10 things you can do to make dance music less sexist

Like a US election or a royal wedding, the Internet makes idiots of us all. Platforms like Boiler Room and Mixmag are stepping up to check misogynistic abuse in their comments section, but the problem persists. Unlike the US president, though, misognyny isn’t just orange and white. It can come in much subtler colour permutations. Like critiquing a Nina Kraviz DJ set because she played a mix of more experimental techno than the pounding beat narrative you were used to. Would you really be as whiny and belligerent in the comments if a high-profile male artist had used the set as an opportunity to experiment and broaden your musical horizons a bit?

If someone’s behaving in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable – even if they’re not doing it to you directly – say something, or get the bouncer if you don’t feel comfortable doing it yourself. And think about how you’re acting. Are you in a huge group of rowdy guys? Are you physically dominating the space? What about your creeper mate who checks out girls when he thinks they don’t notice (they always do?) Remember: you don’t have to be physically groping a girl’s arse to make her feel uncomfortable. Dancefloors are a community and we all need to act together to keep people safe. Here’s a helpful thing we wrote with more tips.

Here’s a story: Every year major dance music magazines publish polls of the public's favourite DJs, and every year no-one votes for all the talented female artists out there, and predictable Twitter outrage ensues when all the top spots go to men.

How can we end this repetitive cycle of social media outrage, which isn’t the magazine’s fault? By voting for women in opinion polls.

This also goes for all the journalists contributing to staff lists, too.

The explosion of incredible underground internet radio stations in the last decade has been beautiful to watch, and if you’re lucky enough to have a show on one – use it. Bring young female talent on the show, give them a guest mix, push it on social media, and let them talk about their musical inspirations and what they do.

“From my experience, the entry into professional music felt almost impossible to me as a woman,” NTS resident DEBONAIR tells me fresh from a recent set at Panorama Bar. She explains that curating sets for her radio show was great preparation for club djing, building her confidence and sonic identity. Now she feels an obligation to help other female artists. “Sharing your airspace and inviting women on air is a great way to connect with and support women in music,” she argues, “as you can garner exposure and create a comfortable environment for them that often isn’t available elsewhere.”

The same principle applies for any other platform. Run a website? Ask women to do a podcast, or commission female writers; If you’re a music PR or booking agent, make it your business to seek out female talent and help grow their careers; Has your label not released music by women? Dive into a SoundCloud wormhole and sort it out; Book women to speak on your panel events (and pay them).

Repeat after me: "The woman behind the decks is not there because she fucked someone... The woman behind the decks is not there because she fucked someone."

Last year on International Women’s Day, Dr Rubinstein shared on Facebook comments she’d overheard while DJing at Berghain: “She fucked someone to get this gig.”

Clearly this means Berghain’s famous door policy isn’t working, because they’re letting sexist idiots in.

“I’ve played sets where guys have been staring at me,” Parallel Berlin label owner Daniela La Luz tells me. “Afterwards, they’ve come up to me and said, ‘I could do that as well as you’, or asked if I’ve just been playing on Traktor. They didn’t seem to understand I was playing all my own productions, mixing them live in the club.”

You may not agree with all of the stuff in this list. You may feel like it goes too far. You may feel it doesn’t go far enough (some people feel that boycotts are the way, but why not change things from within?)

The main thing is that we’re engaging with the dance music industry as fans as well as influencers and proactively shaping it into a better, more inclusive space, which means we can’t be inactive. Do something: throw a night, buy tickets for a party you wouldn’t normally to support up-and-coming-female talent, use your platform to help other artists.

But as Jackmaster’s comments show, it’s high time that men stood up and took responsibility for fixing this broken industry that we’re all a part of. And in a male-dominated scene, it’s up to men to look in the mirror and be honest about what they see.

Sirin Kale is Staff Writer at Broadly and a regular contributor to Mixmag. She'd like guys to quit taking their tops off in clubs – it doesn't matter how good your body is, it's just gross

Eliot Wyatt is a freelance illustrator and regular contributor to Mixmag. He definitely doesn't take his top off in the club