Garbage singer Shirley Manson insists ‘men need to start policing their own’ as she criticises Grammy President Neil Portnow
Shirley Manson has spoken out against the Grammy President Neil Portnow’s which insisted that women must ‘step up’ last month – and it ain’t pretty.
The 51-year-old said in response to the comments that ‘men need to start policing their own’ when it comes to representing their gender.
She told The Independent: ‘If I were a dude, I would be so embarrassed to have my sex represented in this way. It makes men look so out of touch. Men need to start policing their own. These attitudes are so archaic, un-evolved and utterly insulting.’
Her comments come after Portnow responded to the fact that Lorde didn’t get invited to do a solo performance at the Grammys in January, despite being an Album of the Year nominee.
The other nominees in her category, who were all male artists, were given a slot on the show to perform bar Jay Z, who declined the opportunity to perform.
Portnow said at the time: ‘I think it has to begin with women who have the creativity in their hearts and their souls who want to be musicians, who want to be engineers, who want to be producers, who want to be part of the industry on an executive level to step up.
‘There’s so many opportunities today. So if someone’s passionate about it, doesn’t matter what your gender, genre, geography – do it yourself, take it from your heart and put it out there.’
Well, plenty of female artists were pretty mad at these comments – not to mention Manson.
‘My first thought on his embarrassing tirade was, “What an ignorant, sexist, misogynistic, out of touch and tone-deaf old fool.”,’ she said. ‘My second thought was that we should demand his resignation.’
The singer added that she’s surprised that men continue to steer clear of defending female artists.
She continued: ‘This kind of attitude and rhetoric must be stamped out. I am amazed more men haven’t spoken out in defense of female artists. It’s almost as though they don’t think it has any bearing on them or that it doesn’t matter to culture as a whole.’
The frontwoman insists that the problem of female artists not being recognised goes way further than the music industry and begins with how we educate our children about gender idendity, expression and sexuality, critising a ‘crazy and outdated’ binary system.
And Manson’s not the only one who’s pretty mad about Portnow’s comments. Singer Pink also called him out in a tweet which read: ‘Women in music don’t need to “Step up” – women have been stepping since the beginning of time. Stepping up and also stepping aside.’
She continued: ‘Women OWNED music last year. They’ve been KILLING IT. And every year before this.
‘When we celebrate the honour the talent and accomplishments of women, and how much women STEP UP every year, against all odds, we show the next generation of women and girls and boys and men what it means to be equal, and what it looks like to be fair.’
Katy Perry responded to Pink’s comment, saying: ‘Another powerful woman, leading by example.
‘We ALL have a responsibility to call out the absurd lack of equality everywhere we see it. I’m proud of ALL the women making incredible art in the face of continual resistance.
P.s VH1 Divas Live’.
Sherly Crowe also posted: ‘Who will young girls be inspired by to pick up a guitar and rock when most every category is filled with men? I’m not sure it is about women needing to “step up” (as said by the male in charge).’
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