Photographer Emily Harris has crossed over into a more more expansive medium of film to delve deeper into heavy metal subculture. Her studies first looked at the Atlanta Metal scene, and now find her looking the world over at some of the biggest festivals, from the Tuska Open Air Festival in Finland to the high seas on the 70000 Tons of Metal Cruise. Her current documentary “I Don’t Give a Damn about My Bad Reputation” is set for release in the early part of this year, and takes a hard look at gender roles in the often male-dominated world of metal. So I caught up with Emily to have a frank discussion about the making of her film, and what she learned in regards to tough gender issues in the world of metal.
How did the idea for this movie springboard off the making of your “Atlanta Metal” documentary?
Emily: Well, it’s kind of a weird story. After I finished my first film, “Atlanta Metal,” as part of my thesis for graduate school, I finally graduated and was antsy to travel. Shortly after graduation, I attended a metal academic conference in Finland and met a Finnish metal documentarian. We remained friends, and he approached me later on about working on a documentary together. The only thing I really cared about diving into was women in metal, since it’s something I am a part of personally, but also something I am really passionate about.
Actually, there are academic friends of mine out there doing research on lots of topics, including the participation of women at certain metal events. From what I gather, have read, and from what I have seen the numbers are about even across the board for all genres, with women still being around 20-30% of the crowd. But I would say that black metal probably brings the least amount of women out, and actually most of the extreme metal genres I believe tend to attract more men then women as compared to say, symphonic metal, or folk metal, etc.
Ha!!! Another solid question, and one that I confront a lot in the process of making this film and a topic that I discuss and ponder over many times. I’ll put it this way: being an attractive woman for sure has gained me access to people, mainly men, wanting to talk to me. But it’s a double-edged sword. They may want to talk to you or help you out, but then there is the knowledge that they likely want “more” from you than what you were planning to give back. I think what’s more important in a sense is the fact that doors are opened for me because I am persistent. I am kind. I am honest. I am driven. I give back when I can and I wouldn’t have these doors opened if it didn’t have something to do with my personality and knowing how to treat people.
They are all around me. I know so many women who are involved in the scene. I have academic friends researching and writing about the struggles of women in metal. I know fans. I know other female photographers. I know women who perform or sing in bands. A lot of these women will be in my film, so I don’t want to talk too much about it now, check out the film! I am so proud of all of them.
I think there are some women (and also men) who might be holding us back. If a woman is going to a show just to ‘hook up’ with a guy, then she is not there for the right reasons. At the same time, when you mix a bunch of guys with a few women sprinkled in there, it’s not unrealistic that someone might ‘hook up’ with someone else. I mean, attraction is attraction. I would say that groupies still do exist in a sense. It’s another issue I tackle in the film and try to analyze. What sucks is sometimes when you are a woman and you want to hang or talk with a band because you really like their music, it’s always in the back of my mind of how they will perceive me. Because I know if I were a guy, things would automatically feel different. I hope that by my own example and by making this film, these are some issues people will start to think about.
Yes, I do and I have had discussions with several people from different countries about how women are perceived in their local area. I interviewed some people too for the film from different countries, so I don’t want to give too much away, but I would say that Europe has the best gender equality, and I think that stems from their cultures.
[youtube id=”Z8HWuWZZPMw”]
Emily Harris
January 21, 2017 at 2:46 am
All I can say gals & gents is that I cover a wide range of opinions , male and female, through personal experiences , other people’s experiences & through people who are intelligent metal academics actually researching and stimulating me for this doc … this is not some hate agenda or that I’m attacking men in metal … it’s a very serious & extremely personal introspection into how women function within metal. I have more guy friends in metal and in my own life … I’d say I love everyone… seriously no hate from me as the filmmaker just more my reality (as all our realities as a female in this scene). I hope to show the fun but also the pain …
Patrick Carabin Gardner
January 19, 2017 at 2:07 pm
Such bullshit. The only time I have even heard about this is on pages like this. Garbage.
Chaise Flatt
January 19, 2017 at 1:59 pm
Be feminine in metal, be butch in metal, who fucking cares. Be yourself. Simple.
eat shit
January 19, 2017 at 1:42 pm
Of course she avoids the girls that do interviews who don’t know shit about the band, but got big tits, and the other girls that are there at the show because they know it will get them a bunch of attention.
You really want to talk about gender in the metal scene? Wake up and recognize that this culture of popularity that has infiltrated this world is part of the problem. Yes, the guys that say stupid shit to the lady in Myrkur are also an issue, that is a given and it is sick that some people hate her so much all because of her music (granted, I get not liking her, but the vitriol is gross), but this is one part of it.
There are two types of women at metal shows, those who love metal and those who love attention. If you don’t care to learn about the bands and dedicate yourself to the “scene”, than find some other culture to be a tourist at.
Daniel Lebofsky
January 19, 2017 at 1:02 pm
…or they can be Mind Of Asian and be the best band in the Universe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYm4pmFdcZ0
Julien Gripp
January 19, 2017 at 12:59 pm
White dudes take it for granted that the majority of people making the music they like look like them, more at 11.
And now to Bob with the weather. Bob?
Hannah Jackson
January 19, 2017 at 11:44 am
Having experienced the metal scenes in San Francisco, Denver and Portland I have to say I’ve never experienced or seen anything like this towards the female gender.
Victoria Chakal
January 20, 2017 at 2:12 am
Having experienced the metal scene in other places, I have.
CVLT Nation
January 19, 2017 at 11:41 am
So many comments on here that prove the point of the director and of the quote we chose to publish on Facebook. CVLT Nation is a joint effort, run by one woman (me) and one man. As a woman who has had countless interactions with the metal community from around the world, standing side by side with my male partner, I can tell you there is a BIG difference in the way we are treated. The way a woman presents herself to the world – any world – is highly relevant, and if you can tell yourself it isn’t in a world that continuously violates, shames and silences women (what many of you are trying to do here, right in this thread) then you are either deluded or seriously ignorant. One of us is respected and asked for his opinion by the majority of the community, the other’s opinion is mostly ignored and unasked for by the very same majority. We have worked on this blog together since its inception, I have listened to every album and stream we have published, I have edited every article, and I am very much an integral part of CVLT Nation, and the reason why insecure, entitled men even have a place to spew their insecurity. I am not surprised that many of my readers are sexist pigs, but disappointed for sure. All of you who think this is a non-issue are really just uncomfortable with it being brought up because it disturbs your twisted reality. Oh, and Alessandro Di Benedetto – I am not a nice, simple woman, I am a fucking force to be reckoned with, so I suggest you get the fuck off my page. You are not welcome here with that bullshit.
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 12:03 pm
Oh it’s quite obvious what are you about, pls keep proving the point 😀
Pieter Verbeke
January 19, 2017 at 12:17 pm
sometimes im ashamed to be a guy. its really weird what guys do to “look male”. like you girls use make up in the same way we treat women and drive fast and whatever. people are crazy about impressing one another.
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 1:04 pm
Ego all around, right?
Nuno Oz
January 19, 2017 at 1:57 pm
go fuck yourself
Nuno Oz
January 19, 2017 at 1:58 pm
you and this idiot page if you try to mae it important to me youre dead to me go fuck ypourself
Patrick Carabin Gardner
January 19, 2017 at 2:08 pm
I don’t believe this for one second. I am willing to bet you are treated differently because of your martyr attitude and not your gender.
Christian Olivas
January 19, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Great article; reminds me of Kathleen Hannah and her work with Bikini Kill and her zines: her efforts into punk and Third Wave feminism certainly helped give a platform for women to express themselves more, but metal still has that boys club attitude, even though bands like Punch kick way more ass.
Felicity Hart
January 19, 2017 at 3:41 pm
💖
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 10:49 pm
Nobody cares that you are a woman. Nobody listens to a band and says “Hmmmmmm I really like this, oh wait, the guitar player is a WOMAN? I suddenly hate this.” There will never, ever be equal male to female representation in metal because metal by default appeals more commonly to male nature. Trying to push of of this Social Justice, equality gender fixation, Marxist babble into something like Metal is only makes metal worse. It makes it diluted, more friendly, less niche, less masculine and overall less good.
The entire Western World has been tailored to make you as comfortable as possible. Even the military has lowered it’s physical standards so women like you would have an easier time joining despite it costing lives on the battlefield. Nothing can just be masculine. But hey I’m just an insecure little man. Tiny angry man. Welcome to the Tiny Angry Man Zone. All tiny. All angry. All the time. It’s definitely not you. It’s not that guys are tired of hysteric suffragettes wasting their time and making one of the last bastions of unfettered masculinity into a family friendly costume party.
Here’s a better idea for you women. Just go to concerts. Just make music. Earn your place instead of demanding it. That’s what we men did believe or not.
Why don’t you change your logo to something more appropriate like an overweight woman in high heels stepping on a man’s balls?
CVLT Nation
January 20, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Oh shit, you’re right. God, what are we all complaining about? I’m going to go to the Womens March tomorrow and see what all the fuss is. Go hang out with my fellow delusional bitches. Thanks for the insight on how the world really works. My hormones must be fucking with me.
Pieter Verbeke
January 20, 2017 at 2:37 pm
a little make up, a wig and change your name to alessandra and youre all ready for the drag queen convention, hot stuff.
Martin Strnad
January 21, 2017 at 12:27 am
No, it’s your indoctrinated and in your chamber of truth echoed one sided gender propaganda, personal attacks as the guy bellow proved, targeted removal of pluralism that turned not just any argument on person to person level but the whole public discussion and political debate into public shaming,something one with perspective can call a bitch fight, so there you go, enjoy setting the world on fire by proxy, really good job 😀
Richard Kopf
January 19, 2017 at 10:12 am
I am of two minds on this. I never really thought of battle vests, jeans and band shirts to be that gendered of clothing really. It is just what people wear in the scene or to shows. The clothing thing doesn’t seem to be a hill to die on. I have noticed however some pretty small minded people when it comes to women in bands. Landmine Marathon, Thor’s Hammer are both fronted by women and they fucking own.
Hannah Jackson
January 19, 2017 at 9:38 am
J Miura Otis
January 19, 2017 at 9:29 am
wear whatever the fuck you want and stop worrying about what other people think.
Brent Figiel
January 19, 2017 at 8:25 am
Fuck what other people think. Listen to what you want, dress however you like and anyone who doesn’t like it can fuck right off.
Steve Smitan
January 19, 2017 at 6:50 am
ok
Naomi Masingale
January 19, 2017 at 6:47 am
I don’t like the use of language in this article; are women so obsessed with their woman-ness that they worry about “losing their femininity”?
Ieva Trolytė
January 19, 2017 at 5:56 am
What about not giving a shit about others opnions about how feminine or not feminine you look? I for example don’t give one fucken shitty shit. If someone’s eyes can’t handle the way i act or look burn them or fucken i don’t even..look away atleast and shut the fuck up with those bullshit ass articles like this particular one.
Victoria Chakal
January 20, 2017 at 2:12 am
“Sexism doesn’t exist if you just ignore it! Wheeee!”
Milton Stille
January 19, 2017 at 4:12 am
I’m kind of intrigued by the reactions here. Subcultures do have a tendency of embracing ideals of equality and inclusion, but I’ve typically found that all it takes is one person to regurgitate the obsolete status quo to set any progress back by a good century or so.
As someone that spends a lot of his time in an environment that involves aggressive music, and as a straight white male whose closest friends have pretty much always been mostly girls, I am very aware of the proverbial playing field not exactly being level. No pal, I’m not your fucking bro. I’m not just here because I want to fuck “that chick”.
Deplorably, individuals that don’t identify as male, or are ethnically identified as “not caucasian” typically have to fight to get the courteous treatment I am given by default, when that is a basic human right.
So, I suppose, the question I’m asking is – because I’m sincerely interested in the responses – how do you feel your local scene is shaking the shadow of misogyny?
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 3:01 am
this is absolutely untrue, not just in metal, but everwhere else, it is not the men that put this pressure on them, its themselves, I have experienced few mental comming outs of different women and eventually they all find out that no matter to which subculture they belong, its ultimately up to them to think, look and act however they like to to be happy and dont look for some sort of happiness in other peoples approval or attraction PERIOD
Chela Sanchez
January 19, 2017 at 4:38 am
it’s more of women thinking that metal is music for men. and now feminists have a reason to bitch about it lol
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 4:41 am
Exactly, all the guys liking that music will be actually happy if more non anxious girls would show up, but they never do and if so they have problems with it being too manly, well la dick duck fuck, it’s those guys that created it, if you want feminine metal, go and make some music and stop bitching! 😀
Chela Sanchez
January 19, 2017 at 4:55 am
i’ve even read before that it’s the girls who take advantage and rape drunk men in Wacken lol
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 4:56 am
that would not surprise me, ideal hunting grounds, isnt it? And yet they go and bitch about it being only for men 😀
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 4:56 am
I guess its those that are not even allowed to use the drunk metal heads on the toilet
Chela Sanchez
January 19, 2017 at 4:58 am
and the author pointed out that black metal scene treats women the worst. hell, they treat everyone who doesn’t make trv kvlt garage sound black metal as shit LOL black metal kvltists are the last people in metal scene that anyone should take seriously
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 5:06 am
thing is that its the ones that go to lots of extremes that try to attack them men that were in their own hidden extremes before, from my experience its actually the really dangerous drama queens that are seeking out this sort of “conflict” that only becomes one once they start taking everybody else as a hostage of their own freedom or happiness or whatever, really sick people actually
Milton Stille
January 19, 2017 at 12:34 pm
Do you, by any chance, find feminism emasculating? Do you feel threatened when a woman exercises her right to speak?
Martin Strnad
January 19, 2017 at 2:29 pm
No, I find disgusting how insecurities are being put into law and indoctrinated as a one sided standard into kids, and ironic that it is ultimately selfdamaging, human race doesn’t really deserve better anyway, which is not a copout it’s both your crime and your punishment, enjoy the already obvious results of your work in global politics, cheers to fucking things up! Cos you know, scientifically, tradition is an idiot thing 😀
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 2:53 am
Remember when women were simple and nice? :/
Tasia Williams
January 19, 2017 at 3:46 am
Remember when sexist pieces of garbage shut the fuck up and minded their own business? Oh, wait…
Nuno Oz
January 19, 2017 at 2:01 am
girls here are like metrosexuals in society same idiotic thing
Nick Craggs
January 19, 2017 at 1:57 am
This article is a load of bullshit.
Dan Lowndes
January 19, 2017 at 3:06 am
Proof that music journalism is the lowest of “professions”. In reality, no one fucking cares. This is nothing but click bait and has no relevance in real life.
Nick Craggs
January 19, 2017 at 3:07 am
Literally no one.
Veneficus Luna
January 19, 2017 at 3:39 am
I think I puked a little halfway 😀
Killrich Korpserotter
January 19, 2017 at 4:35 am
“Music journalism” is an oxymoron.
Julian Enß
January 19, 2017 at 1:50 am
Who else thinks that all metalheads look like girls?
Max X Grovewood
January 19, 2017 at 3:28 am
most of all most of the female “metalheads” look like dudes in the first place, no matter how they choose to dress. So it’s safe to say if everyone just dressed like steel panther it would be gender-neutral heaven
Danny Smith
January 19, 2017 at 1:47 am
Representation is a big fucking deal. Whenever women, PoC or the LGBTQI community make steps in a culture with historical leanings against them (in this case, where misogyny has been a pretty huge theme throughout metal’s history) all we hear is ‘who cares?’ from the culture’s most privileged. Shut the fuck up and listen to Venom Prison.
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 2:52 am
Jesus Christ. Stop reading Buzzfeed all day and go hang out with some men and do some man stuff. Lift weights. Urbex. Anything. Just stop with this cancer. We don’t care about making every goddamn person on the planet feel comfortable and included.
Danny Smith
January 19, 2017 at 3:15 am
Who the fuck is ‘we’ buddy? As far as I’m concerned I’m pretty sure I’m on the same side as the article. Fuck you and all your little alt-right friends. You are the anti-metal and WE hate you.
Tasia Williams
January 19, 2017 at 3:37 am
Alessandro Di Benedetto, you’re kidding, right? Treating other people with basic respect is “cancer”? Did you even read what you just wrote or do you just not give a shit? And holy shit, I can feel your fragile masculinity from here. Reminder: you’re not above anyone, despite what your reddit friends tell you. And do you even know what you’re commenting on? You might want to go before this black-owned, politically charged page starts making you feel more insecure.
Joseph Wilmore
January 19, 2017 at 4:28 am
This entire thread’s gonna be a bunch of whiny straight white dudes missing the point
Mátoha Hustokrutý
January 19, 2017 at 4:58 am
Representation is a non-issue. It helps nothing and nobody, it changes nothing, it does not matter at all. Impact of representation (or lack of) on the real world = 0
Also. Misogyny already is a word and it already has a meaning. Please try not to throw it around like confetti, you only devalue actual misogyny. Same with racism, sexism and other stuff.
Oh, and your race and gender does not magically grant you privileges (unless, of course, we are talking about affirmative action, where you might have a point).
Mátoha Hustokrutý
January 19, 2017 at 4:59 am
Joseph Wilmore Yes, buddy. But you are not one of them, right? You are a good ally.
Naomi Masingale
January 19, 2017 at 6:55 am
As a BLACK woman I’m well aware that I won’t be accepted by the majority of people by default, However I’m not going to sit on my high horse and demand other people change for my comfort
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 10:33 am
Tasia Williams “Hey boys! Pay attention to my non-issue! That’s basic respect! If the genders were reversed and I was a man that did an interview about his neurotic fixation on clothing and how people perceive me I’d be called a dumb asshole and immediately dismissed but because I have a VAGINA I can get an article published about my non-problem that could be easily solved by not worrying about what every man in the metal scene thinks about me but I can’t do that, my ego will not allow it. Everything is objectification. Stop looking at me. Wait look at me. I don’t know what I want.”
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 10:45 am
Danny Smith Don’t worry I would never, ever imply that you were a part of my “we”. Yeah man you are the true metal. Now lets stick up the horns for Social Justice and Gender! WOOOOOOOOOO! METAL! Lets hear it for upper-middle class white people with no sense of ethnic identity being overly concerned for the plights of people they have no relation or connection to! YEAAAAAAH WOOO METAL!
J Miura Otis
January 19, 2017 at 11:20 am
Although I appreciate the ally mindset, I can only speak for myself. The issues of the writer above are non-issues for me because I don’t give a fuck. If I want a space, I make a space. I don’t care if someone wants me in it or not. I get it but I’ve been into metal for over 25 years. No one will listen to some woman complaining. I made that mistake when I was young and realized, Get your ass into the scene, make your space and don’t give a fuck. The right people will respect that, the wrong ones aren’t even worth an iota of worry.
Milton Stille
January 19, 2017 at 11:52 am
Alessandro Di Benedetto Holy shit, dude! where the fuck do pieces of shit like you come from? Insecure much? The point is for all people, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or privilege to be treated as equals, and to be comfortable in expecting that equal treatment. That’s what equality means. Cute that you mentioned Urbex, misogyny isn’t tolerated there either. I’d be the first to kick you down a fucking well.
Milton Stille
January 19, 2017 at 12:07 pm
Naomi Masingale It’s not a high horse at all. You are entitled to be treated with the same respect every human deserves.
Alessandro Di Benedetto
January 19, 2017 at 9:24 pm
Milton Stille People aren’t equal. This silly website with their inappropriate wolf and pentagram logo. Yeah that really screams equality! I don’t know when we got so many neurotic Marxists in metal but I like to imagine what 80’s metal bands would have been singing about if they had your attitude from the start. We’d probably have classic songs like “My Girlfriend is having Sex with other Men and I’m Cool with That” by “The Privilege Checkers.”
Jarreau Broadhurst
January 19, 2017 at 1:46 am
‘Women shouldn’t be in metal’, ‘women don’t play as well as guys’, ‘she fucked her way to the top’, ‘she has to sing like a dude to sound any good’, ‘The only good thing about her band are her tits’…. this is all stuff I have heard guys (and other females!!!) say. As a female who actually pays money to go to gigs and support bands and fests I like in metal, this is seriously fucked and highly disappointing.
Pieter Verbeke
January 19, 2017 at 1:37 am
at Into The Void festival in netherlands i saw a bunch of dudes ditch Mount Salem just because there was a woman in it. “woman should get out of metal, it just sounds like shit with a female voice” etc. every now and then I see this article that “metalheads” are soooo open minded and friendly and whatever. right. no. every group has the same group of shitheads.
Pieter Verbeke
January 19, 2017 at 1:40 am
apparently even on youtube on mount salem videos. jesus christ i pity all your girlfriends
Chris Owen
January 19, 2017 at 3:18 am
That’s a shame. Mount Salem are rad as fuck.
Pieter Verbeke
January 19, 2017 at 4:00 am
they are, as are many other female fronted bands… but for some reason the whole youtube thread is not about music but about women in music….
Patrick Carabin Gardner
January 19, 2017 at 2:12 pm
So don”t judge people for their gender but go ahead and judge an entire scene. Lmao.
Pieter Verbeke
January 19, 2017 at 2:25 pm
i dont judge the whole scene? “every group has the same group of shitheads” ? read that? which basically means that every culture, subculture, or whatever has a group of assholes? metal is no different.
Chris Owen
January 19, 2017 at 1:28 am
Not important. Just enjoy the music.
Victoria Koschka
January 19, 2017 at 1:13 am
Woman in Metal looks very feminine. Boots and Leather are sexy.
Mike Maes
January 19, 2017 at 1:13 am
Why does it have to be about gender? How about talent? You don’t need to appease either gender if you have talent. You can be butch or feminine. Who cares? Just be good.
Kelsey Lee
January 19, 2017 at 2:04 am
If only this were true.
Mike Maes
January 19, 2017 at 2:36 am
You see a lot of ladies with no talent that has to use sex as a selling point. Equally you see ladies who feel they need to pander to the Bros by trying to be one. Why can’t they just be themselves?
Tasia Williams
January 19, 2017 at 3:44 am
Because no one gives a shit when women are “good”. Look where that gets most of them. Look at any comment on a Cerebral Bore music video. Good for you for being more concerned with the music, but that’s not the case with a lot of people.
Mike Maes
January 19, 2017 at 5:43 am
I’ll take a band like Kylesa or fear of God any day… hell. My favorite vocalists are Patsy Cline and Johnette Napolitano.
Mike Maes
January 19, 2017 at 5:47 am
https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=Koqi8rkr3HI
Nathan David
January 19, 2017 at 12:29 pm
Saying who cares is like saying “all lives matter” when poc ask to not be murdered
Mike Maes
January 19, 2017 at 2:37 pm
Poc? I guess I don’t know what that means?
Victoria Chakal
January 20, 2017 at 2:10 am
People of color.
Mike Maes
January 20, 2017 at 3:06 am
Gotcha.