Through the years, the Filipino music scene has continuously received recognition both here and abroad. However, cases of sexism and misogyny have recently tainted the industry.
Jensen and the Flips, SUD, and Ang Bandang Shirley are only among the several local bands involved in alleged sexual mistreatment cases. Adrienne Onday, a University of the Philippines-Diliman student, raised awareness on the subject of sexism and misogyny in the local music scene through a Twitter thread of her experiences, whose replies included similar encounters of fans. The bands have since addressed the claims through statements and apologies.
Behind the increased number of events, popularity, and greater recognition for Original Pilipino Music (OPM), lies the subject of misogyny, specifically manifested in male privilege and sexual objectification.
The local beat
When it comes to the subject of sexism in the Philippines, the patriarchal aspects of Filipino culture must be looked at. For most of our history, the Philippines has been under patriarchal influence, from male rulers to male dominance in the workforce. This has been emulated by our society, following growing industries where men are more powerful and carry more privilege than women.
Sociology and Anthropology professor Enrique Leviste, PhD states that the existence of sexism and misogyny reflect “certain prejudices that have been left unaddressed.” There is the presence of victim-blaming, where in terms of sexual harassment or assault, victims are accused of being provocative and therefore at fault for the choices of perpetrators. This puts women in a difficult position, creating the fear of blame and disbelief, and consequently normalizing actions that have long been considered unacceptable.
American journalist Leora Tanenbaum, who strongly advocates for gender equality, states that slut-shaming in itself is sexist because “only women are called to task for their sexuality while men are congratulated for the same behavior,” which has become the nature of the double standard: “Boys will be boys.”
Misogyny, manifested in sexual objectification is prominent in the allegations held against Jensen and the Flips. Band members Samuel Valenia and Jensen Gomez were both accused of “sharing” a girl while they were under narcotic influence. Leviste states that these cases are about “men who have influence, relative power, using their stature and fame to legitimize whatever agenda they have on the opposite sex.”
He adds that the fact that we live in a “patriarchal context has created the means to justify or normalize such behavior to the point that we don’t question it anymore because it [has become] second nature to us.”
According to Leviste, the sexual harassment allegation cases are “just a small representation of what happens in the bigger picture [and] that sexism and misogyny remain prevalent.”
Discord on record
Benj Ledesma (BS ME ‘18), former president of the Ateneo Music Pool, speaks out about the possible roots of this issue within the local community. “It’s terrible that misogyny and sexism permeate into the local music scene, affecting women who are musicians, gig-goers, behind the productions, and others. However, these exist in the local music scene precisely because it is male-dominated.”
The lack of female representation is present in basic things like music stores. The experiences of women in these male-dominated spaces have sparked widely spread narratives—from being asked if they’re shopping for their boyfriend, to the assumption that they have no knowledge of instruments or equipment.
Kim Bernardino, a communication junior and local musician, shares that women are “generally known to be consumers and fangirls of music and musicians.”
Prejudices that stem from sexism are visible in the contemporary music scene.
Female artists are expected to conform to the image of the highly-sexualized, “bubblegum“ pop star in order to succeed as a musician. Female fans who come out to support their favorite artists are labelled as “groupies,” a typically derogatory slang word used for fans who follow particular groups or individuals while they are touring, usually in search of sexual favors.
The combination of male domination and the hypersexualized view of women fuels the cases of sexism and misogyny in the Philippine music industry. “This was [just] one of the many times musicians were called out on social media for sexual [misconduct],” Ledesma says.
Beyond SUD and Jensen and The Flips, other cases include Farewell Fair Weather’s lead guitarist Kim Hue Jin, and MilesExperience’s Justin Teaño.
Missing measures
“Collectively, I think these cases are emblematic of deeply entrenched practices [or] notions that have yet to be confronted or even questioned,” Leviste says.
The lack of questioning has led to another challenge the local music scene faces. Male dominance and female subordination altogether inadvertently leads to the “protection” of male artists against sexual allegations. This results in a severe number of cases unresolved, and even more cases unreported out of fear.
“The feeling of guilt or feeling of hesitation, reluctance to discuss such issues is also a sign or a reflection that these are expected to be taboo or hidden,” explains Leviste. “[To them] it’s not something that should be elevated to the level of a social issue.”
There is a lack of action on the part of the music industry as well. “Oftentimes, the issue is raised and is widely talked about for one to two weeks, only to lose traction because little to no actionable solutions are being proposed and implemented by those who have a bearing in the music industry,” says Ledesma.
“Eventually Jensen, SUD, and whoever else were called out for sexual allegations are going to get gigs again, and most people will forget until the issue is raised once [more].”
Changing tempos
Internationally, musicians and movie stars stood against sexual crimes during the Golden Globes, an international awards ceremony for the film and television industry. Celebrities wore black in support of #TimesUp, a movement against sexual harassment by Hollywood celebrities in response to the Harvey Weinstein scandal.
The “Weinstein Effect” has gone global, encouraging Filipino communities to expose and address all forms of sexual harassment. Closer to home, the Ateneo has been planning initiatives to strengthen the school’s stance against sexual harassment and abuse. Measures include a renewed memorandum on filing for sexual harassment complaints, and the establishment of the Committee on Decorum and Investigation, specifically tasked with handling these cases. As of writing, the proposed LS Gender Policy draft is in the process of finalization.
“I think we are [progressing], but gradually,” Leviste says. “[The] fact that these women opted to actually share their stories, not to mention the #MeToo campaign, is actually emblematic of a growing desire or a growing collective effort to ask those uncomfortable questions.” The #MeToo campaign is a social media movement to promote awareness of sexual assault, commonly used on the platforms of Facebook and Twitter.
The local music industry faces deeply-ingrained challenges moving forward. Bernardino stresses the importance of respect: “I believe it is [harder] to be a female in this industry, but if people in general respect you for what you do, it [shouldn’t] be as hard [as] this.”
“An important step is staying aware of these kinds of issues, and [refraining] from featuring or promoting those people who have been called out for sexual misconduct,” Ledesma adds.
“If we choose to forgive these people without seeing deliberate and determined change from them, then we perpetuate the cycle,” he says.
