Graduation Term

2024

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

School of Communication

Committee Chair

John McHale

Abstract

“Underrepresented Genders in Music: They ‘Actually’ Rock” is a documentary that navigates the role women and non-binary femmes have in the world of music, the gender-specific barriers they have to overcome, where they are at in their music careers, and how they define their success. Each person’s story is unique, but they all want to see more acceptance and appreciation of women and femmes in the music industry. For the scope of this project, all musicians and people featured are from Illinois. There are several protagonists this documentary will follow: Emily Antonacci (she/they), Camryn Proctor (they/them), and Abbey Haste from Emily the Band, musician Denise La Grassa (she/her), and singer-songwriter Rebekah Mangels (she/ her). Supporting characters include talent bookers, a high school band director, and other musicians. The documentary is primarily actualities from the characters which all build towards telling the story of what it is like to not be a man in the music industry. The women and femmes talk about how they struggle with being booked, dressing appropriately for shows, being taken seriously, and how it feels to be unwelcomed. The climax is when talent booker Morgan Schulte reveals a horrifying story about what it is like to be a woman at a music venue, and Camryn Proctor discusses what the solution could be. Their potential solution is creating a music space made specifically for women and femme musicians.

Access Type

Thesis-Open Access

DOI

https://doi.org/10.30707/ETD2024.20240827063556390737.999996

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