Happy International Women’s Day, dear readers! Now, I’m aware that maybe we’re in the minority when reading our beautiful blog. Still, it’s nice to celebrate the achievements of those who work beside me and those I get to speak to on group chat every day.
This year, in addition to celebrating the women I admire, both in music and my private life, I asked my amazing colleagues if they wanted to share a quote on what International Women’s Day means to them. Mary and Meredith, as excellent as they are, had time to pass something on to me, so I had something more than just music and my anecdote on what International Women’s Day means.
So, let’s start with our lovely Meredith, as many know. She’s one of the many talented photographers on the team. Also, Meredith is easily one of the nicest people around and sincere. She lends an ear if you feel overwhelmed and has brilliant taste in movies and TV shows.
“International Women’s Day gives me an opportunity to reflect on what I’ve done as a photojournalist, and on the women who I looked at for inspiration for as I came up as a photojournalist, my mentors. But it’s also a chance to look forward to those coming up now, in both photography and also the music scene I document.
I’m also very grateful that Dying Scene’s Team Chicago has some terrific shooters in Mary and Fleurette. We all have different styles, and that’s what makes it great. The same goes for the women of punk rock in Chicago, including Claudia Guajardo in Shitizen; Traci Trouble & Lucy Dekay, who make up 2/3 of Aweful; and Deanna Belos, a.k.a. Sincere Engineer. I’ve documented the groups’ rises for several years as they’ve taken over the Chicago scene. In some cases, they are taking on national and international tours. These are women-fronted/mixed-gender bands with very different musical and performance styles. However, these groups are each powerful in their ways, and just three examples among many in the Chicago Punk Scene. It is a very exciting time to document this scene.”
And there’s Mary; I don’t know how to describe Mary because, truth be told, we haven’t had the chance to talk. But from what I’ve seen on Instagram, we have so much in common.
I’m kidding. Mary is energetic. She’s hard to describe before; she is well-spoken, funny, humble, and willing to let us ramble on about everything and nothing. I admire her, plus we have a super funny and low-key embarrassing story that we’ll tell one day.
“Happy International Women’s Day!
“I’m a feminist through and through. A tattoo on my bicep represents the political slogan/poem/song “Bread and Roses” that originated from Helen Todd, an American women’s suffrage and worker’s rights activist. I also absolutely love photographing fierce femme-fronted bands! My favorites include Jigsaw Youth, Destroy Boys, and War on Women. It’s great to see so many more women being represented at punk shows, not just on stage but also in the audience and photo pit!”
And then there’s me. I don’t like talking about myself, so I’ll skip that part. But I do know what International Women’s Day means to me. It wasn’t until five years ago that I really started to observe and focus on it. Hell, I wouldn’t even have called myself a feminist because, as embarrassing as it will read, I thought I wanted the 1950s lifestyle, and honestly, maybe that’s what others wanted for me, too.
I have two kids; my firstborn is a boy, and my youngest is a girl. But when I found out I was pregnant with a girl, I was scared as hell because I knew exactly what she would have to go through and what challenges she could potentially face in life if I didn’t get my bullshit together and start doing my research. Suppose I didn’t get out there and start fighting. Luckily, my pregnancy with my daughter was rough, the constant sickness, the bleeding, and… I think we get the picture. But she became the reason for many things; one of them is why I have 800 different jobs in music, stopped my day job, and decided to work harder than I ever have. Truthfully, I don’t want her or anyone else to work as hard or as much as I see those strong, independent women around me do. I wouldn’t mind fighting to make her life, whatever she decides to do, just a little easier. Also, show her how sisterhood isn’t a competition but a journey you have alongside your best people. That was one thing that took me years to understand: being number one or two means nothing if you’re alone.
So, how is it being a woman in music? From time to time, it can be challenging. I’m always happy for a challenge, but I’m extra excited when people tell me I can’t do it. And in music, I have some of the most inspiring people to look up to on my journey. From Patti Smith, Lana Del Rey, Dolly Parton, and Charlotte Sands, Andrea from the Danish band Situationsfornærmelse, Mannequin Pussy, and Stevie Nicks to a more personal note, that some people always attack me for, but they have shown me what real sisterhood means Annette, Aus, Sidsel, Stine, Salina, Nikoleta, actually every woman that celebrates other women’s success, achievements, those who inspire and include other’s.
THIS ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN WITH MARY AND MEREDITH FROM DYING SCENE.
COVER PICTURE BY MARY SUNDE OF WAR ON WOMEN
