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Rewriting the Rules of Engagement Strength in Numbers Having transitioned the live music(she, industry, tour reflects manageronLaura Nagtegaalstory (she,andher,how hers)her move Metropolis Music promoter inRaven Twigg her, they) her coming-out shares uniquewithperspective of the industry’s problem. to London allowed herher to work other like-minded souls andongoing createsexism the Women Connect collective.
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I should hope that on theand reverse of that, with the incredible panellists had aend special performance nceisupon a time, there was I’ve a girlfelt who felt terribly his my first Pride where proud to be a so many and archaic way of thinking, men end up from bigoted Izzy Bizu and DJ Ashleigh Simone. trans We always make guilty woman. about not being for her male body, queer Pride is grateful about embracing your LG- same on good sideare ofinclusive things. Cisgender men and As women swapsurethe our events and free to attend. a collective so she friends, censoredcolleagues, herself and subconsciously found BTQ+ family, and neighbours signatures in the backgrounds, office experience male we have such different and exactly it worksthat: harmoniherself jobbut around; working the music not onlythe formanliest one month all year round.in I’m so live pleased to ping female – downgrade; female to male – upgrade. And no, ously together. industry. me. be able toThat alignwoman my ownis identity within my work. Metropolis to people don’t money, Fast-forward to 2021, wecost havethe nowemployer hosted anmore online Back Backhas in an 1995, I rolled into livebursting music, and 2002 I went Music impressive roster withbydiversity and transgender health care, availability, time, and loyalty.brought free to Basics series with PRS Foundation; full-time. tours did were as guitar tech, inclusivity,Most and it’s justIorganically happened that tour way. While our and names andsessions; what is or isn’t in our unmindfulness yoga and collaborated manager, or a (which combination of the like two.a family) is Our team feels more derwear mayShift haveon changed, ourto skills didfolx not.DJ with CTRL an event teach By the of time was people nine oroften, I first in “knew” reflective theI real London 2021, If anything, you’ll be dealing with a mentalskills and so much more. that the doctor delivering me hadthe made a misand we’re able to filter that into artists we ly stronger and more self-empowered It’s through collectives like ours and thatactuI’ve take (assuming that to. what’s my legs naturally are drawn Frombetween guitar bands, to alised person; you’ll be dealing been able to feeltherefore comfortable enough in my with own defines me),soloists, and soon repressing non-binary weafter haveI began a beautiful specaskin more desirable person on your crew. and be inspired by to thehave people I’m seeing myself mytofeelings; them with trum ofand music promotereplacing nationally. It is surprising howwhat conservative and around me. And that’s we intend to relucbring lethargy robot-like behaviour. Prior and to my work with Metropolis Music, tant our supposedly is to our following, too.progressive By showingindustry budding still music was onlyininoffices 2016 that I could I’veItworked around theaccept worldmyself from with regards panels to anyone not awho white cishet professionals filledwho withispeople look like for who I am,UK andtofrom thenAustralia, on, all sorts of “self” Manchester, Sydney, which have male. as athem, trans and person, broader them, What soundI,like are aexperience, similar ageistoway them, rathfeelings grew strongerwhite (esteem, confidence, been predominantly and worth, cis-gendered males.care) My than justoffering my being trans: I am “nooflonger” a white male. er than the perspective CEOs of huge cishet companies, and all of that culminating in self-love. As of Valentine’s Day coming-out journey was delayed significantly, and in retroStill, knowing that I career had the courage in the mirror, which makes achieving dreams feeltosolook unreachable. 2017, on my previous persona, and by the spect,IIclosed realisethe thatbook it wasn’t helpful for me to work amongst stripped, and accept for who to I am, absohope to see in the future, as themyself world awakens the beautime 2019 rolled around, I wascomfortable done with the medical thoseEaster environments. For me to feel in an office all Ipretense obliterates theeffortlessly negative sides. And as a bonus, I actually ty that’s within it, inclusive global organisations side of transitioning. environment, I needed to see more people like myself. Fortu- lutely in the wholooking recognise the mirror power nowadays. they have to fill their teams with Both onme, andI behind themove stage,to my transition wentswore smoothnately for made the London in 2018, I’d like And today, people, I have boundaries, respect them, andfrom commuqueer folx, and other people marly at last first;sixallmonths my regular Laura with open only beforebands I was accepted craving the Northern soul gender-diverse them. Take it or My leave it. In the times or before, I’d bend ginalised communities. sexuality, gender, my pronouns, arms. The two warmest responses cameup from my colleague I’ve grown up with, but instead I ended meeting my now nicate over backwards. amongst many other things, don’t affect my capability to do and fiancée: you’re my back. boyfriend, tomorrow my girlfriend and“Today have never looked Things definitely getting in the live music industry, job,are but rather offer anbetter alternative angle. Artists that wife,” and from a few “No,music you didn’t become a womIn 2019, myself andfriends: four other biz friends, Alex Am- a good we still have long way to Twentyto years ago, if aenter woman organically enteramy radar, arego. different those that the an, were always one!”Sian Pescow (Metropolis Music), Bre but pofoyou (Metropolis Music), was she’d mostwho likely beoffer doing or wardradaronoftour, my colleagues, also anmerchandise alternative angle. When all those(Sony bandsMusic), swapped the Stainton stage for (Sony the studio siMcDermott-King Becky Music), robe. and more tours I am on, in leadership WeMore are all fabulously different in women our ownare huge ways and multaneously and I hadcollective to find new ones, IWomen noticed Connect. how – as birthed a networking named and positions – and toursPride are better because it. that’sfader-pushing the truly beautiful thing about month. It’s theofopaTogether, transgender woman – sexism, toxic we have raised moneytrans/homophobia, for Galop, Refugeeand Women, The silver liningeducate to Covid-19 pressing pause us is that we to learn, and grow together ason human beings. masculinity seemed to seriously my career. I went Solace, MIND, and hosted eventsjeopardise highlighting issues such as portunity can,We’ve and do, (re)write rules of the engagement. hadover better come a longthe way from StonewallWe Riots 50 from hired I’dhealth even finish “yes”industry. to sudperiodbeing poverty andbefore mental withinsaying the music our but ownthere’s advice,still though. need toclued-up hire for skill, proyears ago, a wayWe to go. Get on queer denly being a resume not getting hired. events follow Before weasked were for forced to takeand a break from physical and rather than for convenience and culture, listen tokindness, queer artists and podcasts. Watch queer subjected to the same kind sexism women our are subdueI got to lockdown restrictions, we’dofjust celebrated first fessionalism status quo (ie white males). rathAnd those around you cishet feel included jected to... skills, experience, birthday bymy throwing a bash at theand Sony London offices and films and tv shows, make thefeel marginalised, need to want to them proud. opinion tied it inwere withdecimated. International Women’s Day. We heard from er than othered. Make we, be visible. “Visibility will, inevitably, I did not build a more than 25-year lead to awareness. Through awareness, career with smoke and mirrors. I have “My sexuality, gender, or my pronouns, amongst many the path to acceptance can be found, proven and valuable skills, I just happen things, good job, andafollowed.” to be a woman –other a transgender woman.don’t affect my capability to do
but rather offer an alternative angle”
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