FDD - Female Drummer Discrimination

[Hydie Warwick]

I'm a girl drummer in a band with guys and find that sometimes it has its advantages, and othertimes its throwbacks. I get guys and girls coming up to me after a set saying, "wow, you're a really good drummer!" or "You have an interesting set up" and drummer talk like that etc. But I also get the stupid comment of, "you're an alright drummer...for a girl".

I want to know your views on this: do you feel like people judge you for your ability to play, or for the fact that you're a woman behind a drumkit and a minority? Also, tell me the oddest remarks you've gotten after a performance.

[Alicia]

Most of the time, most people are fine with me playing drums, even kind of in awe, their eyes light up at the idea of a chick drummer. The only time I ever get some kind of an attitude, it's from a male drummer, not usually just once in a while. It comes down to their own insecurities. If they find they are a better drummer than me they settle down, if they find they are not more skilled than me, they throw out the typical line about themselves being "a hard hitting drummer". I have had other male musicians state that hitting hard is not such a factor, because that's what microphones are for and that often these "hard hitters" break their heads and are unprepared for rehearsal or a gig because they can't afford to replace their stuff and others in the band get frustrated.

[Hydie Warwick]

Exactly, Joey Jordison, who is supposed to be the ultimate testosterone drummer and a male idol, apparently hits his drums really light to get the speed. I find it kinda funny how insecure guys really are.

[Jaye]

I've heard similar comments about being "good" etc. I'm sure there will be a day when we don't hear those things, but don't hold your breath:) I'm fine with it considering that many people honestly don't see many female drummers "in the flesh", but mainly in top bands like Prince, Beyonce's band, and Meg White. So they may be really just expressing their feelings which is hopefully honest and genuine. Oh course there's always going to be a few assholes, period. I haven't run into one of those yet.
Actually just yesterday a guy that's a friend of a friend said "are you really a drummer, drummer?" I was like (uhhh) yes I actually play the entire kit. Maybe they thought that I only played percussion or was in drum corp. I'm not sure but he was smiling and said "oh that's really cool." I don't see female drummers as minorities anymore there are a lot of us out there worldwide. Or did you mean racial minority? With that I've seen many excellent female players of all races but the top players for rock are white, and the top jazz/r&b tend to be African American. Just my 2cents.

The oddest remark recently was after this St.Paddy's day show this guitar guy from the band before me said that I was pretty good and he knows how hard it can be play along with a backing track especially when the music isn't always in 4/4 time. I only tend to play backing tracks with hip/hop or electronic artists, so I didn't take offense just said thanks. I also had a couple of other guys from the audience come up and say that was cool or whatever. I'm just glad a few people like my playing.

[Jessica]

This is sooo funny you made a blog for this, I'm actually writing my 102 paper on how female drummers are discriminated. I honestly hate when people come up to me after seeing me play saying "you're good....for a girl." I have to say thanks because it is a compliment, but in my head I'm just thinking, don't just tell me that becuase I am a girl, I know I play just as good as the boys. I love it too when people find out that I am a drummer. Usually the first thing they say is, "really? you don't look like a drummer" and I just say, "yes, yes I am." The best thing though, was when I was in drumline in the high school marching band. I was the first girl to play quad-toms/section leader/basses 2 and 3 and all the boys were so mad, but I say jealous :) and they tried to make me as manly as possible. They called me Joey instead of Jessica and commented on my looks and stuff all the time. Recently, I got the most touching comment in the world. I get paid to play drumset at the college basketball games (yes it is the perfect job) and after one of the songs, I think it was actually called "Horse" its like a 70's disco song kinda with a 6 bar drum fill, but anyway, after one of the players yelled "Yea! That's what I'm talking about! Whooooo!" I have to say it made my day, because I never get that recognition. To make a long story short, I for sure believe that women are judged to play, by both musicans and non-musicans, male and female. Thanks for setting this up !
Jess :)

[lajeanette]

"you're an alright drummer...for a girl"

It's weird cause nobody ever give me that phrase... Really never heard it about me or another girl. But don't worry i had my dose of discrimination !

I had another kind of attitudes that really annoyed me. The thing i hate the most is that when i ask to play at a jam, or i go on stage, i always see that the other (males) musicians assume that i'm a beginner or just don't know how to play at all. Then i play and the realise that i know my drums and they congratulates me but always with that "father attitude" You see what i mean? Like i was just a little girl. Sometimes i even got the impression that they don't know how to react, like i'm their first drummergirl.

But what i like is the audience attitude! They're always so please and interest to see a girl behind the drums, especially the others girls. For example, one time i had a really bad contact with some of the musicians at a jam, they're were pretentious, like i wasn't good enough for them. Then i sat down behind the drums and i heard a bunch a girls cheering me up, it was like "kick their asses please, for all the girls here!" And i think i did, but i didn't really appreciate it. The revenge was nice but it's not nice to play music just like you were confronting the others. There's a lot of guys who play that way. Me, i like to share and i'm please when meet guy who are able to do that.

And maybe it's possible with other girls musicians but i NEVER played with females musicians. I'd like to try someday!

[Hydie Warwick]

I get what you mean about the father attitude, and its patronising, especially if they are younger than you. And there's nothing I hate more than being patronised. But you're right, its all about the music and its worth it when you get the people that cheer you on, rather than hate on you.

[lajeanette]

And maybe that why it's even better after such attitudes to finally meet musicians that are able to go further that gender consideration. And i also played with a lot of that kind! I only hope that, in my future, i will meet more of them and less of "machos"!
It's relaxing to just have to play and enjoy the music instead of being part of a non-stop competition between musicians. There is enough space in the world for all of us, we just have to be able to share. Maybe that competition is a guy thing ? And maybe it will less and less like that if we're more girls on stage ?

[Victoria Hall]

Hmmm... When I was in Grade 7, my music teacher (a percussionist herself) held a sort of audition process for the percussion section. We had to learn three rudiments and a basic rock beat in a week. Whoever did it well was in. During class one day, some kid who gave up after the first lesson told me, "No offense, but I don't think any girls are gonna make it."
And you know what? For the next two years, the whole percussion section was female. Not a single boy made it.

However, this year I moved to Quebec, where high school starts in grade 7, not 9. I guess my teacher was telling the others that there'd be a new addition to the section. He brought me over and said, "Boys, meet the new percussionist!" One of them said, "What, her?" I'm still not sure what he meant by it.
I'm also unsure about what my other music teacher thinks of my skills. I shouldn't feel like I have to prove myself, should I?

[M. Jackson]

people should always improve themselves because they can always get better, no matter their gender.

[Saintessa]

Yeah sometimes :( its not good for the confidence.

[Georgette Solorzano]

I hear u on that girl! I play for my local church and everytime we go places to perform I get alot of comments... some pic up lines n some just guys hateing cuz im better then them:)lol jk but people will judge you some good some bad especially us drummergirls who play in a skirt with sum stilatoes:) All i can say girl is stay confindent n remind them DRUMS R 4 GIRLS:)lol

[olenah mpshane]

lol yeah i agree i also play for my local church just started this year yoh the guy who was the drummer there told me that it was gona take a long time for me to actualy play but now im already playing every sumday hey took me about a month to do basics nd now m rocking the set hey..lol used to get alot of disses like hai you should just give up nd hang your stixxx as remembarance that i was wanted to be a drummer lol....didnt go to any music school or anything but im rocking it like a pro...

GIRL DRUMMER FOR LIFE