Misogyny in music

Women and Equalities Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 9 Jun 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
In recent years, news reports and some studies have brought to the forefront the extent to which misogyny exists in the music industry. This inquiry aims to examine what misogynistic attitudes exist in the industry and why. It aims to uncover, in more detail, how these attitudes can filter through … Read more
27 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
1 Report
9 Oral sessions
2 Letters
9 Events
Activity timeline 22 events
24 Apr
2024
Oral evidence
24 Apr
2024
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
19 Apr
2024
Report published
6 Mar
2024
Correspondence
7 Feb
2024
Correspondence
30 Jan
2024
Report published
13 Sep
2023
Oral evidence
13 Sep
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
18 Jul
2023
Oral evidence
18 Jul
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
28 Jun
2023
Oral evidence
28 Jun
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 9 sessions
24 Apr 2024
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Women and Equalities Committee
Andrew Medlock · CIISA David Smy · Office for Students Jen Smith · CIISA
13 Sep 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Annie Macmanus Rebecca Ferguson
18 Jul 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport Victoria MacCallum · Department for Culture, Media and Sport
28 Jun 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Isabel Garvey · Warner Music UK Jessica Carsen · Sony Music UK Natasha Mann · Universal Music UK
24 May 2023
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Misogyny in music
John Shortell · Musician's Union Lauren Down · End of Road Festival Marta Pallares Olivares · Primavera Sound Festival
19 Apr 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Deborah Annetts · Independent Society of Musicians Jamie Njoku-Goodwin · UK Music Jen Smith · CIISA YolanDa Brown OBE DL · British Phonographic Industry
8 Feb 2023
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Women and Equalities Committee
Melinda Kelly · Safe Gigs for Women Nadia Khan · Women in CTRL Vanessa Threadgold · Cactus City Studio Vick Bain · F-List
26 Oct 2022
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Misogyny in music
Charisse Beaumont · Black Lives in Music Dr Cassandra Jones · University of Northumbria Dr Nicola Puckey · University of Winchester Dr Rosemary Hill · University of Huddersfield
14 Sep 2022
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Women and Equalities Committee
Charisse Beaumont · Black Lives in Music Dr Cassandra Jones · University of Northumbria Dr Nicola Puckey · University of Winchester Dr Rosemary Hill · University of Huddersfield
Title HC No. Published Items Response
2nd Report - Misogyny in music HC 129 30 Jan 2024 33 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
15 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Increase funded opportunities for women and girls in male-dominated music industry roles and training.
Music colleges, conservatoires and other educational settings need to do more to address the gendering of instruments, roles and genres and improve the visibility of and support for female role models. The Government and industry bodies should offer increased, funded … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights existing legal protections under the Equality Act and Public Sector Equality Duty, alongside improved gender balance in music higher education. It refers to the National Plan for Music Education and initiatives like Music Hubs' Participation and Inclusion Strategy and Inclusion Leads from September 2024.
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5 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Increase investment and funding for diverse talent and improve women's career pathways in music.
Although female representation in the music industry is improving, particularly at senior levels, progress is not uniform and gender imbalance remains entrenched in certain areas. The music industry and government should increase investment in diverse talent and make more funding … Read more
Government Response
The government refers to existing legal frameworks, improved gender balance in music higher education, and ongoing work by government-funded Music Hubs under the National Plan for Music Education. It notes that Music Hubs will have a Participation and Inclusion Strategy and an Inclusion Lead from September 2024.
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7 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Provide mandatory equality, diversity, and inclusion training for all music industry organisations.
Organisations in the music industry should provide mandatory equality, diversity and inclusion training. These steps are required because misogynistic and discriminatory behaviours remain entrenched despite increased representation. (Recommendation, Paragraph 44) Legislative and other related changes Read more
Government Response
The government states it will provide professional training aligned with its Standards, which will play a role in dismantling the prevalence of such behaviours.
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8 Conclusion Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Increase childcare support and flexible working arrangements for parents across the music sector.
Having children should not be a barrier to a career in the music industry, yet the evidence we have seen suggests otherwise. While large employers are taking welcome steps to support parents with childcare responsibilities, the industry as a whole … Read more
Government Response
The government details existing statutory parental leave and pay entitlements for employed parents and other financial support schemes, but states there are no current plans to introduce parental leave or pay entitlements for self-employed fathers or partners.
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14 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Implement and robustly enforce the OfS's new condition protecting students from harassment and misconduct.
Too often in the past, institutions have put protecting their reputations ahead of a duty of care for their students. The OfS’s proposals for potential loss of funding and/or accreditation should help challenge that mindset. We urge the OfS to … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms that the Office for Students' proposed ban on non-disclosure agreements in sexual misconduct cases is consistent with the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023, which includes such a ban and takes effect on 1 August 2024.
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18 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Publish comprehensive guidance for employers and workers on preventing third-party sexual harassment.
Guidance for employers and employees, including freelancers, on the new duty to protect from sexual harassment, should set out how employers should prevent and manage sexual harassment coming from third parties in the absence of legal protection, including how all … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need for guidance, stating existing EHRC guidance already covers employer expectations regarding third-party harassment. Updated EHRC guidance and an updated Employment Statutory Code of Practice are anticipated in late 2024 to further support employers with the new duty.
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20 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Integrate survivor-led training on sexual harassment into Security Industry Authority accreditation for venue staff.
Security Industry Authority accreditation for security staff to work at live music venues should include training on dealing with discrimination, sexual harassment and abuse. That training should be survivor-led and provided by accredited organisations dedicated to improving safety for women. … Read more
Government Response
The government states that the Security Industry Authority's mandatory training for Door Supervisors already includes content on keeping vulnerable people safe, identifying predatory behaviours, and dealing with allegations of sexual assault, thereby addressing the recommendation for such training.
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21 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Mandate adequate, separate dressing room facilities for women and gender nonconforming musicians in venues.
Expecting women to change in front their male peers or in their car, or to share rooms or beds with male colleagues while on tour, is unacceptable and raises safety concerns. The music industry needs to improve its facilitation of … Read more
Government Response
The government supports the recommendation and states that CIISA's Standards will be reinforced to ensure venues hosting live music provide adequate, separate dressing room facilities for women and gender nonconforming musicians.
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22 Conclusion Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Widespread sexual harassment and abuse persists in the music industry with high non-reporting.
Sexual harassment and abuse in the music industry remains widespread. Aggressors act with impunity while victims who report actions against them very often face further harm by doing so. It is disappointing but not surprising, that non-reporting is high. Organisations … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the widespread issue of sexual harassment and highlights the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023, which will introduce a duty on employers to take reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment from October 2024, including a compensation uplift for breaches.
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23 Conclusion Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Inadequate awareness and reporting pathways for inappropriate behaviour in the music industry.
Awareness of what constitutes inappropriate behaviour and discrimination needs to be improved and reporting pathways made clear. A reporting structure needs to be available to everyone working in the industry, not just those who have access to HR departments, which … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights the Equality and Human Rights Commission's existing guidance and investigative powers, and commits to publishing updated guidance for employers and an updated Employment Statutory Code of Practice by late 2024.
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26 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Task CIISA to educate the music industry and provide training on sexual harassment and gender bias.
The establishment of CIISA is an opportunity to educate the music industry on the rights of self-employed workers and the responsibilities of those hiring them. It can become a hub of expertise. Earlier in this report we set out how … Read more
Government Response
The government states that CIISA will look to set standards and provide training on tackling and preventing sexual harassment, sexual violence, misogyny, and bias across the creative industries.
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27 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Require CIISA to publish annual report detailing music industry discrimination, harassment, and diversity.
CIISA has committed to producing an annual report. That report should include an overview on the state of the music industry with respect to levels of discrimination, harassment and abuse and diversity. Reported data should be broken down by protected … Read more
Government Response
The government confirms CIISA will publish an annual report with aggregated data broken down by protected characteristic. CIISA will also name organisations with evidence-based systemic concerns and publish non-compliance with recommendations.
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29 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
Managers have a very important role in supporting artists’ careers but incidents of exploitation show...
Managers have a very important role in supporting artists’ careers but incidents of exploitation show that protections are required. CIISA should work with the Music Managers Forum to develop and oversee a mandatory accreditation programme for managers in the music … Read more
Government Response
The government states CIISA will actively look to provide suitable accreditation programmes and work closely with the Music Managers Forum to address this recommendation.
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30 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
The Government should urgently bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the use of non-disclosure and...
The Government should urgently bring forward legislative proposals to prohibit the use of non-disclosure and other forms of confidentiality agreements in cases involving (a) sexual abuse, sexual harassment or sexual misconduct; (b) bullying or harassment not falling within (a) and … Read more
Government Response
The government strongly supports the recommendation to prohibit the misuse of non-disclosure agreements to silence victims and cover up harmful behaviours in cases of sexual abuse, harassment, misconduct, bullying, or discrimination.
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33 Recommendation Accepted
2nd Report - Misogyny in music
CIISA should collect and annually publish data on the use and threatened use of NDAs...
CIISA should collect and annually publish data on the use and threatened use of NDAs in the music industry. (Recommendation, Paragraph 141)
Government Response
The government confirms that CIISA will monitor, collect, and publish data on the use of NDAs across all industries within its purview, including music.
Government Equalities Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 33 of 27 classified
Accepted 15
Accepted in Part 3
Acknowledged 4
Deferred 4
Rejected 7
Total 27 recs + 6 conclusions
Correspondence 2 letters
6 Mar 2024 Correspondence from Minister for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries on Misogyny in music, dated 28 Feb 2024
Parliament page
7 Feb 2024 Correspondence to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, relating to the inquiry Misogyny in music, dated 7 February 2024
Parliament page