Björk calls out sexism in open letter on Facebook
“They couldn’t get their head around that I was not ‘performing’ and ‘hiding’ behind desks”
Björk wrote an important post on her Facebook page calling out sexist comments about her set at Day For Night Festival in Texas last week.
The letter addresses the music journalists ("little miss media") who criticised her set, but not those of her male peers, including the likes of Aphex Twin and Arca, who played on the same line-up.
She pointed out: "Some media could not get their head around that I was not ‘performing’ and ‘hiding’ behind desks, and my male counterparts were not [facing the same accusations]. I think this is sexism, which at the end of this tumultuous year is something I’m not going to let slide: because we all deserve maximum changes in this revolutionary energy we are currently in the midst of.
“Women in music are allowed to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends, but if they change the subject matter to atoms, galaxies, activism, nerdy math beat editing or anything else than being performers singing about their loved ones, they get criticised.”
But the Icelandic artist ended her letter with a positive tone of hope: "I know the change is in the air. We are walking inside it. Let's make 2017 the year where we fully make the transformation !!!"
You can check out the full letter on Björk’s Facebook.
Jaguar is Mixmag's Weekend Editor. Follow her here