Bagpiping and the 'gender barrier'.

[ArabeIIaScott]

https://bagpipe.news/2023/04/18/new-national-piping-centre-study-to-tackle-underrepresentation-of-women-in-scottish-piping-and-drumming/

'A study into the underrepresentation of women in Scotland’s piping and drumming scene has been launched by The National Piping Centre, in collaboration with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.'

All well and good.

'The National Piping Centre is calling for anyone who identifies or has identified as a woman and is, or has been, involved in any aspect of piping or pipe band drumming within Scotland to take part.'

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So, not for those people who just are women by dint of qualifying biologically?? Or people who are female but state a non-binary, transgender or other "non-woman" identity?

Looks like piping is essentially a men's activity then? So anyone doing it can't be a woman, because "doing things associated with men" means you are one. Silly sausages!

So close….and yet so very, very far

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I'm confused. There are loads of female pipers!

It doesn't say female, it says women, which as we all know is entirely different and nothing to do with what sex you are...
Seriously though it would be useful if that article provided any kind of stats over and above 'a huge disparity'.

Sorry but the title of this caused me to snigger. There’s a few definitions of ‘bag piping’ and many do require the involvement of a penis.

That aside… you just know that there’s someone involved in running this study who doesn’t have the slightest interest in getting more women into playing the bagpipes. We all know what a marvellous place Scotland is for women and how everyone is falling over themselves to prioritise us…

A very talented piper and graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland -Malin Lewis - recently released a single called ‘Trans’ inspired by their own experiences of being a transwoman. So I’m guessing there is a sensitivity about not offending the trans community by doing anything as rash as doing a survey into the experiences of being a female piper.

Ha, yes, scoldsidol I opened this thread in trepidation!

And that's very interesting background information.

Is this similar to tromboning?

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Sorry but the title of this caused me to snigger. There’s a few definitions of ‘bag piping’ and many do require the involvement of a penis.

I had no idea. Please explain. Also tromboning.

I think Malin Lewis is non-binary, not a trans woman, unless he's gone a step further since the last time I saw any discussion: https://firstfootingscotland.tumblr.com/post/183863624315/bogha-frois-conversations-malin-lewis

But it would, indeed, be very good to see some research into the lower take-up of piping by girls, and the drop-off as they develop. There are some absolutely fantastic female pipers who are great role-models, and girls do play in our junior pipe band, but I've just done a rough count of the kids taking lessons at the high school level and the ratio is 7:2 boys to girls. Equally, male clarsach players seem few and far between....

I've actually just been through that survey, which doesn't take long - it's a bit of a mess, pretty leading and poorly put together.

It is indeed. I suspect it will be a 'garbage in, garbage out' result.

I think bagpiping may be similar to tromboning ...
https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=tromboning

It’s ridiculous how instruments can be gendered - there’s no reason beyond ‘tradition’ is there? Perhaps, at a push, the Scots bagpipes might benefit from being played by someone with a greater lung capacity? I love the sound of the harp and it’s a shame if any boys are discouraged from playing this instrument because it is deemed ‘feminine’.

Thanks, Arctic. That's raising as many questions as answers, tbh.

Crikey, in the fecking oxter?!