Jezebel
Most rock bands these days consist of several near-emaciated, floppy haired boys who wear very tight pants and play their guitars slung low near their penises. Delightful girl group Smoosh (pictured here), notwithstanding, where are all the rocking lady guitarists? Maybe there's a dearth of female guitar players because, as a new report from the UK shows, girls from a very young age are discouraged from playing traditionally "masculine" instruments like guitar and horns, while boys are discouraged from playing traditionally "feminine" instruments like the flute and harp. According to the BBC, the report, published by the British Institute of Education, says, "The size of the instrument (bigger, male), its pitch (higher, female) and the physical characteristics needed to play it could be partly responsible [for the gender preferences]. Another factor may be that brass instruments and drums have long been used militarily and therefore are associated with war."
Why Don't Girls Play Guitar? [BBC News]
Why don't Little Girls Play The Tuba? [Times of London]
