The music industry is like an ambitious teenager entering adulthood: New generations of musicians, artists and union politicians demand accountability, data, contracts on paper instead of napkins and co-operation instead of competition. In this reality, sexism must and should of course also be a thing of the past. One of the ways to get there is through the established communities that guarantee good solutions to the work environment problems identified by artists in the DR documentary about sexism in the music industry. The responsibility must be taken up by all of us who can - and grabbed where the media lets go.

Debate post by Sara Indrio, Chairperson Danish Artist Association - published in Kulturmonitor 29 August 2024 

The conversation about sexism engages most Danes. And many have opinions on whether the price Martin Brygmann and Claes Antonsen pay in the dock is too high. But even though it's difficult, we must try to keep things separate: None of the women in DR's documentary about sexism in the music industry have demanded anyone be fired or anyone's career destroyed. The media coverage is stressful for the participants and transgressive behaviour is complex to solve - just like all cultural and structural changes are.

We should be concerned with how we want to have working relationships and collaboration in the future and how we can build a system that can take care of both the offended and the offender without needing the media's help. What the women - and many in the younger generation - point to is that we need to have working communities in a new way, also in competitive and 'young' industries like music. The hard part is figuring out how to do that.

A teenage industry with growing pains

To understand why there is a revolt from within the music industry, you have to realise that it is a relatively new phenomenon that rhythmic music has become an industry. (link All against all | Weekendavisen ) After the 'golden age' of rhythmic music in the eighties and nineties, it gradually grew to become an actual industry that operates mainly on commercial terms. Figuratively speaking, we are in our teens as a profession, but are maturing into the reality of having figures on income and employment, working environment structures, contracts on agreements - also between friends.

It's a common condition for everyone in the industry to struggle for little money and against an economy dependent on an overly unregulated and opaque tech industry that has become crucial to the relationship with the audience. The most vulnerable are women and young people (link MPBU_Final-summary-of-report.pdf (musiklivetspartnerskab.dk).

Particularly vulnerable people in a particularly vulnerable work situation

When a few find it difficult to handle the freedom and power of such an industry, responsible leaders or gatekeepers must be able to act like the 'adults'. And then, of course, we must have common decency with each other and increase mutual understanding and respect for each other's limits. But what does this mean in a labour market that is characterised by short-term contracts and organised largely without shop stewards, collective agreements, HR departments and social policies? The answer requires diligence, introspection - and more knowledge.

Once again, artists have taken the lead on an issue that concerns and engages the whole of society. But when the conversation subsequently moves to social platforms, it often becomes crass, governed by algorithms, responsibility becomes diffuse and the trend is towards 'pinkwashing' and 'cancel culture'. What's needed is the opposite: accountability, introspection and conversation.

It's important that we as established communities stand ready to ensure that change happens in an inclusive and proper way. Hopefully, we will soon look back on sexism and offence as a cultural relic of the past. In comparison, we think of the right to hit children as old-fashioned after Denmark passed a law abolishing corporal punishment in 1997.

Tackling sexism requires shared responsibility 

What we have been in the midst of for years is a kind of body and cultural revolution: "Ask first! My body is my own, gender is not binary, new family forms," and so on. The music industry is putting its internal struggle on display, but is far from alone in the need for change and solutions to issues such as sexism in the workplace.

If we, as communities, do not manage to embrace this rebellion and evolve along with it, we will not be able to find useful models for creating a safe working environment for everyone. Media and social platforms may provide a non-committal and 'free' framework for community and confession, but they do not promise security.

Likewise, it is not in and on the media that we can secure fundamental rights, make principled cases and offer the specialised knowledge that helps both parties move forward. No one should shirk the responsibility to listen first and foremost. Otherwise, the gaps, the blame game - and the uncertainty - will grow.