The Young Feminist Network was established in July 2020 by Everystory Sri Lanka to bring together people interested in learning more about feminism, particularly from a Sri Lankan and South Asian perspective. This month, our newsletter is curated on the theme of “Women & Music".

My name is Minadi Gunawardena, I have been the Communications Manager at Everystory Sri Lanka for the past 2 years. This newsletter is one of the last things I’ll be working on before I transition out, and no other topic would have sufficed.

I have worn a treble clef on my necklace for as long as I can remember. It was my father’s when he was 16 and finished his music exams, and continued to be his while he played the piano when we were children. Music has been a necessary, constant, and beautiful part of my life, playing a fundamental role in developing how I have been able to perceive the world around me.

With the work, I do in feminist spaces, or the self-reflection I have on my own, music has been an enduring source of joy and inspiration. In this spirit, I am delighted to have been the editor for this month’s newsletter, Music & Women. I believe that one cannot fully exist to its potential without the other, and the content we’ve compiled with the help of phenomenal artists and creators will help our readers understand the intersections which lie beneath them.

I hope reading what we’ve put together grants you access to the politics and spirit of music.

Minadi Gunawardena,
YFN Newsletter Editor- August 2023

For our August Reading List, we’ve featured a diverse selection of reading and audio-visual material, which can be digested and engaged with by young feminists of all ages. Our Reading List will explore;

“Femininity as Performance”

A discussion of the expectations that haunt female artists, with culture and society playing core roles in building them. From continuous pressure to deliver mind-blowing performances or to conform to conventional ideals in how they choose to present themselves as artists, we break these expectations down with examples of how this has been challenged. Spotlighting the work of Sri Lankan musicians who have created their own identities that defy these conventions like Ashanthi, Corrine Almeida, and The Three Sisters, this is one of our favourite sections.

Appearance and perception: bodies, beauty, BTS.

An exploration of how the physical appearance of female musicians has a strong correlation with how well they perform in terms of public opinion and streams. We also delve into the unsustainable and dangerous ideals the world has constructed, causing artists to have conflicts with their bodies as they pursue this “perfection”.

The Power of Fangirls

From Bieber Fever to Beatlemania, girls have been able to decide who will go down in history as celebrated, yet are undermined despite the crucial roles they play. We list here some of our favourite articles, comics, and more which showcase the collective power girls have in developing fanbases and making or breaking an artist’s career.

Misogyny in Lyrics

Here, we explore the inherent danger and impact of harmful lyrics in music. While some genres such as Hip-Hop/Rap celebrate specific communities and allow people to express themselves, it also simultaneously oppresses women. We offer some insight and material into why young girls seem to gravitate towards music which does so, as well as how this oppression through words is normalized in many ways. A crucial element is also the work done by female artists, ranging from Missy Elliot to Dionne Warwick, in order to resist this through their lives and work.

Resistance & Celebration through Music

Female singers have the incredible ability to build communities and movements through lyrics and performance, We take a look at this extraordinary activism, celebration, and storytelling accomplished through song by highlighting the lives & work of artists like Nanda Malini and Taylor Swift.

Each month, we reach out to people who will reflect on the theme and share their insights on how it relates to their lives and work. For this month's interview, we reached out to “The Singing Potatoes.”

ALSO EXPLORE!

Everystory Sri Lanka’s Spotify playlist on “Women & Music

Explore our playlist put together by Minadi, with everything from Lauryn Hill to Dionne Warwick. Listen to women on love, sexuality, joy, and everything in between.

Stories of Sri Lankan Women: Stories of Women In Music

Stories of Sri Lankan Women is the flagship work of Everystory Sri Lanka which features women whose lives, work, and experiences have shaped and are shaped by Sri Lanka’s social, political, and cultural contexts.

In the spirit of our theme “Women & Music”, explore the stories of Sri Lankan women in music that were a part of our first thirty stories!

The unheard story of Sri Lanka’s Operatic Nightingale - Kishani Jayasinghe: International Opera Singer

Happiness Through Teaching - Mrs. Seeta Vimalakshmi Jebanesan: Western Classical Music Teacher

Love Through Music - Bridget Halpé: Music Teacher and Director, Peradeniya University Singers & Kandy Junior Singers

THE LAUNCH OF STORIES OF GIRLS’ RESISTANCE

What is “Stories of Girls’ Resistance?”

Stories of Girls’ Resistance is a groundbreaking book that documents the everyday ways in which girls are making the world better in their homes and communities and the expansive ways girls are contributing to the world’s most powerful movements for change.

It is the largest global collection of oral and narrative history of adolescent girls’ activism, including over 150 individual stories from 90+ countries across the world.

The South Asia stories of resistance were curated by Everystory Sri Lanka!

The South Asian series documents 16 stories of resistance across the region. From Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Pakistan, to Sri Lanka.

Visit the Stories of Girls’ Resistance Website!

The website features all 150 stories which were collected, the e-book of Stories of Girls’ Resistance, and conversations on “Why girls resist”, “How girls move”, “Complexity of Resistance” and much more!

'Barbie' becomes the Highest Grossing Film by a Female Director!

Barbie directed by Greta Gerwig is now the Highest Grossing Film by a Female Director! In just its box office opening weekend, Barbie hit $356 million USD globally. The film also holds the record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a female director and the biggest opening of 2023, beating out the likes of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and The Super Mario Bros. Movie, making it the highest opening for a non-sequel as well.

Our team at ESSL loved Barbie! Watch this interview of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwing with ABC News on Barbie's surprising feminism-

Reducing the gender wage gap in sports: ICC announces equal prize money for men's and women’s cricket!

One year since the “Aragalaya”, reflecting on the role artists played at the frontlines

Work at Everystory Sri Lanka!

Send us your CV, portfolios, writing samples, or other copies of your work to [email protected]. We’re always on the lookout for creative, passionate, and curious feminists. Women identifying, transgender, non-binary, and other queer-identifying people are encouraged to apply.

Hashtag Generation is hiring a Content Specialist!

Education

Online Course on Self-and Collective Care for people who work in the fields of Violence Against Women and Children by Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI)

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