Ghettoising Women

I was watching a film on C4 last night made by the artist Tracy Emin. It was about how female artists fail to match male artists when it comes to prices paid for their work. She raised other issues too, like how most of the successful female artists end up not having children - either by choice or biology - and explained she felt she was at a crossroads in her life.

Her fear was that if she had kids it would sap her creative energy, making her less able to create art. Now there are those out there who would argue that Tracy was an artist at all, but I'm not one of them. I've seen the "bed" and the tent embroidered with the names of everyone she's ever slept with amongst other pieces, and they work for me. They make me smile, make me think, and even make me sad at times. I love her work.

She intereviewed the woman who runs the Serpentine Gallery, Julia Peyton-Jones, and asked her if she would ever have a show featuring only women artists. Ms Peyton-Jones said no, no more than she would curate a show featuring only men artists, cos she felt seperating the sexes in that way 'ghettoised' women or indeed any other section of society.

It struck a massive chord with me. As a female comedian I used to get asked to do all-women gigs on the 8th of March every year. For those who don't know that's International Woman's Day. When I was new I did a few of them, but hated it! It was great working with other girls, as that rarely happens on the circuit, but the audiences were always so 'right on' that I felt I was being judged, not on my ability to make people laugh, but on how much of a 'woman' I was. I once got heckled for having the audacity to wear lipstick!

From my first ever open spot I aspired to be a great comedian, not a great female one, or a great northern one, or a great blonde one, or whatever. Now obviously those in the industry got the message, as I never get asked to perform at these gigs any more thank god.

Some people argue that sexism is still rife in the world of comedy, but I can honestly say I've never experienced it. When I got half-way good I got breaks that my straight, white, male counterparts could only dream of. I can hold my own with all of the male comics I work with and that's how I like it. Ghettos are great for rappers, a bit shit for the rest of us, and even the rappers can't wait to get out!

I agree that there are far fewer women working in stand-up, presumably there's a reason for that, perhaps fewer women attempt it in the first place, perhaps they have kids and find the life of a comedian doesn't really go with raising children, perhaps not as many women feel the need to show off for money. Whatever the reasons you cannot force change.

I went to the final of a national competition to find more funny women last year, and was blown away by the talent these women had. I would say that at least half a dozen of them would've stood out in any 'new comedian' competition. There was something that just felt wrong to me that they were marginalised like this. Ironically the winner was a male to female transsexual. I actually heard an industry person say 'technically a bloke won it'. Kinda makes the whole thing seem redundant to me.

Forget being a funny woman, just work on being funny!