Jake Thomas
Gender Disputes in Country Music
For many years there have been issues in country music regarding gender and the roles that the male or female has involved with this industry. This can sometimes vary depending on who is involved or what the circumstances are. In the nineteenth century there was constant problems with gender is issues, but that has changed dramatically. They used to be viewed as someone that had no passion for music and were often dupes to men when it came to desire and lust. Although this was the case women decided to that they wanted to change their outlook from bad to great in country music so that they could become equally as advantaged as men. As this began women then started to write their own lyrics of country music to prove that they were more than just another person and not to be used by men. In result of this, women wrote their country music and the genre of music has now become more inspiring for women.
As said the nineteenth century was proven to be a lower standard for women. At this time women were always less equal to men and were constantly held to a lower standard than men. Women were seen as revoked and passionless as where men were not, to where women were always judged. Although it may not seem like every single women was judged back then, well they were in some sort of way. Especially the sexual deviant, they received the most judgment of all and in result removed themselves from all of society. This was a key for men as they took advantage of this and the women became targets for men that carried covetousness. This was a start of something new as women then began to create country music. The women then referenced in country music productions found some sort of redemption when they listened to certain songs.
Although many women artist are now the face of country music today and are very popular in today’s world, the turnaround really came with the rise of the Honky Tonk period. There were a number of factors that turned around country music during this period. A song that really stood out to me and in this time period was a song written by Al Dexter by the name of “Pistol Packin’ Mama” that was released in 1942. This song really spoke to all the women in country music as it portrayed women as still submissive and used by men. It proved that women were no longer controlled by men and that they could stand up for themselves. This then started a huge change for women in the country music world, as they were now able to say what they want and stand up for what they believe in as men did.
As for today country music represents a strong message to everyone out there, including both men and women on the perspective of the music. In many ways artist will produce songs to show their feelings and independence to prove that they have stood on their own before. This mostly comes from the women’s perspective though as they had to stand on their own much more than men. Shania Twain to me is a great example of someone I group up hearing and listening to and is now at the top of country