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Join the Black Women in Rock Project

Hey guys I’m Nadine AKA Nadine The Ranter (@ZimTrendsetter on twitter)  and I would like to get everyone involved in a project of mine. Too often I see people deny the creation and pioneering of black women in rock music. Already, people try to deny the fact that black people created rock music but if we mention black rock musicians AT ALL we tend to talk about cis black men alone. What about Sister Rosetta Tharpe? Betty Davis? Poly Styrene? How are so many black women erased from this narrative? Well, this is no way okay and I plan to do something.

Inspired by fellow black girls and women on social media who lament the lack of representation I have decided to pursue the #BWinRock project. The aim is to make playlists of black women in rock music as creators, pioneers and currently rocking out for people to listen to. In addition this project intends to share articles and reading lists about said women.

I feel that this important because music genres have certain images associated with them. People think of rock music as the genre of cis, often heterosexual, white men. Never mind that a major element of rock music is critique the cisheteronormative, capitalist, white supremacist, patriarch world that we dwell in. The result of this erasure and if representing black people in rock music at all, only acknowledging black women is making black girls and women feeling unsafe, ostracized and alienated for liking this music. Supposedly loving rock communities will deny this and be violently racist, queerphobic, transphobic, misogynistic and classist. Black girls and women are reduced to racial stereotypes and told their feelings are not valid. This is not okay. I am done waiting, thinking that “any minute now” someone is going to represent me and others like me. Its not okay that a genre which should ideally push for ending oppressive systems refuses to give black girls and women an outlet to also discuss their experiences. And I want to get you involved in this project.

We (as some people have already joined) need more contribution and support. If you would like to share/make playlists, share reading lists, write articles about history and/or current #BWinRock related topics, post photos or videos on instagram, talk about your own experiences or simply use the official twitter to organize little events wherever you are I would love if you would let me know. Even on a smaller scale: making people aware of this project, adding the tag when you discuss black women in rock be it current events or history and encouraging others to join and/or raise awareness in the same way would be greatly appreciated.

Here are contact details:
If you would like a in depth analysis of what it means to be a black girl into rock music (including peoples refusal to acknowledge that you can like multiple genres of music) I recently wrote one for woke youth: http://www.wokeyouth.com/being-a-black-girl-into-rock

Hope to hear from many of you soon,
Nadine The Ranter


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