Another festival under fire for lack of women on lineup
London's Wireless Festival announced their lineup today. Sure, it features some pretty stellar acts: J. Cole, Post Malone, Lil Uzi Vert and more.
But, as pop songstress Lily Allen points out, there's one major problem: The three-day lineup only features three women in total.
Read more: Op-Ed: We’re not listening to women in music—and that’s a huge problem
Allen shared the festival admat featuring all the male acts whited out showing the three women included on the festival's lineup. The caption? “The struggle is real.”
The struggle is real pic.twitter.com/R58zKuCaK2
— Lily (@lilyallen) January 23, 2018
Of course, fans noticed the problem, too.
fixed it a bit pic.twitter.com/sM3694Cyfx
— Matthew Cooper (@c00perM) January 23, 2018
this can’t be fr
— MNEK (@MNEK) January 23, 2018
I don’t know how you stomach all this misogynistic clapback BS @lilyallen. But you’re right. And if you ever fancy putting together an awesome female led festival, I’m well up for helping organise that. Been thinking about it for a while. It’s needed. x
— Natalie Lucie (@natalie_lucie) January 23, 2018
wrote about this problem a while back in a music class. this article talks about how festivals are able to book female acts but don’t ����♂️: https://t.co/QFKAr2gN0L pic.twitter.com/IbyZ1jisaQ
— Zach (@zach_310) January 23, 2018
More acts are still to be announced for the festival, but fans are not happy with the lack of female artists so far.
Sadly, this isn't a new occurrence in the festival circuit. Last year, U.K.'s Reading & Leeds festival came under fire after announcing their first round of performers, containing 57 male performers and only one woman: Chrissy Costanza.
“I'm not gonna tiptoe around the issue, because I genuinely want the issue to be resolved, I want there to be change,” Costanza said when we spoke to her last year. “If that means having to say the things that are a little bit more uncomfortable, then I'm willing to say that.”
Earlier this year, Halsey called out Firefly festival for their lack of female representation, too. “Damn guys come onnnnnn. Where the women at. This was one of my favorite festivals I’ve ever played and it’s a shame there’s not more females on the bill. With the exception of (the amazing) Sza, the first like 20 acts on the bill are men. It’s 2018, do better!!!”
Damn guys come onnnnnn. Where the women at. This was one of my favorite festivals I’ve ever played and it’s a shame there’s not more females on the bill. With the exception of (the amazing) Sza, the first like 20 acts on the bill are men. It’s 2018, do better!!! https://t.co/8tmeac8mVu
— h (@halsey) January 11, 2018
And we agree: It's 2018, and the music world can do better.
