Jessica Hopper is a well-known journalist for the music-oriented publication, Pitchfork. She’s made breakthroughs in the industry as a woman reporter with her book The Girls Guide to Rocking, which you can read about here. She has also had her work featured in Best Music Writing for five years. Now, Hopper has taken her revolution to Twitter with this simple question to female journalists: “What was your 1st brush (in music industry, journalism, scene) w/ idea that you didn’t “count”?”
Gals/other marginalized folks: what was your 1st brush (in music industry, journalism, scene) w/ idea that you didn’t “count”?
— Jessica Hopper (@jesshopp) August 24, 2015
The question was posted on August 24 and has since garnered hundreds of responses (and it’s still growing).
Responders have shared some awful, marginalizing stories including getting hit on while on the job, being told to “let the pros do their job, sweetie,” and being sexually assaulted.
Here are some of the responses:
Even though her thread is oriented towards the music industry, there’s no denying sexism exists for all women – no matter the field of work. With a degree in journalism and a few years experience as a writer and editor, I’ve met with instances where I’ve felt inferior to my male counterparts. A prime example is being told I’ll succeed as a reporter or I should consider broadcast because of how pretty I am. These “compliments” are exclusive to men. My hours typing behind a computer and conducting research are hardly taken into consideration, and while some of these men may not mean harm, I take it as my work isn’t good, and I should only rely on my looks to make it far.
The awful degradation from this type of mentality is clearly something all women deal with – Hopper’s thread is proof enough. Don’t forget we have to deal with the pay gap, being afraid to speak out about sexual assault, and constant instances of body shaming.
But we’re fighting. All of us, together, are working towards a future of equality, where sexual harassment and the ideal that certain jobs are only made for a man don’t exist.
To celebrate the hard work of all women, Hopper has created a counter thread for women to provide examples of their greatest accomplishments. Below, you can join the movement too.
#WomeninMusic: what accomplishment in music industry/journo/scene are you most proud of?
— Jessica Hopper (@jesshopp) August 27, 2015
Let’s celebrate how badass it is to be a woman, and let the misogynists know that we can do anything they can (and better). Here are some of our favorite responses
Image via Twitter.
Read more on Bust.com:
“Go Forth Feminist Warriors” Is The Grrl Power Anthem We’ve Been Waiting For
Network Awesome’s Web Programming ‘The Women Of Punk’ Is…Awesome
The Girls’ Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs, and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom
