AUTHOR=Goh Talisha , Hope Cat , Devenish Louise , Barrett Margaret S. , Canham Nicole , Burke Robert L. , Hall Clare 

TITLE=Beyond the gender binary: a survey of gender marginalization and social boundaries in Australian jazz and improvisation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 15 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1412511

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1412511

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=Although jazz and improvised music may seem to be driven by concepts of liberty and freedom, in practice the experiences of many people working in such spaces are shaped by exclusion, marginalisation and harassment. Despite a large number of qualitative accounts evidencing a pattern of persistent and entrenched gender marginalisation in jazz and improvisation world wide, there exists a lack of empirical studies to substantiate and further understandings of how marginalisation is perceived in the field. This paper contributes results from an anonymous survey (n=124) which explored the beliefs, attitudes, and experiences concerning gender, of people participating in the Australian jazz and improvisation music industries. Through the lens of boundary theory, we consider the role of symbolic and social boundaries in the maintenance of male hegemony in jazz and improvisation, contributing to exclusion and marginalisation experienced by gender diverse and women practitioners in the industry. Overall, our quantitative analysis found that gender diverse survey respondents were most likely to experience the effects of marginalisation, and least likely to report feelings of respect, valuation, recognition, and inclusion. Women perceived exclusion to a lesser extent than gender diverse practitioners, and differed in their opinions regarding work opportunities, indicating contrasting forms of marginalisation and engagement across the gender diverse group. Additionally, a widespread but historically unspoken awareness of sexual harassment in the Australian jazz and improvisation industry was reported by all genders, substantiating the need for both targeted and broad awareness and campaigns on sexual safety. In addition to demonstrating different ways in which gender groups experience and perceive marginalisation, our survey also shows how this influences their engagement in jazz and improvisation, and consequently their work experiences. We conclude with three recommendations for future research, policy and practice: 1. Specific targeted strategies are needed to address the manifold and complex forms of marginalisation experienced by gender diverse people; 2. Heightened institutional visibility for marginalised groups is needed to change gendered narratives and highlight awareness of inequities; and 3. Enhanced safety measures are critically needed to address sexual harassment throughout the industry.