Thursday, April 25, 2002

The Sexuality of Band Instruments

Gender roles really are pervasive -- even with musical instruments.

Brief stop here for a confession.

I was a band geek, but according to a recent study of Australian children and their instrument choices -- I played a masculine one.

The sax. Go figure. A rebel from the start.

According to this study, the flute, violin, clarinet and cello are girlie while the drums, saxophone, trumpet and trombone are manly.

It replicates a similar study from the 70s.

The difference in the findings this time around is that little girls are now more likely to rebel against gender stereotypes:

The worst thing that's likely to happen [to a girl who wants to play the tuba] is she will be called a tomboy. And having masculine traits might be considered an asset even by children because they probably notice that males, more often than not, rule the roost.

But for boys, there's nothing positive associated with displaying feminine qualities.

The article does throw this bone of truth at the end:

A violin is no more "female" than a drum is "male." We only see it as such because our view of the world is so influenced by gender. After all, it's one of the first things we notice.

Click here for the article.

Surveying my immediate family...

Three brothers -- sax, trumpet, and euphonium. Dad -- the violin, but he's also a bit of a rebel. Mom is not musical.

Inconclusive results, but I don't remember any guys in the flute section back in junior high.

posted by Bohica at 10:59 AM