Why do we Have a Women in Rock section?

By Laura Robida

Time and time again I get asked the same question or some variation of it: why does the Blog of Sound have a section about women in rock? Are you trying to single out female musicians as being unique or some type of sub-genre worthy of its own section?

I had never thought that putting together an on-going section dedicated solely to female musicians would generate such discussion nor did I imagine that I would receive hate-mail about it. The women in rock section was something I had decided to create because I, being a woman who rocks, felt that since mainstream media often times ignores, sexualizes, or trivializes such members of the music community it was important to shine what I considered to be a much needed spotlight on the subject.

Like many of you, I often cringe when I see traditional media putting out their Women in Rock issues or doing reader polls and having categories like "Best Guitarist" and right next to it "Best Female Guitarist." I see no reason for this kind of divide or attention. In all fairness, the women in rock issues are put out because on an ongoing basis female musicians are virtually ignored as viable artists in the big print publications like Rolling Stone (the magazine itself is long overdue for a commentary and rant of its own.) The category divisions, however, I can see no credible reason for unless we're worried that some of those ever so famous, fragile men are afraid that a woman might, heaven forbid!, be a better guitarist and therefore must be segregated.

You may be wondering, then, if I'm so opposed to this separation of genders why I have chosen to single out women on a monthly basis for this section. How is the Women in Rock section any different than a Women in Rock issue in Rolling Stone?

Good question. I'm not sure I can answer those questions.

But I'll try.

The Women in Rock section is the part of the Blog of Sound where you can read my rants about being a female rocker. Whether those types of things are worth reading is really up to you as the reader. The Women in Rock section is the part of the BOS where you can get a quick snapshot of some female musicians that I think are really top shelf, at the top of the heap if you will. That's not to say that they're only as good as other women in rock or that they couldn't stand alone, tall and strong, against men. Frequent readers of the BOS know that often times our featured indie noise artists and even our front page artists are women..

The mission of the Blog of Sound has been and will continue to be to celebrate unsigned and independent musicians - regardless of gender. I have no plans to eliminate the Women in Rock section. While I don't like to be categorized as being part of a girl band (I prefer my band be just that - a band.) the vast majority of people I have encountered make that separation. By having an ongoing Women in Rock section front and center on the Blog of Sound, my goal is to start to break apart that separation. Maybe, one day, the Women in Rock section will disappear. For now, I'd like to draw your attention to some amazing female musicians that deserve their own section for being phenomenal at what they do.