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Re: Women in brass bands

Vicki wrote:

>I've been watching this debate with interest, so here's my 10c worth....
>
>Paul Warder wrote:
>
>> Where the issue of women in bands can cause problems is regarding the
>>social aspects of banding.  All-male bands have a camaraderie and team
spirit
>>that cant possibly exist in a mixed band. Swearing, drinking, acting the
goat
>>on the bus and in the bar are usually frowned upon by your more caring,
>> sensitive and sensible female band member! Although I must stress that I
>> know of several banding women who take no prisoners in this regard!
>
>I find the above statement a complete generalisation, especially the words
>you use "can't possibly exist".  At Dandenong, we've only ever had an
average
>of about 4-5 women in our band but never has any one of us been offended by
>our male colleagues and their "antics" - if they get up to such antics
anyway.

Perhaps your average Aussie bloke is better at 'holding his beer'!!!! Pass
me a cold tube?!!

>Our band has an excellent team spirit, as evidenced by our recent contest
>efforts. We all get on well with each other socially at band and at other
functions
>away from banding.
>
>> (i) Women in bands do distract male members (!) from the job of playing,
>>and vice-versa. I know of several examples where bands have lost players
over
>> whos knocking who off (to use a polite euphemism!).
>
>How can this be so?  If you can't concentrate on playing your instrument
>because of a female in a band how do you get on at work with your female
>colleagues?

Not as well as I'd like to with some of them!

>Walking down the street?

I've walked into many a lamp post!

In the bank?............

Ahh......yes......the bank!

>How come females can concentrate quite well in the band with other
>males around them?

Now who generalising?

>> (iii) Women get pregnant and leave you with an empty chair for several
>> months or more often than not (and quite understandably) dont come back
>>at all.
>
>Well I can really speak from experience here.  I am currently 7 months
>pregnant and have no intention of leaving my band after the baby is born.
>Every other female in Dandenong band who has had a baby has come
>straight back. Pregnancy is not a medical condition and pregnant women
>should not be discriminated against either!  I recently played in the
Aussie
>Nationals at 6 months pregnant (percussion) and it wasn't going to stop
>me (ok I couldn't march but we hadmore than enough people to cover that).


See my reply to Carol Wills on that one.

>I think the main point is that we are all HUMAN BEINGS, not two separate
>lots of people.

Yes we are all HUMAN BEINGS, but we ARE two separate lots of people. Good
thing too - makes life more interesting.

>Being in a brass band shouldn't exclude anyone on the basis
>of gender, race, religion or sexual preferance.  We are there to make music
>and it shouldn't matter who or what is making that music.  I have also
asked
>my husband (principal cornet) if there is any physical reason that a woman
>can't play a brass instrument as well as a man and he can't think of one.
>I've been in my brass band for 15 years now and it's been 15 years well
worth it.
>
>BYE!

Bye!


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