"We need to talk about the awful sexism in the music industry"
After Way out West last Saturday, I got a ride by members of Alicia Keys band. When I did not want to go to their hotel they told me that they could do what they wanted with me and my genitals - a ***** which smelled, according to them. The men made no physical advances. But sexual harassment was scary. The organizers must be more demanding of the performers, writes Jonna Sima.
Last Saturday I got a ride from parts of Alicia Keys's band from Way Out West festival in Gothenburg area. It was late. Suddenly all my friends disappeared. I tried calling them, but only came to voicemail. Finally I got hold of a friend at a club on the Avenue. It was pouring, I wanted to get quickly into town. Then I saw a group that was about to jump into a minivan. I asked if I could ride along a bit. They seemed nice and said that they were headed to their hotel - but it was alright to go along.
There were four or five men, but the driver was a woman. I know I had time to reflect on the fact that it was good that I was not the only girl in the car. I have been to many festivals, as a music critic for Expressen and Aftonbladet. My experience is that everyone is a bit nicer on festivals. Obviously because of the concerts, but also because festivals always means fun and unexpected meetings.
This could be one of them, I thought as I got in the car.
I got to sit in the front seat, between two of the musicians. They were Americans and said they played with Alicia Keys. The atmosphere was exhilarating, earlier in the evening, they had done a good gig with one of the world's most famous soul singers. But then I asked if they could take me to the club that I was going to on the Avenue. The reaction was shockingly aggressive. "This is not a ****ing taxi, you can not come here and make demands. You should be grateful that you even get to go with us. "
At first I thought they were joking - or rather that he was joking, for it was especially one in the band who was leading the harassment. But the others joined in, agreed and laughed with him.
He said I should go with them to their hotel. "No, I'm going to a club and meet my friends," I replied. Then I once again I got told that I was ungrateful. That they could have brought with them any "bitch" at any time from the area, and that she would have thought it was a privilege to be asked to come with them.
But anyway, he added, we still do not want to have you. Your ***** stinks! The other laughed and said "yes, do you smell it? Her ***** stinks! "
At first I tried to speak up, now I started to get scared. What were they really capable of doing? I turned to the driver - the only woman in the van except me - and said, "do you hear what they are saying to me? This is starting to get frightening. "But she shrugged her shoulders and she just said 'you know how guys can be" .
I decided not to say anything more. Maybe they would let me be in that case. But it seemed to mostly trigger them. The leading man said that they could drag me to the hotel and do something with my "*****" if they wanted to. And if I didn't behave better they would throw me out of the car. I looked out the window and caught myself horrifyingly thinking, "Are they going to throw me out of the car while it's moving? '.
But they did not. Eventually we arrived at their hotel. I did not dare to go out of the car. The words that they could take with me up to the room and do god-knows-what with my body echoed in my head.
I asked the female driver to drive me to the Avenue, or at least a block away to get out of this unpleasant situation. But she said that I had to get off, she needed to go back to the festival area and pick up the new guests.
I do not think that's true, but I can not be bothered to argue with her.
Instead, I go up against Avenue in the rain. I feel stupid to think that I could jump into a car with strange guys while I get pissed because they make me lose faith in the world's men.
When I arrive at the club, I meet two male friends. Then I lose it, I start crying. We get to go into the club's office and I tell them what happened. My friends are also starting to cry. Quickly, I am reminded that all men of course are not assholes - I just had the misfortune to run into some real bad ones.
We are debating whether I should report the men in the car to the police.
"No, it is not worth it," I say. "Nothing happened after all." Or?
No, they never made any physical advances. But their sexual harassment and intimidation was appalling. They made me feel extremely vulnerable, like anything could happen if they decided to do something.
We are not reporting to the police, one of my male friends calls the festival organizer "Luger" instead. They are taking the incident very seriously and says they'll talk to Alicia Keys's management and emphasize that this is not acceptable. When I hear about Lugers reaction I feel better. Hopefully the men's behavior will have consequences. Alicia Keys is aware about the female role model she is. She has done songs like Superwoman and A woman's worth which are almost viewed as feminist anthems, and she often speaks in interviews about equality.
She can surely not want to work with or be an employer of people with obnoxious attitudes to women, and who act in this manner?
On the train back to Stockholm the day after I listen to a Spotify list. Suddenly a song by one of my favorite rappers, Kendrick Lamar comes on, who also performed at the Way out West on Saturday. The song is called Bitch, do not kill my vibe. The word "bitch" gets my stomach in knots. The discomfort from the night washes over me. I am forced to shut it down.
Suddenly it's so obvious: No, it was not nothing that happened there in the car. It was something.
It makes me wonder how many other girls who have suffered similar incidents - during the festival that weekend, or after any world star's concerts? Girls who may not be accustomed to write or talk about this stuff. What does my experience say of the norms that rule the music world?
What structures allows male artists and musicians nearly constantly assume they have the right to treat women as objects? I think we need to talk more about the view of women in pop music. Not only on opinion pages, but also where there is the power to change this. Through the organizers. Luger and Way out West have been role models when it comes to taking responsibility for the food served at the festival.
Now it's time to make demands on the performers as well.
disgusting, Put them on
fire alicia
source
translated in swedish.
I'll be on my way now.
you do you i guess
