SXSW Music Panel: Jessica Hopper

Jessica Hopper, who has writing and editing credits at Pitchfork, Rookie, and is now the editorial director of music at MTV, can count herself as one of the most successful female music journalists of all time.

Despite her robust CV, she was quick to dispel one of the most pervasive myths in all facets of the music industry.

“We’re telling people you have to struggle to participate,” she said simply at her SXSW Featured Session on Thursday afternoon.

According to Hopper, what aspirants rarely take into account is that the narrative of paying your dues doesn’t acknowledge the compounding element of gender inequality. All facets of the music business – bands, sound engineers, public relations, journalism – are dominated by very white, very male personnel, and that isn’t changing. Hopper cited unsafe show environments, sexism toward female musicians, and harassment from higher-ups as just a few barriers.

No wonder so many women burn out before they’ve made it.

“What would music look and feel and sound like if women weren’t dropping out at the rate they do?” she asked.

Hopper didn’t offer a definitive solution. She did, however, suggest a few small steps that members of the community can take: asking about the harassment policy at venues, speaking up about the “creeps” in the industry, and refusing to prioritize the comfort of assholes over the women they’re preying on.

Perhaps if the industry as a whole pledged to question what Hopper called the “baseline condition,” we could stop telling ourselves women just aren't cut out for music.