The Novelty of a Woman

Tonight I was scoping out Twitter, looking for more like-minded artists. Randomly, I searched "female drummers." I was amused at what I found. A few too many bi-curious girls exclaiming how "haute" chick drummers are and even more men expounding on the subject. Listen folks...people, men and women, have been playing drums since well, forever! There is nothing new here.

I asked myself, "If I searched for male drummers, what would come up?" Take a guess. Well, there were only 4 tweets, compared to the hundreds that pop up with "female drummers."

What does this mean? First, drummers are often assumed to be male. Second, male drummers are not hyper-sexualized, nor is their sexuality more important than their art. Lastly, male drummers do not deal with being compared to female drummers to determine whether or not they are worthy and/or credible musicians.

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing bad about finding female drummers attractive. Nor is there anything wrong with being a female drummer. Heck! I am a female drummer. I just find it degrading to focus on female drummers for their attractiveness and sexuality, rather than their music.

Here's what I suggest, the next time you or someone you know encounters a female drummer, take stock of their playing and artistry first. If you have to, close your eyes. Try to listen with fresh ears and reserve judgments. Resist the urge to comment on their gender, attractiveness, or sexuality. Instead, focus on their energy and how their music affects you.

And please do not tweet about your puppy love for female drummers. That's the equivalent of asking Robert Pattinson for a lock of hair at a Twilight convention. Yuck!