Women in Metal : My Rant
So I recently read this article....
http://guycodeblog.mtv.com/2014/01/29/metal-girlfriend/
and I have a million things to say about why I think this article is biased and stupid but I will simply say that the person who wrote this article clearly is some guy who is solely basing his research off girls in their 20s who have no idea who they are yet and he just wants to get laid.
SO here is my rant about how I feel about women in metal.
1. If women are going to metal shows just to "meet men" and not actually there because they are passionate about metal, then they are there for all the wrong reasons. Sure you will get groupies now and then, and wherever there is rock n roll and male bands, you are going to have a few groupies, but those of us who actually care about the music are there for the music. Yes, if you are a woman and you go to a metal show, you are certainly going to have large chances to meet men, but in reality out in the real world when we go to school, the grocery store, work, random bars, we are less likely to meet men BECAUSE we are metalheads. Most guys look at you like you are weird, or perhaps they are just intimated by our metal demeanour.
2. There is a special place in hell in my eyes for women who sleep around. Sure we all like having our ego's stroked, but women who sleep with every band or guy who comes her way is either a nymphomaniac or highly insecure, usually the latter. This does go both ways though and I am sick of hearing men refer to women as sluts, when they themselves act in the same manner. No double standards allowed. You either have integrity or not. That is your choice.
3. Most women who are truly into metal are tomboys. Through my own research and observation (and my personal experience), I find that women who like metal are tough ladies. We do not like being messed with, and that feeling of empowerment that metal brings out in you guys, guess what, us ladies like it too. Tomboys like to be surrounded my men; it is where we feel the most comfortable. That is not to say that we don't have female friends, yeah sure we do, but we just enjoy the male energy more often.
4. Most of us dress like guy metalheads. We love to relax and just wear our black metal t-shirts and jeans just like men, but we are women too. Sometimes we want to dress up, wear heels, a dress and some makeup. When we do decide to dress up and feel pretty we are not necessarily trying to hit on you. We just want to connect with our feminine side too sometimes.
5. Female metalheads are outsiders of a larger group of outsiders. Do you know how intimidating it is to try and fit in when you aren't simply assimilated as "one of the guys"? Guys in metal travel in bands which are like little clans within the genre. To break into this circle of male bonding when you are a female isn't easy. Metal is considered the "Brotherhood" and for many reasons I would say this is accurate, but nowadays when you have a larger group females really taking part in the scene, we may need to re-evaluate this term. Just because I have a vagina and you have a penis doesn't mean we can't hang as friends! Remember we are a minority of a group of people who are already outsiders in society, we need a place to belong too. So next time you see a chick at a metal show, gather your observations. Is she some young scantily clad girl who hasn't fully realized her identity and personal strengths, or is she someone who knows who she is, will fight for the things she cares about just as much as you, and loves metal music.
Snowfall Photographs in Atlanta
Give a girl a camera, and she will never be bored. That is if you have a passion for taking photographs! Today was my ultimate day to take photographs around Atlanta due to the snow and also the lack of humans walking around. Pure photographic bliss.
New Videos
So I finally started my video journey of the Atlanta Metal scene....some are posted on my youtube page here...
Metal Show at the Basement 10/09/2013
Hello everyone, for those who don't know me, I am currently working on a photographic documentary of the Atlanta Metal scene. Yes I am that woman with the bright flash who gets up in your face and annoys you, but hey, that is how I get the shots that I want. I'm doing this work for my thesis for grad school, but also because this work really is an extension of myself as a metalhead. I want to share with the world what I see going on in Atlanta, and it's is a very positive experience for all of us involved.
Summer 2013 Metalheads Series Photographs
Since I have been a lazy bum and haven't posted in quite some time, I decided to throw up some of my favorite photographs shot during this past summer at various metal events around town.
Old School / New School shoot
I recently shot my friend Bob, of Ritual Ugliness Productions, in an old fashioned early photography style. The mixture of old school poses and lighting paired with new school clothing makes for some unique portraiture. You can see a few more shots on my portrait page.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Recently I hiked a 2.5 mile walk through wetlands, swamps and humidity to see how our planet looked thousands of years ago before we came along with our bulldozers and strip malls. It was a relaxing, although sweaty, walk and I saw a baby alligator.
