Taking women seriously as artists
So, it is often the case that women’s accomplishments (in art, research, business, politics, whatever) are often overlooked for, read in terms of, seen as dependent on, or otherwise secondary to their appearance. Adrian Piper has commented on the tendency of the artworld to reduce colored women artists’ work to their biography, and female musicians are often assessed primarily by their attractiveness to the hetero male gaze.
So, enter Drake, who actually compliments Nikki Minaj’s skills as a rapper BEFORE he remarks on her appearance. Listen around 2:00-2:20 (the exact line is at 2:17):
Drizzy says: “Your verses turn me on while your pants are mighty fitted.” While the video, the song, and even the couplet in question are not free of misogyny, this is still the first time I can think of a mainstream male musician prioritizing a female musician’s musicianship over her physical appearance/sexual availability. If you can think of other examples, I’d love to know.