Girls in Trouble on Feminism
Alicia from Girls in Trouble is currently featured on Undomestic Goddess discussing her relationship to feminism. You can read it HERE. Full text after the jump!
“Part of the reason I started writing “Girls in Trouble,” these songs about women in the Bible, is because their characters are so complex and awesome. Some characters are deeply loyal, and others don’t hesitate to betray those closest to them. Some are meek, and some are totally out there. They all experience these crazy things in their lives, just like we do. I love that the Bible is actually so bloody and messy when you really read the stories…it’s really great literature, and although the society in it is obviously patriarchal, the women are intense, complex, and often quite bad-ass. I wanted to bring their stories to life and make sure that people hear them - not in a religious way but as great stories that can inspire us to fulfill our kick-ass potential!”
Name: Alicia Jo Rabins
Sex: Female
Occupation: Singer/Musician, Girls in Trouble
1.) Are you a feminist?
Yes.
2.) What does feminism mean to you?
Women are worth just as much as men and should be treated with as much respect and honor.
3.) Who is one female (other than your mother) you admire, and why?
Judith, in the Bible. Her city is under siege, the children are starving, the army and the town elders all say it’s hopeless, but she says “wait a minute,” and actually single-handedly wins the war by using her own creativity. The song “Who Sent the Heat,” on our new album, tells her story.
4.) Are there enough women in leadership positions in your field?
I hesitate to answer that without seeing statistics, but my sense is that no, there aren’t enough women composers OR rock & rollers in leadership positions!
5.) Are men and women being paid fair and equally in your field?
I’d have to see some numbers to know that. I don’t think I’ve been underpaid for being a woman musician — ALL musicians are underpaid almost all of the time!
6.) How do media generally portray women? What is a good example of this?
Since I write songs about Bible stories about women, and I don’t own a TV, maybe I’ll talk about some very ancient media.
Part of the reason I started writing “Girls in Trouble,” these songs about women in the Bible, is because their characters are so complex and awesome. Some characters are deeply loyal, and others don’t hesitate to betray those closest to them. Some are meek, and some are totally out there. They all experience these crazy things in their lives, just like we do. I love that the Bible is actually so bloody and messy when you really read the stories…it’s really great literature, and although the society in it is obviously patriarchal, the women are intense, complex, and often quite bad-ass. I wanted to bring their stories to life and make sure that people hear them - not in a religious way but as great stories that can inspire us to fulfill our kick-ass potential!
7.) What can men and women do to reduce violence against women?
Peace begins inside each of us.
8.) How do you achieve balance between work and personal/home life?
By playing in a band with my husband, and doing what I truly love for work!
9.) What is one thing you’d like to see happen for women in the next 5-10 years?
It’s so obvious, but we need a woman president. And gay marriage. And education/access to contraception for all girls and women.
10.) What is one piece of advice you’d like to give to young girls today?
Believe in yourself, work hard, and don’t forget to have fun!
The Undomestic 10 is a 10-question interview with men and women about feminism and how we can improve it. The Undomestic 10 welcomes anyone and everyone to shed light on how our society views feminism (even those who don’t self-identify as feminists). If you think you have something interesting to add to the mix, don’t hesitate to email me at amanda(dot)recupido(at)gmail(dot)com.