WOMXN MUSICIANS FORUM

WMF I PANEL QUESTIONS:

What are some of the most common assumptions made about you as a woman when first entering a musical environment? (For example: you are someone’s girlfriend/treatment of womxn backstage, introductions only include men in social situations, assumed lack of knowledge/skill)

What are some of the triggers that set you off? (For example: “girl treatment” at soundcheck, mansplaining, gaslighting, tokenism, predatory behavior)

How have you transmuted your negative experiences to usher in a more positive and equitable work environment?

What are some ideas to create solutions within our industry and community? How do we create better safe spaces for womxn to participate and thrive in?

WMF II PANEL QUESTIONS

Theme: Sexualization of Femininity

What are some of your experiences with predatory behavior & sexual power as a way of dominance or control in musical work & social environments?

How does the sexualization of femininity contribute to the marginalization and objectification of womxn in music? When is sexuality exploitative vs. empowering for womxn in music?

How do you balance your own personal biases, judgement, and acceptance of individual sexual expression? How do you confront the personal biases, judgement, and misinterpretation others project in reaction to sexual expression?

What are some of the archetypes that are used to define the personas of womxn performers, and how are the concepts of youth and ageing used to shape their identities? What are some of the challenges and limitations these archetypes and identities perpetuate when you are trying to present the evolution of your true self through creative expression?

How do gender roles imposed by society shape your presentation as an artist? In what ways are androgynous and non-binary identities accepted and/or rejected in creative expression within music communities? In what ways are race and exotification a contributing factor?

WMF III PANEL QUESTIONS

Theme: Touring, Gigs, & Negotiations

How has your identity as a womxn shaped your experiences on the road (transport, lodging, green room, performance spaces, general culture, etc.)? When have you felt powerless, and when have you felt most empowered?

Have you experienced gender bias in negotiations for fees and/or receiving payment for your work? What connections do you notice between pay parity and general mutual respect in the workplace?

What are some new protocols you are practicing, and what negotiations need to be present for you in moving forward with music work that might not have been important to you before the pandemic? How has your growth and experience through the pandemic changed your boundaries, expectations, and what work you’re willing to accept or turn away?

What advice did womxn mentors give you that was essential for navigating music culture environments throughout your career? What advice would you give to younger womxn who are just getting started in their careers? Moving forward, what tools, resources, and other forms of support could our music community develop to improve the way womxn navigate music work spaces?

WMF IV PANEL QUESTIONS

Theme: Empowering Womxn

Who are the womxn teachers & mentors in your musical life? What are some of the lessons and guidance they shared that have helped you navigate through your music career?

Who are some of the active womxn artists, engineers, record label owners, and business liaisons that you would like to uplift in our space?

What advice do you offer to womxn who are fresh in pursuing a career in music culture?

WMF V PANEL QUESTIONS

Black History Month theme: Black Womxn Front & Center

From your perspective, what is the difference between appropriation vs. paying homage, and what feelings come up when Black culture is used without uplifting or supporting Black creators?

Black womxn are not a monolith, and not all Black womxn have the same experiences. How have you benefited from your unique Black experience, and how have you been disadvantaged? What changes can you make in order to uplift and support *all* Black womxn?

If the land were the music industry, then what would reparations for Black womxn in music look like to you?

WMF VI PANEL QUESTIONS

Womxn’s History Month theme: Standing On Her Shoulders

What are specific moments in the lifespan of your musical journey where your choices or the way you navigated a situation made an impact for womxn in music culture, for better or worse? What did you learn from those experiences, and what advice would you give your younger self?

What challenges have you faced as you carved your own creative path, and how did your commitment to your creativity liberate your body and spirit? What aspects of the work and culture have gotten easier to navigate and what aspects have gotten harder?

What are your dreams for the future of womxn in music culture as the world reopens post-pandemic?

WMF VII PANEL QUESTIONS

Theme: Reflection & Reopening

What are your biggest takeaways from the past couple of months of guest panelists at WMF? What comes up when you reflect on the past six months of WMF?

How can we carry the energy and conversation from this space into every musical setting we enter? What practices are you upholding in your daily life that are inspired by this space?

What anxieties do you have as venues, recording studios, and businesses reopen after a year of pandemic? How have your comfort levels changed? How has your practice of saying no evolved, and what do you find yourself saying no to?

WMF VIII PANEL QUESTIONS

Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month theme: AAPI Love

What aspects of your Asian and/or Pasifika roots did you feel a strong connection with growing up, and in what areas did you feel self-conflict? How has this personal relationship with your heritage shaped your creative vision?

What are some of the challenges vs. the advantages you’ve personally experienced in music culture environments as an APA womxn?

What positive changes are you witnessing amongst APA communities in music culture today, and what are your hopes for the future?

WMF XI PANEL QUESTIONS

Pride Month theme: Pride In Music Culture

What are the ancestral lineages and who are the teachers and artists who have influenced you on your journey of queerness and/or gender fluidity, and how has this shaped your creative vision?

What are some challenges that you experience in music culture because of your gender identity? Where do you turn for mental health support within your music community to thrive despite these challenges?

Describe the future you envision for the LGBTQIA+ community and uplift some of the organizations and individuals who are currently doing the work to create this future.

WMF X PANEL QUESTIONS

Latin American Heritage Month theme: La MF Vibra

Who is included in your definition of Latin American culture, and in what ways do you challenge how academia and media try to shape that definition? Do you embrace or reject using the term Latinx?

What barriers have you experienced on your musical journey and what lessons have they taught you? (i.e. language, colorism, hyper-sexualization, imposter syndrome)

How does your heritage influence your creativity, community, and how you navigate in music culture?