The vicious circle of female invisibility: Gender inequities in the Chilean musical field

Authors

  • Carla Pinochet Cobos Universidad Alberto Hurtado, Chile
  • Javiera Novoa Observatorio de Políticas Culturales, Chile
  • Valentina Basáez Observatorio de Políticas Culturales, Chile

Abstract

This article seeks to describe and document the specific forms that gender inequality takes in the musical field of the cities of Santiago and Valparaíso, giving prominence to the voices of women who work there, with special emphasis on performance and composition. Based on a qualitative study that included documentary analysis, in-depth interviews and focus groups, we propose here that in the local music field there are still deep-rooted discourses and androcentric practices, which give rise to a vicious circle of female invisibility. By relating our empirical findings with other national and international conceptual developments, this text attempts to offer a critical reflection on the mechanisms of exclusion of women from the spaces of power and recognition of the music field, which contributes to understanding its limits and deconstructing its ideological foundations.

Keywords:

musical field, women, gender inequality.