ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK SCENE THROUGH FEMINIST STANDPOINT A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES OF MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY BY ELİF CEREN BOSTANCI KUTLU IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GENDER AND WOMEN’S STUDIES MAY 2020 Approval of the Graduate School of Social Sciences Prof. Dr. Yaşar Kondakçı Director I certify that this thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Prof. Dr. Ayşe Saktanber Head of Department This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Science. Prof. Dr. Fatma Yıldız Ecevit Supervisor Examining Committee Members Prof. Dr. Nilay Çabuk Kaya (Ankara Uni., SOS) Prof. Dr. Fatma Yıldız Ecevit (METU, SOC) Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe İdil Aybars (METU, SOC) I hereby declare that all information in this document has been obtained and presented in accordance with academic rules and ethical conduct. I also declare that, as required by these rules and conduct, I have fully cited and referenced all material and results that are not original to this work. Name, Last name : Elif Ceren Bostancı Kutlu Signature: iii ABSTRACT ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE ROCK SCENE THROUGH FEMINIST STANDPOINT Bostancı Kutlu, Elif Ceren M.S., Department of Gender and Women Studies Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Fatma Yıldız Ecevit May 2020, 199 pages Music, as a social field, is affected by the patriarchal practices which are relevant in society. As an outcome of these practices: the knowledge regarding women’s experiences is being transmitted either insufficiently or distorted, which harms the gender equality both in the music scene and society. This study, fundamentally asks an overarching question such as: How do women’s experiences get constituted in the alternative rock scene? Additionally, with subquestions study examines that: How do women’s experiences contribute to the feminist progress in the scene, which is consisted of consciousness-raising, forming solidarity, and creating politics? With the contribution of Feminist Standpoint Theory, the study aims to reach true knowledge by producing knowledge on women’s experiences from women’s social positions. Sexist practices exists in the scene such as; assigning rock music and instruments to men, alienation of women, sexual objectification of women, harassment, representing women over men, keeping women’s musician identity in the background and putting their sexual identity forward. Women who share their experiences are willing to form solidarity against sexist practices. However, due to the lack of knowledge regarding iv each other’s experiences and communication, a strong bond of solidarity could not be observed in the scene. Approaches such as staying neutral to the gender issues appear to be weak to ensure feminist progress in the scene while expressing powerful statements that are derived from women’s socially ‘powerful alternative’ positions, appears to be promising on making serious contributions to the feminist progress in the scene. Keywords: Women’s Experiences, Musician Women, Alternative Rock Scene, Feminist Progress, Feminist Standpoint Theory v ÖZ FEMİNİST DURUŞ NOKTASI ARACILIĞIYLA ALTERNATİF ROCK ALANI ANALİZİ Bostancı Kutlu, Elif Ceren Yüksek Lisans, Toplumsal Cinsiyet ve Kadın Çalışmaları Bölümü Tez Yöneticisi: Prof. Dr. Fatma Yıldız Ecevit Mayıs 2020, 199 sayfa Toplumdaki cinsiyetçi pratiklerin, diğer sosyal alanlarda da olduğu gibi, müzik alanına da yansıdığı görülmektedir. Bu cinsiyetçi pratiklerin bir çıktısı olarak kadın deneyimlerinin yanlış ve eksik aktarılması, kadınların toplum ve müzik alanı içindeki haklarına zarar vermekte, eşitlik anlayışını bozmaktadır. Bu tez çalışması temel olarak, sosyal söylemler üretmek için elverişli bir müzik alanı olan alternatif rock alanı içinde, Türkiye özelinde, kadın müzisyenlerin toplumsal cinsiyet deneyimlerinin nasıl oluştuğunu sorgulamaktadır. Bu inceleme yürütülürken, kadınların alandaki deneyim paylaşımının: bilinç yükseltme, dayanışma ve politika alt başlıklarından oluşan feminist ilerlemeye nasıl katkıda bulunduğu sorgulanmıştır. Feminist Duruş Kuramı’nın konumlandırılmış bilgi ilkesi benimsenerek; kadınların sosyal konumlarından, kendi deneyimlerine dair bilgi üretimi ile araştırmanın doğru bilgiye ulaşılması amaçlanmıştır. Kadınların deneyimleri, alandaki yaygın cinsiyetçi pratiklerin; rock alanının ve enstrumanların toplumca erkeklere atanması, kadınların ötekileştirilmesi, cinsel objeleştirme, taciz, kadınların temsilinin erkekler üzerinden yapılması, müzisyen kimliklerindense ‘kadın’ kimliklerinin ön plana çıkarılması gibi vi pratiklerden oluştuğunu göstermektedir. Yaşadıkları bu deneyimleri röportajlar, şarkı sözleri, konserler ve sosyal medya paylaşımları gibi alanlarda paylaşmakta olan müzisyen kadınlar, birbirleri ile cinsiyetçi pratikler karşısında dayanışma kurmaya noktasında isteklidir fakat birbirlerinin deneyimlerine dair bilgi ve iletişim eksikliğinin etkisiyle, ciddi bir dayanışma ve politika üretimi görülememektedir. Uluslararası alternatif rock alanı içinde yer alan Riot Grrrl akımı, Pussy Riot grubu ve Alternatif Türk rock alanındaki feminist ilerlemeye dair pratikler birlikte incelendiğinde, toplumsal cinsiyet tartışmalarında nötr pozisyon benimseyen müzisyenler feminist ilerlemeye katkıda bulunma anlamında zayıf kalmakta; kendi sosyal konumlarından, ataerkil düşüncelere karşı ‘güçlü alternatif’ söylemler üreten müzisyenler ise feminist ilerlemeye ciddi anlamda katkıda bulunmaktadırlar. Anahtar Kelimeler: Kadın Deneyimleri, Müzisyen Kadınlar, Alternatif Rock Alanı, Feminist İlerleme, Feminist Duruş Kuramı vii In memory of a dear friend, Lucile viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS At the beginning of our studies in GWS, Prof. Dr. Yıldız Ecevit encouraged us to pick thesis subjects that we are strongly connected with. I wish to show the most profound gratitude to her for encouragements during both classes and both my process of thesis writing. I am lucky to work with her as my advisor. Without her guidance, I would be lost in the process. Her valuable insights were essential to my study, and I am more than grateful for all of her contributions. I would like to pay my special regards to Prof. Dr. Mehmet Cihan Ecevit. His classes were essential to me to build a sociological basis for my studies. He guided me through the process of my thesis and made contributions to my thesis with his valuable commentations. His teachings of theories, including the Feminist Standpoint Theory, formed the foundation of this study. All of the suggestions and valuable, mind-opening comments of the examining committee members helped me improve this study. Therefore would like to express my sincere appreciation to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ayşe İdil Aybars and Prof. Dr. Nilay Çabuk Kaya. I was afraid of finding enough numbers of interviewees on this subject, however all of the candidates that I contacted accepted my request for an interview, and they were all eager to transmit their experiences. I would like to express my gratitude to all of the women who shared their experiences with me. I believe, together, we will make a difference. I had an intense burden of work when the deadline of the submission was coming closer. Therefore, I was lost between the major choices in my life. With the support and guidance of my friend Ülkü Baturoğlu Balcı, I overcame this process with success. I wish to thank her for all of her guidance and valuable contributions through the process of writing. ix I wish to thank to my dearest friends, Ayşenur Hazal Özgümüş and Adnan Hepvar, for always being there for each other. Also, I am thankful to my former colleagues Pınar, Abdurrahman, Duygu, Özgür, for their continous moral support and to my former center manager, Emine Engür Özkurt, for her valuable advice and encouragement throughout this study. I wish to express my deepest gratitude for the love and endless support of my mother, Mihriban Bostancı, and my father, Ali Namık Bostancı. Additionally, I would like to thank to my little siblings, Fatma Nisa Bostancı and Ahmet Eyüp Bostancı. Thank you for all of your precious love and encouragement, which were ongoing, not only during this study but during my whole life. Lastly, I was fortunate to have a brilliant-minded guide during this journey. There are not enough valuable words to express my thanks to my life partner, Fatih Kutlu. Not only he supported my every dream, but he was also always there to convince me to move on if I ever think of giving up. Together we have learnt a great deal about life, and I am hoping to learn more. His loving presence and contributions are beyond words both in my life and in this study. x TABLE OF CONTENTS PLAGIARISM ............................................................................................................ iii ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................ iv ÖZ ............................................................................................................................... vi DEDICATION .......................................................................................................... viii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .......................................................................................... ix TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................ xi LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................