“Actions Speak Louder than Words”: Reconsidering Feminism in Country Music in the 1990s

Presenter(s)

Paula Bishop

Abstract or Description

In 1992, Hillary Clinton defended her choice to remain with her husband Bill after his extramarital affairs by saying, “I’m not sitting here, some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette.” Her remark reduced the women of country music to submissive and willing victims of the patriarchy. Scholarship of 1990s feminism likewise dismissed female country artists from the feminist movement, instead using them as a contrast to the more strident voices of the era. This paper examines the 1993 CBS special Women of Country Music, which featured over twenty artists speaking about their experiences. While most sidestep the label “feminist,” they express a desire to fight the male-dominated institutions, diverging starkly from Clinton’s caricature of them. Their perspectives, when taken out of their silos and intertwined with the larger narrative, reveal how country music responded to feminism and broadened the discourse of the movement in the 1990s.

Comments

Sarah Wiggins4 years ago

Thanks for this interesting presentation, Paula. It's funny to think about this music being labelled as wholesome because I remember always thinking that women were very upfront about feminism in country music at that time. The feminist messages always seemed so obvious and refreshing given the context of country music culture. I would be curious to know what you think about this 90s feminist expression in comparison to songs like Loretta Lynn's "The Pill." That song still sounds shocking to me every time I listen to it!

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Paula Bishop4 years ago

Thanks for your feedback. "The Pill" and several others by Loretta Lynn (and even a few by Tammy Wynette) are held up as examples of feminist statements by female country artists in the 1960s and '70s. The lyrics directly address issues of central to "women's lib" movement, particularly gender equality and reproductive rights, but they're really the exceptions. For women of the '90s, the 3rd wave issues and attitudes are more pervasive and persistent in the lyrics (especially after Shania Twain bursts on the scene). Their role in 3rd wave feminism is sometimes lost in the historical accounting because of the strident/angry/loud voices and actions of the Riot Grrrls. I probably need to make this clearer in the presentation.

Karen Aicher4 years ago

Thank you for this perspective and for shining a light on the less obvious feminism in country music. I lived through the 90's but was not a huge country fan. All I saw was big hair and fancy clothes. I love learning about the aspects that I totally missed and I love how you presented this information. Thank you!

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