[Original Voices: Report]
Sorry It Has Taken So Long: Continuing Feminist Dialogues in Music Therapy
By Sandra Curtis
Abstract
The impact of feminism – along with its understanding of the complex interactions in our lives of gender, race, class, sexual orientation, ability, and age – arrived late in music therapy. This paper reviews what feminist impact exists, explores possible challenges faced, and identifies the most recent endeavors in the area including the first International Conference on Gender, Health, and the Creative Arts Therapies and a gathering of feminist music therapy researchers, both hosted in Montreal, Canada in 2012. These issues will be explored further in the forthcoming special issue of the Arts in Psychotherapy dedicated to Gender, Health, and the Creative Arts Therapies edited by Dr. Sandra Curtis, with contributions from many significant experts in the field. Members of the music therapy community are encouraged to examine the meaning of feminism and gender in their own context and to join in the important dialogue on gender in music therapy which holds great potential to enrich our theory, practice, and research.
Keywords: feminist music therapy, gender and health, research collaboration
The impact of feminism – along with its understanding of the complex interactions in our lives of gender, race, class, sexual orientation, ability, and age – arrived late in music therapy relative to such sister disciplines as psychology and social work. Hadley and Edwards (2004) wondered at this in “Sorry for the Silence”. Starting initially as a feminist framing of music therapy to avoid detrimental effects of sexism in clinical intervention (Baines, 1992), this expanded to encompass analysis of gender and power within the music therapy context with the establishment of feminist music therapy (Curtis, 1997) – a theoretical model designed for all and evaluated in particular with women survivors of violence as part of doctoral dissertation research. This was followed by the first book to explore feminist perspectives in music therapy, Feminist Perspectives in Music Therapy (Hadley, 2006) – a collection of writings by music therapists working in diverse countries and representing diverse understandings of feminisms.
The impact of feminism in music therapy has been slow to build since. Feminist Perspectives in Music Therapy initially stimulated dialogue as well as some heated debated both online and in journals (Hadley 2008; Meadows, 2008; O’Callaghan, 2007; Pavlicevic, 2007). Following this, have been isolated instances of writing and research in the area (Curtis, 2007 & 2008; Curtis & Harrison, 2006; Edwards & Hadley, 2007). However, knowledge exchange and dissemination of these researchers’ work has been limited. In a recent survey of Canadian and American music therapy practitioners (Curtis, 2012), 73.5% were unfamiliar with feminist music therapy or its contributions (75% in the U.S., and 69% in Canada). On the other hand, only 55% were unfamiliar with Community Music Therapy (59% in the U.S., and 17% in Canada).
Why has it taken so long? A complex question with answers arising from diverse frames of reference among both women and men. The answer is perhaps not restricted to music therapy, but rather embedded in the issues surrounding the diverse responses in the broader community at large to the word feminism. Many have wrestled with understanding the diverse and strong emotional responses to this word in the 21st century — from academics, to the popular media, to people from everyday walks of life. Certainly the responses vary both between men and women, as well as among men and among women; for not all women are feminists and not all feminists are women. Some of the responses are effectively captured through a series of interviews of women presented in the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) Documentary (Holmes & McNamara, 2012), The F Word: Who wants to be a feminist?. These include such themes as: 1) We’ve been there, done that – meaning that all that was needed has been accomplished and there is no further need for feminism; 2) Feminism equates with anti-male, or at least being labeled feminist runs the risk of being seen as being anti-male; 3) A reluctance to be labeled or to self-identify as being feminist despite adherence to basic principles of feminism; and 4) While many benefit from the contributions of feminism, not all would self-identify as feminists.
The reality is that despite incredible change that has been accomplished through the three waves of feminism, much still remains — from basic pay equity to the less easily assessed issues surrounding unpaid work, limiting stereotypes, ongoing sexism, and freedom from violence – locally and globally (Holmes & McNamara, 2012; Kanani, 2012; Russo, 2012; Statistics Canada, 2008; United States Department of Justice, 2012). As I write this, it strikes me that it is just days away from the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women. Held in Canada, this day was established to remember the Montreal Massacre of December 6, 1989, in which a gunman shot and killed 14 women engineering students, calling them a “gang of feminists” and saying that he hated feminists. One woman pled that they were not feminists, just students taking engineering—but to no avail. Writing on this 23 years later in “Too Little Learned since Montreal Massacre”, Peters (2012) notes that “violence against women and girls continues to be one of the greatest problems and shames in our society” (p. A3).
On a lighter but equally telling note, one of my graduate students in class discussion shared a video of Ellen Degeneres’ take on just how much really still needs to be accomplished – in the media and further afield (Eisenberg, 2012). Although presented with typical Degeneres humor, the story she tells is real and reflects ongoing pervasive sexism.
Within the music therapy profession, some additional specific variations on themes around feminism include: 1) there is no need for feminism since music therapy is a female-dominated profession; 2) music therapists’ work with their clients is individual not political; and 3) music therapists’ work is neutral (Curtis, 2012). Among music therapists, as with others, there is still mixed feelings around the word feminism itself. Indeed, even some involved in Feminist Perspectives in Music Therapy (Hadley, 2006) faced challenges, with author Bradt (2006) wondering “am I feminist enough to write in this book?” and reviewer Pavlicevic (2007) wondering “am I feminist enough to review it” (para. 5).
The reality is that despite the considerably larger representation of women in the field (American Music Therapy Association, 2012; Canadian Association for Music Therapy, 2009), music therapists find themselves – and their clients – in the larger sociocultural community which does not yet reflect gender equity. While some may work in individual therapy settings, their clients do not exist in a vacuum.
One of the greatest contributions of feminism to our sister disciplines such as psychology and social work has been an understanding of the importance of gender – and its multiple intersections with such dimensions as race, class, sexual orientation, ability, and age – in our clients’ lives and in our own lives, both within the therapy setting and outside it. Acceptance of this understanding has now expanded beyond feminist circles to the broader health community (CIHR-IGH, 2010). The Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR) – the premiere institute of healthcare research in Canada – has 13 established institutes, of which one is the Institute of Gender and Health (IGH). The IGH notes that “Gender matters. Sex and gender are integrated as key considerations in health research and its application in Canada and internationally. Every cell is sexed. Every person is gendered (CIHR-IGH, 2010, slides 12-13). To ensure clarity, the IGH distinguishes between sex and gender as follows:
Sex: A biological construct (often understood as a binary) [which] encompasses hormones, genes, anatomy, physiology etc.; affects propensity for, trajectories, prevalence and treatment of health conditions and diseases; [with] differences in drug absorption, body composition, metabolism, diseases and conditions according to sex.
Gender: A social construct; developed by social scientists; linked to power and to economic and social status; [which] is culturally specific, and temporal; [and] globally, male is valued over female; distinct from sex; [and] has a number of dimensions [such as gender roles, gender identity, gender relations, institutionalized gender. (CIHR-IGH, 2010, slides 13-15)
With knowledge of the broader acceptance of the importance of gender within the healthcare and mental healthcare fields, and with the recent contributions to this understanding from the very recent entrance of feminist perspectives within music therapy, it becomes clear that is more than time to further this understanding widely across the music therapy profession – to continue the dialog, to foster knowledge dissemination and translation, and to build capacity for future clinical and research collaborations. Generally speaking, women may have more incentive for change and men may have more to lose in certain circumstances; it will take, however, the efforts of both women and men. In the words of historic women’s rights’ advocate Rebecca West (Lewis, 2012): “Did St. Francis really preach to the birds? Whatever for? If he really liked birds he would have done better to preach to the cats (para. 26).” Ultimately, women and men, client and therapist alike will benefit. Since our clients are either men or women and we therapists are either men or women, work around gender (and all the intersecting dimensions of race, class, sexual orientation, etc.) becomes not the work of some music therapists; it becomes an ethical imperative for all music therapists.
It was this understanding that served as impetus for two gatherings which were hosted earlier this year in Montreal, Canada: 1) the first International Conference on Gender, Health, and the Creative Arts Therapies; and 2) a gathering of feminist music therapy researchers. Supported by a Concordia Aids to Research Related Events grant (ARRE), the International Conference on Gender, Health, and the Creative Arts Therapies was held May 5 to 6 and was designed as an opportunity for gender and health knowledge translation, as well as dialogue. Witness to a networking of approximately 100 creative arts therapy professionals, the conference was well received: “Thought provoking and discursive . . . we need more people to hear these speakers and this work.”
Supported by a CIHR-IGH grant, the second event - Music Therapy, Gender, & Health: An International Dialogue - involved a small gathering of feminist music therapy researchers. It was intended to: 1) provide an opportunity for knowledge translation connecting the gathered experts with those new to gender issues; 2) create opportunities for those experts to develop research communities, building capacity to establish a solid foundation for future research; and 3) establish critical partnerships for preparation of a future grantwriting and research. Participants in this smaller event included contributing authors to Feminist Perspectives in Music Therapy (Hadley, 2006), along with others who were identified or who self-identified as feminist music therapy researchers. The final roster of those participating included: Sandra Curtis, Sue Baines, Jane Edwards, Fran Goldberg, Sue Hadley, Nicole Hahna, Seung-A Kim, ChihChen Lee, Katrina McFerran, Terra Merrill, Colleen Purdon, Randi Rolvsjord, Elaine Streeter, Barbara Wheeler, and Beth York. On my part, the gathering was thrilling, a unique opportunity for informal dialogue and networking. In the words of another participant:
My best thanks and congratulations for a wonderful event. It was inspiring, nourishing, creative, and in every way brilliant. I loved the interactions, the papers, the social events, and the wonderful support I felt for my work and my ideas. I don't quite know how to put into words what it has meant to me.
Some concrete direct outcomes of the gathering of feminist music therapy researchers included: 1) A forthcoming special issue of the Arts in Psychotherapy dedicated to Gender, Health, and the Creative Arts Therapies – anticipated for 2013, edited by Dr. Sandra Curtis, and with contributions from the recent Gender Conference, including its Keynote Speaker, Dr. Susan Hadley; 2) an invaluable opportunity to connect and dialogue; and 3) the establishment of a Feminist Music Therapy Researchers listserve to support future collaborations.
In conclusion, I would like to invite all readers of this Voices article to 1) read the forthcoming Arts in Psychotherapy Special Issue; 2) to join in the important dialogue on gender in music therapy through Voices; and 3) to connect with me by e-mail should you be interested in joining the Feminist Music Therapy Researchers Listserve. I look forward to an exciting and fruitful dialogue on gender which enriches our theory, practice, and research; I look forward to seeing what happens as we move beyond dialogue to action – and to seeing the impact of that in our lives and those of our clients.
References
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