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Pearl Jam and feminism

humanlighthumanlight Posts: 271
edited August 2006 in Words and Music...Communication
Aren't you glad that we are not bitches and hoes!?!?!?




It is rare that a rock band aknowledges thier female followers in a positive light. It is even more rare that band writes songs about females in a way that makes us say "my god they get it!" And even the men sing along...

Elderly Woman
Daughter
Bee Girl
Army Reserve, etc. (I have heard you boys sing right along with all of these!)

discuss
"F**K you, I have laundry to do" -ed
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • humanlighthumanlight Posts: 271
    So...you ladies have an opion about squirl repellant, but not about how good PJ treats us?!?!


    Just kidding, how can you pass up a squirel repellant thread?
    "F**K you, I have laundry to do" -ed
  • PRfCTlYUNkPTCLtHsPRfCTlYUNkPTCLtHs Posts: 120
    I'm with you...I do love how we are reflected in PJ's light. They are good guys..
    I was glad to be apart of the Voter's for Choice show aswell.
    Not to mention it was my first PJ show..
    but more important..how they pushed for the pj community to vote & stuff was great. there are just so many things...i could go on & on..

    ps I don't know anything about squirrel rep.!.?
    lol
    No need to be void,.. or save up on life,...
    Got to spend it all,.....

    "Those who dance are called insane by those who don't hear the music." EV

    1-14-95, 9-04-00, 7-01-03, 5-30-06, 10-21-06, 10-22-06, 6-17-08, 6-22-08, 8-16-08 E.V., 6-15-09 E.V., 10-28-09, 5-13-10.
  • humanlighthumanlight Posts: 271
    The squirell is on one of the other threads. If you click on New Posts, then you will see it. It is pretty funny.

    Yea, I look at other bands webpages and it is full of half naked women, and songs about how they want to F***. I think some of the men in this world would be much better off if they listened to a little P and J.

    Hey I wonder if there has ever been a study to find out which fans have the best manners, b/c I am thinking we definately do!
    "F**K you, I have laundry to do" -ed
  • JeanwahJeanwah Posts: 6,363
    I passed up the squirrel rep. thread only because my answer would be a 9 mm which was mentioned in the first page. (Im really not a violent person, I just want to see every squirrel removed within 50 feet of my house!)

    Anyway, Yes, for rock bands, PJ is above the top for the respect they give women. A lot of other bands are just interested in seeing tits in the audience. That's about as much as they care about women in general. I'm really surprised that there aren't more women who are huge fans, like me! It seems that 90% of the fan base are guys. :)
  • destinydestiny Posts: 31
    Got to love them, i here ya Jeanwah i don't get why there aren't more female fan's as well, like us!!......one thing i don't get is so called Pearl Jam fan's(guys) that treat women or people, that is... like shit, it's like do you even listen to what the hell they are singing about..schmucks!!!
    How much difference does it make ?
    ***It's all state of mind***

    ----Gorge 05, Gorge 06' I & II, to be cont...
  • aoifeaoife Posts: 126
    humanlight wrote:
    Aren't you glad that we are not bitches and hoes!?!?!?




    It is rare that a rock band aknowledges thier female followers in a positive light. It is even more rare that band writes songs about females in a way that makes us say "my god they get it!" And even the men sing along...

    Elderly Woman
    Daughter
    Bee Girl
    Army Reserve, etc. (I have heard you boys sing right along with all of these!)

    discuss
    I personally think women should stop talking and wash the dishes
    "If you remove the English army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin castle, unless you set about the organisation of the socialist republic then all of your efforts would have been in vain. England will still rule you through her capitalists ,landlords and commercial institutions"
  • prljmfan92502prljmfan92502 Posts: 144
    humanlight wrote:
    Aren't you glad that we are not bitches and hoes!?!?!?




    It is rare that a rock band aknowledges thier female followers in a positive light. It is even more rare that band writes songs about females in a way that makes us say "my god they get it!" And even the men sing along...

    Elderly Woman
    Daughter
    Bee Girl
    Army Reserve, etc. (I have heard you boys sing right along with all of these!)

    discuss


    Amen! I am so grateful that we have pearl jam. Before 91 i thought i would never make it to 30. These guys have always made me feel like i wasn't alone in this world. That someone understands and cares and will stick up for us and fight for us in such a big way. I have to say that Pearl Jam(mostly eddie) has been my role model for the last going on 16 years. Thank God for them. I feel like i might cry. I love them in so may ways.
  • comebackwomancomebackwoman Posts: 7,271
    Jeanwah wrote:
    I passed up the squirrel rep. thread only because my answer would be a 9 mm which was mentioned in the first page. (Im really not a violent person, I just want to see every squirrel removed within 50 feet of my house!)

    Anyway, Yes, for rock bands, PJ is above the top for the respect they give women. A lot of other bands are just interested in seeing tits in the audience. That's about as much as they care about women in general. I'm really surprised that there aren't more women who are huge fans, like me! It seems that 90% of the fan base are guys. :)


    I know - i was surprised that there aren't more female fans as well. PJ's respect for women is exactly what drew me to them - it's apparent in so many of their songs.

    P.S. i don't know anything about squirrel repellent either
    There's a light when my baby's in my arms :)
  • bookworm30bookworm30 Posts: 186
    Just another reason why I love this band. And I don't understand why more women aren't into them either. Maybe they just rock too hard for some women? :D
    The more I see the less I know for sure. - John Lennon
  • OmaramaOmarama Posts: 267
    yeah they are awesome guys.leaving here is another example
    Monty Got a Raw Deal

    " makes much more sense to live in the present tense "
  • Mickey1794Mickey1794 Posts: 104
    Alot of women are too prissy to get their head banging and bodies jumping. I hate it when I go to a PJ concert and the girls are sitting down afraid to break a nail. I just get into a zone and rock out more than my boyfriend and his lame friends!
    11/5/93 Indio, CA;11/6/95 SD; 7/13/98 LA; 10/24/00 LA; 10/28/00 SB; 4/1/03 CO; 6/2/03 OC; 6/5/03 SD; 9/2/05 BC; 7/9-10/06 LA; 10/21/06 Bridge; 12/9/06 Oahu; 10/27/07 Bridge; 4/12/08 Eddie; 6/30/08 Mansfield; 9/30/09 Universal; 7/9/11 Eddie; 11/23-24/13 LA; 11/26/13 Oak.;10/22/13 CO
  • stillalivejlpstillalivejlp Posts: 76
    I never really thought about it before, but you're so right. Pearl Jam, being the greatest rock band ever, is also the most respectful rock band ever. When I first heard Ten, back when I was a young lass in college in 1991, I was hooked. That album just reached into my soul and didn't let go. I've loved them ever since.

    I think it's powerful to see female fans at PJ shows. Those of us who totally feel the music and the lyrics and can rock it out just like the men. However, one of my pet peeves is seeing girls who are obviously not into PJ and are only there because their boyfriends thought they would enjoy it. Leave 'em at home, boys!
    Dante: "You hate people!"
    Randal: "But I love gatherings. Isn't it ironic?"
  • JackieboyJackieboy Posts: 78
    Stupid thread, really.
  • grungeheadgrungehead Posts: 35
    Jackieboy wrote:
    Stupid thread, really.

    ignorant post,really.
  • OneLoveOneLove Posts: 563
    grungehead wrote:
    ignorant post,really.

    I second that :) I agree, there are NOT many rock bands, or groups at all for that matter that show that kind of respsect. PJ have also done some work with Home Alive, and others that work in rape crisis situations, etc.

    I love the quote someone posted about Eddie and the pro-choice movement. apparently the interviewer suggested that abortion really had little to do with him as a man, and he said something "I'm a middle aged male, so, when all of the middle aged males stop making decisions for wemen, I'll back out too...." something like that.

    great thread!
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    for a similar sensitivity towards women, check out Fugazi. Suggestion and reclamation both deal with breaking down preconceptions about the "role" of women. Anyone who hasn't hear them might still know suggestion from Ed's tags at live shows in 1992. Reclamation is particularly about the pro-life/pro-choice conflict. The band are clearly pro-choice with lines like "These are our demands... we want control of our bodies. Decisions will now be hours. You can carry out your normal actions, we will carry our noble scars"
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Posts: 12,223
    I don't know if Pearl Jam's songs display such political commitment, in regard to feminism, as they once did: thematically, the material is engaged with other topics, such as this ever present war-scenario of the Bush era. Yet, Come Back does, perhaps - yes, perhaps - consider the pathos of loss in war, in the old Homeric way, by thinking of the impact of a soldier's death on bereaved wives and girlfriends.

    However, beyond the music itself, it's evident by looking at Pearl Jam's activist politics, that they're as involved in defending women's rights as ever.
  • AraineaArainea Posts: 58
    Good idea for a thread! I first heard Pearl Jam's music when I was a senior in college, and they had just released Ten. I loved the music right away, but what really made me a big fan was that MTV unplugged incident when Eddie wrote PRO CHOICE on his arm. I don't want to get into a pro-choice/pro-life debate at all, but I really appreciated seeing a rock star, of all people, raise the issue!

    Okay, I think this thread is a great place to raise an issue that has REALLY bugged me on other threads. I'll raise it here instead of on the threads in question so as not to seem like I'm calling out anyone in particular. Also, I want to say this in a careful and respectful way and hear what you all have to say about it. I was reading on a thread dedicated to one band member in particular. I think this particular band member is a fine musician and, judging by his public persona, he seems to be a fine human being as well. The thread started out well, but by the end it had degenerated into an "oh-isn't-he-so-hot" fest. There were even comments and discussion about SPECIFIC parts of his anatomy! Not cool, imo. So here's my comment - WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER! In other words, if we as women wouldn't like to have our bodies discussed in detail in a public forum, we ought to extend that same to courtesy to men, including the members of pj. Just a thought!

    - Raine
  • OneLoveOneLove Posts: 563
    Arainea wrote:
    Good idea for a thread! I first heard Pearl Jam's music when I was a senior in college, and they had just released Ten. I loved the music right away, but what really made me a big fan was that MTV unplugged incident when Eddie wrote PRO CHOICE on his arm. I don't want to get into a pro-choice/pro-life debate at all, but I really appreciated seeing a rock star, of all people, raise the issue!

    Okay, I think this thread is a great place to raise an issue that has REALLY bugged me on other threads. I'll raise it here instead of on the threads in question so as not to seem like I'm calling out anyone in particular. Also, I want to say this in a careful and respectful way and hear what you all have to say about it. I was reading on a thread dedicated to one band member in particular. I think this particular band member is a fine musician and, judging by his public persona, he seems to be a fine human being as well. The thread started out well, but by the end it had degenerated into an "oh-isn't-he-so-hot" fest. There were even comments and discussion about SPECIFIC parts of his anatomy! Not cool, imo. So here's my comment - WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE GOOSE IS GOOD FOR THE GANDER! In other words, if we as women wouldn't like to have our bodies discussed in detail in a public forum, we ought to extend that same to courtesy to men, including the members of pj. Just a thought!

    - Raine

    Fair enough. You make a really great point. I never really thought of it that way though. Kind of a catch 22, part of the reason people find this particular band member so charming in addition to his talent is because of his apparent attitude towards wemen, the fact that he is introspective and appears to be sensitive, etc etc.... but it is a slippery slope between wanting to discuss one's admiration, and taking that turn into degrading behavior.

    You make a great point :)
  • Bu2Bu2 Posts: 1,693
    Being a 41 year old female fan of Pearl Jam, since 10 came out, I agree that the band seems very pro-women and the lyrics sure do reflect that. When I first heard Daughter I cried. It felt like my story. My mother's story. Why Go Home, as well. Ed's lyrics are all-encompassing. It's one of the reasons I love this band so much.

    That said, yes, I think Ed is a very handsome man, but it's not his looks that move me. He's got his life, his personal life, and it belongs to him and I think it would be a shame to start talking about him as if he's on the cover of a Teen magazine.

    It's his voice, his words, his choice of battles that he takes on. It's the band and how they've stayed together and made music that moves my heart and soul. That's why I'm here. Not because of Ed alone, but because of the music that PJ creates and shares with us. I can't think of any other band today that makes me feel this way.
    Feels Good Inc.
  • danika_bookwormdanika_bookworm Posts: 162
    I've always thought of PJ as male feminists... Don't know if that's politically correct...

    Even though we could say that they are feminists, they are able to write songs about their love for women without raising them (us, actually) on an unnecesary pedestal (unnecessary pedestals are problematic: we women are forced to act in a way that would please men because, after all, they have put us in a position where each of our moves will be subject to scrutiny!).

    Another thing, PJ songs give room for the listeners' reactions and sequels...
  • Ms. HaikuMs. Haiku Posts: 7,265
    Bu2 wrote:
    Being a 41 year old female fan of Pearl Jam, since 10 came out, I agree that the band seems very pro-women and the lyrics sure do reflect that. When I first heard Daughter I cried. It felt like my story. My mother's story. Why Go Home, as well. Ed's lyrics are all-encompassing. It's one of the reasons I love this band so much.

    That said, yes, I think Ed is a very handsome man, but it's not his looks that move me. He's got his life, his personal life, and it belongs to him and I think it would be a shame to start talking about him as if he's on the cover of a Teen magazine.

    It's his voice, his words, his choice of battles that he takes on. It's the band and how they've stayed together and made music that moves my heart and soul. That's why I'm here. Not because of Ed alone, but because of the music that PJ creates and shares with us. I can't think of any other band today that makes me feel this way.
    I'm right there with you on this mindset. It's the band's collective courage, and their out-of-the-world concerts that keep me coming back. I'm totally on the same wavelength as you :)
    There is no such thing as leftover pizza. There is now pizza and later pizza. - anonymous
    The risk I took was calculated, but man, am I bad at math - The Mincing Mockingbird
  • mumimumi Posts: 662
    Bu2 wrote:
    Being a 41 year old female fan of Pearl Jam, since 10 came out, I agree that the band seems very pro-women and the lyrics sure do reflect that. When I first heard Daughter I cried. It felt like my story. My mother's story. Why Go Home, as well. Ed's lyrics are all-encompassing. It's one of the reasons I love this band so much.

    That said, yes, I think Ed is a very handsome man, but it's not his looks that move me. He's got his life, his personal life, and it belongs to him and I think it would be a shame to start talking about him as if he's on the cover of a Teen magazine.

    It's his voice, his words, his choice of battles that he takes on. It's the band and how they've stayed together and made music that moves my heart and soul. That's why I'm here. Not because of Ed alone, but because of the music that PJ creates and shares with us. I can't think of any other band today that makes me feel this way.
    Loved the way you were able to express how I feel, Now I wont need to write in english, it's pretty difficult to me...
    One thing I wanna add...I think it's not about the band being feminist or anything like that...I think it's all about being Sensitive...I think it's because they, or eddie (I really cant say), are really able to empathize with other people....And that, obviusly, includes women.
    Uno es dueño de lo que calla
    y esclavo de lo que habla.
  • Righteous JammerRighteous Jammer Posts: 509
    I dance naked to Pearl Jam.. Hail Hail to all the powerful women!
    It doesnt hurt.... when I bleed
    but memories...they eat me
    I've seen it all before,...
    bring it on cause I'm no victim.
    -Ghost
  • crislxcrislx Posts: 85
    Yes, there's empathy and respect for women, I always felt that.
    I was amazed, back in 92, when I saw Eddie write "Pro-choice" on his arm at the MTV Unplugged show, specially because, back where I come from, you are not aloud to "choose". You are aloud to flee to Spain to do so, or to have it "fixed" in a basement, Vera Drake's stile.
    Along with strong political beliefs, Ed weaves wonderfull female portraits. "Elderly Woman Behind the Counter" is a perfect Edward Hopper painting. :) Imagine what it is for a 29 year old guy to write about one minute in a 60 year old woman's life...
    "Betterman" could be a song about my mother,"Breakerfall" about my best friend. "Bee Girl" is my baby sister, a conversation my grandmother once had with me.
    Male, female... it really doesn't matter, if you have a good story to tell.

    And tomorrow night I'll see them live in Lisbon, after 6 years waiting. :D
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