyone should be held accountable, otherwise you're judging a woman a million times more harshly than you're judging the men, and that's not really feminist either, hmm? The scene can be such a sexist place, but we have to talk about the fact that it is, HOW it is sexist, and what can be done about it, or nothing will ever change. It doesn't mean you can't continue to love your favorites--after all, I still very much love The Like--it just means that sometimes we have to talk about the fact that they're not perfect.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-10-05 02:52 am (UTC)
ext_7299: (The Like: Z Berg)
From: [identity profile] redbrickrose.livejournal.com
I'm late to this post, but THANK YOU. It is so important to be able to talk about the ways our favorites fail, and to hold them ALL accountable. I'm so tired of the girls getting called out while the guys get defended. I was pissed about what Z said too, but it's not WORSE when she does it than it is when oh, say, Ryan does.

Which I know is what you just said, but yes this post is it exactly. Thank you.

(no subject)

Date: 2010-10-05 07:49 am (UTC)
ext_3762: girl reading outside in sunshine (zberg)
From: [identity profile] harborshore.livejournal.com
No kidding! Feminism is about allowing women not to be perfect and still be seen as okay people--I mean, seriously, since when are women the people carrying all the responsibility for the patriarchy? Uh, since always, but you know what I mean.

I emailed The Like because, yeah, not on, but I can't even tell you how much I'm not fine with their one problematic interview being universally condemned (and seen as the evidence that they have forever failed as feminists) when EVERY SINGLE OTHER BANDOM BAND except, like, Empires and THS, have done something similar (or worse) in a song or an interview, but no one talked about those. Because they're boys and we can't possibly expect them to get it. I mean, okay, I did just tell you--that's the post--but dear god, if we're going to have an actual discussion about sexism in the scene we can't look the other way when the boys do it and pounce when the girls do. It just doesn't work that way.

Profile

harborshore: (Default)
harborshore

October 2024

S M T W T F S
  12345
6789 101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags