From the Supremes to the Slits: An Analysis of Femininity in Music
Open Access
Author:
Mc Iltrot, Alyssa
Area of Honors:
History
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Dan Letwin, Thesis Supervisor Cathleen Denise Cahill, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
history music femininity girl groups counterculture punk
Abstract:
This paper examines how femininity was portrayed in the music industry in order to determine how ideas of femininity changed or remained consistent over two decades. First, I will analyze how femininity was portrayed in girl group music from 1960 through 1964, specifically by studying the careers of the Supremes and the Ronettes. Second, I will analyze femininity in the counterculture movement that took place from 1964 through 1972, specifically by examining the life and career of Janis Joplin. Third, I will analyze femininity in the punk movement from 1975 through 1979, specifically by studying U.S. punk Patti Smith, and the all-female U.K. punk group, the Slits. I will conclude with a summary of my arguments and a comparison of these three genres and five artists to determine changes and consistencies in their portrayal of femininity, and their relation to mainstream feminine ideals at the time.
