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Early Tuesday morning, music journalist and Pitchfork senior editor Jessica Hopper asked for stories from "women and other marginalized folks" on inequality they might have experienced in the music or journalism industries.
Gals/other marginalized folks: what was your 1st brush (in music industry, journalism, scene) w/ idea that you didn't "count"?
— Jessica Hopper (@jesshopp) August 24, 2015
The tweet neatly expresses a common yet complex form of discrimination in less than 140 characters.
Two days later, Hopper is still retweeting hundreds of stories.
Musicians told her about the countless times they were mistaken for girlfriends or "groupies," like they couldn't possibly be at a venue for any other reason.
@jesshopp informed at the door "No girlfriends with the band" when i was in fact, playing
— infinity crush (@yrinfinitycrush) August 25, 2015
@jesshopp being forced on stage at a rap show, with the few other women present, being called a groupie for being a fan/doing my work
— plaintainpapi (@_anupa) August 25, 2015
Other journalists talked about how their editors didn't trust them or actively encouraged them to use their sexuality to make a story more salacious. They recounted interviews in which their male subjects condescended to them, doubted their qualifications, hit on them, and even assaulted them.
@jesshopp Complaints about groping met with shrugs from venue staff, other bands. "Let the pros do their job, sweetie" in the photo pit.
— Caroline Moore™ (@MooreClick) August 24, 2015
@jesshopp My "favorite," tho, is when a mag pulled me from a story when I refused to ask an all-male band if they jerked each other off.
— Megan Seling (@mseling) August 24, 2015
@jesshopp When a man I was interviewing said to me "I hope your writing is as good as your tits"
— rachel syme (@rachsyme) August 25, 2015
These tweets are worth a read, if only because they prove just how constantly working women deal with pervasive and toxic misogyny and discrimination, in every industry imaginable.
Read all of the tweets in the Storify below.
