Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Misogyny in music

Status: Closed Opened: 9 Jun 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 27 recommendations 6 conclusions 1 report

In recent years, news reports and some studies have brought to the forefront the extent to which misogyny exists in the music industry. This inquiry aims to examine what misogynistic attitudes exist in the industry and why. It aims to uncover, in more detail, how these attitudes can filter through to society, impacting attitudes towards …

Reports

1 report

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
2nd Report - Misogyny in music	HC 129	30 Jan 2024	33	Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items

3 Conclusion 2nd Report - Misogyny in music Acknowledged

Endemic discrimination and misogyny create significant barriers for women in the music industry, intensified by intersectionality.

Women have significant additional barriers to pass to get a foothold in the music industry and must navigate acts of passive aggression, ridicule, and misogyny to have a sustainable career. Female artists are routinely undervalued and undermined, endure a focus on their physical appearance in a way that men are …

Government response. The government fully supports the report's conclusions on misogyny, discrimination, and abuse in the music industry, recognising that more needs to be done and endorsing CIISA as a key initiative.

Government Equalities Office

6 Recommendation 2nd Report - Misogyny in music Acknowledged

Require record labels to publish creative roster diversity and organisations to publish workforce pay gap data.

To allow progress to be monitored, record labels should commit to regular publication of statistics on the diversity of their creative rosters. All organisations with more than 100 employees should be required to publish data on the diversity of their workforce and gender and ethnicity pay gaps. (Recommendation, Paragraph 43)

Government response. The government states it supports the recommendation for record labels and organisations to publish diversity data but provides no specific commitment to implement the suggested requirements.

Government Equalities Office

25 Recommendation 2nd Report - Misogyny in music Acknowledged

Address legislative barriers, including GDPR, to ensure CIISA operates effectively.

We are concerned that legislative barriers may prevent CIISA from operating effectively. We call on the Government to discuss with CIISA the potential impact of GDPR requirements on its work and to take the steps required, including any legislative changes, to allow CIISA to properly discharge its functions. (Recommendation, Paragraph …

Government response. The government acknowledges the concern about legislative barriers and GDPR, noting that CIISA has written to them to discuss the matter and potential mitigations.

Government Equalities Office

31 Recommendation 2nd Report - Misogyny in music Acknowledged

We have heard distressing evidence on the effects on the mental health of people silenced...

We have heard distressing evidence on the effects on the mental health of people silenced by a non-disclosure agreement. The Government should consider the potential merits of a retrospective moratorium on NDAs for those that have signed them relating to the issues we have outlined, with an assurance that they …

Government response. The government supports the recommendation to ensure individuals can freely discuss their experiences without fear of NDAs, which they believe will help build a clearer picture of industry issues.

Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

9 sessions

Date	Witnesses
24 Apr 2024	Andrew Medlock · CIISA, David Smy · Office for Students, Jen Smith · CIISA	View ↗
13 Sep 2023	Annie Macmanus, Rebecca Ferguson	View ↗
18 Jul 2023	Rt Hon Sir John Whittingdale MP · Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Victoria MacCallum · Department for Culture, Media and Sport	View ↗
28 Jun 2023	Isabel Garvey · Warner Music UK, Jessica Carsen · Sony Music UK, Natasha Mann · Universal Music UK	View ↗
24 May 2023	John Shortell · Musician's Union, Lauren Down · End of Road Festival, Marta Pallares Olivares · Primavera Sound Festival	View ↗
19 Apr 2023	Deborah Annetts · Independent Society of Musicians, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin · UK Music, Jen Smith · CIISA, YolanDa Brown OBE DL · British Phonographic Industry	View ↗
8 Feb 2023	Melinda Kelly · Safe Gigs for Women, Nadia Khan · Women in CTRL, Vanessa Threadgold · Cactus City Studio, Vick Bain · F-List	View ↗
26 Oct 2022	Charisse Beaumont · Black Lives in Music, Dr Cassandra Jones · University of Northumbria, Dr Nicola Puckey · University of Winchester, Dr Rosemary Hill · University of Huddersfield	View ↗
14 Sep 2022	Charisse Beaumont · Black Lives in Music, Dr Cassandra Jones · University of Northumbria, Dr Nicola Puckey · University of Winchester, Dr Rosemary Hill · University of Huddersfield	View ↗

Correspondence

2 letters

Date	Direction	Title
6 Mar 2024	—	Correspondence from Minister for Media, Tourism and Creative Industries on Miso…
7 Feb 2024	—	Correspondence to Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, relating to …