If you're in some way involved in the Australian music industry, there's a good chance you woke up today to see #meNomore splashed across social media - a campaign kicked off with a powerful and confronting open letter published to The Industry Observer (TW: rape, assault, abuse). The letter contains anonymous first person accounts of peoples' experience within the Australian music industry.
The letter, inspired by the Swedish Music Industry's own open letter following #metoo and Harvey Weinstein, has been signed by almost 400 women so far, with many more joining the campaign via the hashtag on social media.
"In recent weeks, as Hollywood carried the torch of Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement and stories started breaking around the world, we found ourselves offering strength to our friends and colleagues who had their own stories to share – both publicly and in whispered circles. It’s become clear that the magnitude of #MeToo extends to our own shores and to our own industry," begins the letter.
"We are women who work in the Australian music industry. We are artists, musicians, managers, lawyers, booking agents, record label employees, publicists and more. We all have our own stories, or know someone who does. We are not whingers or vibe-killers. We are passionate people dedicating our lives to music. In the face of uncountable discrimination, harassment, violence, and the general menace of sexist jargon, we have gritted our teeth and gotten on with the job. But today we say, no more."
If you'd like to share your story anonymously and/or sign the letter head HERE.
For the rest of us, now is the time to listen and trust those voices brave enough to speak up around you. And as the open letter says: "Stand beside us and call out those who let us all down and who hurt our friends."
If you or somebody you care for needs help, support services:
Lifeline - 131 114
Beyond Blue - 1300 224 636
'Support Act - 1300 731 303
Fair Work Ombudsman at fairwork.gov.au (For sexual harassment in the workplace)
Kudos to The Industry Observer for providing a platform to get this movement started, and most importantly kudos to the brave people coming forward to help start cleaning up the Australian music industry - there's a lot of work to do and it starts now.
