“A Young Girl's Dream”: Examining the Barriers Facing Female Electric Guitarists

Abstract

Critics who locate the instrument's inaccessibility to women solely in its physical design overlook cultural reasons for the lack of great female electric guitarists. The same barriers that prevent women from succeeding in other male-dominated fields also apply to the electric guitar, such as a scarcity of role models, a lack of access to education, and the masculinisation of prestigious technologies. Despite allusions to rebellion, rock 'n' roll often promotes traditional gender roles. This paper examines the creation of and efforts to break down these barriers, which have included women's music festivals, riot grrrl, and rock camps for girls.