Gender Equity Issues in the Depiction of Female Wind Band Conductors and Wind Band Experts in The Instrumentalist Magazine (August 2000-July 2002)
Heather McWilliams, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
This
study examined the 24 issues of The Instrumentalist magazine from August 2000 to July 2002 focusing
on the portrayal of female wind band conductors and wind band experts. The magazine was examined in relation
to the following gender equity issues as revealed in a review of the research
literature: gender stereotyping of musical instruments; discriminatory hiring
practices; bias in assessment of musical performance; and a variety of equity
concerns raised by female college band conductors.
The
magazine (images and text) was analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative
research methodology. Descriptive
statistics were used to report the quantity of wind-band related individuals in
images. The qualitative analysis
was an oppositional reading of selected images and text. The main research questions were taken
from Koza (1993): whose knowledge, interests and problems are deemed worthy of
attention; where are the silences and gapsówho are the people and what are the
subjects not addressed; and for whom is the publication designed? The theoretical framework used was a
hybrid of feminist theory (Scott and Weedon); reception theory (DeVaney);
theories regarding sexuality and power (Foucault); theories relating to the
critical sociology of schooling (Apple), and theories pertaining to
photographic images in texts (Whatley, Ellsworth, Barthes, Bryant, and
Trachtenberg).
Because
at least 50% of the general population is female one might expect that
approximately half of the wind band related images would also be female. A preliminary examination of the magazine,
however, found that females were underrepresented. This study therefore also investigated whether females were
represented in numbers which were at least commensurate with their estimated
numbers in the wind band genre.
The
quantitative data revealed underrepresentation of females in all contexts. Furthermore, females were not depicted
in numbers which were representative of their actual numbers within the wind
band sphere. The qualitative
findings revealed that females were often depicted in disparaging and
stereotypical ways. Gender equity
concerns were not a part of the discourse. The Instrumentalist was, therefore, found to be outdated and
insensitive in terms of working towards the progressive social goal of gender
equity within the wind band community.
Heather McWilliams, Ph.D.
University of Wisconsin
Oshkosh
800 Algoma Blvd.
Oshkosh, WI 54901