In Her Own Voice: Halsey

HALSEY talks sex, androgyny, and gender roles in her powerful guest essay for this month’s cover story. The 20-year-old, selfmade feminist firebrand also calls bullsh*t on the male-dominated music industry and its quest to capitalize on the #girlpower trend.

A GREY FACED MAN in a grayer suit told me this summer that my passion was “cute.” My opinions were “spunky.” My general lack of tolerance for disrespect was “sassy.” All the things that make me a strong independent human, someone stamped with a big fat sticker that made them, sweet.

I’m too loud. I’m too outspoken. Too politically incorrect. Too vulgar. “Girl power is so on trend right now, the media eats it up. That’s your thing, though. That’s your shtick. Right?” Wrong.

My determination spawned from being a young woman in a male dominated industry, single handedly building an entire collective from the ground up. And they want to make it a “shtick”; a “gimmick.”

He’s right though. It’s no secret that girl power sells. But not because it’s a trend. Because it’s what people crave to hear. I don’t have to delve into the details of what makes this society a patriarchal one. Ask a kindergartener to name all the presidents and they’ll (adorably) rest my case.

Young women AND men in this day and age love a good female icon. As a new generation embraces powerful female role models, society moves another step in the direction of dismantling gender barriers that plague BOTH sexes. The time for change isn’t coming; it’s here.

I like to talk about sex. It’s beautiful, it’s fun, it’s a masterpiece of human connection. But that’s a “masculine” thing to do in music. Women don’t talk about sex. It’s not “lady like.” So I’m gonna keep talking about sex. I’m going to keep talking about sex so that the young women listening realize that it’s okay to be a sexual being, and it’s okay to love yourself. I’m going to keep talking about sex because the more I do, the less “masculine” the subject will become. And the less pressure to do or say ANYTHING “masculine” will exist for young men. The looser the definitions of “masculine” and “feminine” actions become the lesser the expectations for either sex to BE a certain way.

I like androgyny. I love my strong jaw. My messy hair. The swagger in my step. These were the things I saw in male rock stars growing up; that I clung to, I imitated. I spent my time in my room watching videos of Leonard Cohen, and Beck, and James Dean. I didn’t care that they were men. They spoke beautifully; they moved romantically. They oozed confidence and sexuality.

I intended to be that kind of artist for young women, in hopes of eliminating the aspect of alienation because I am a WOMAN. My motivations are honest. My passion is real. The fire in my eyes has been burning for some time now. So it stings, when someone takes the demons that drive you, and sees dollar signs.

My heart sinks when I see a woman in the public eye give a limp answer when asked if she’s a feminist. Trends come and go, but wanting equality for every human on this earth is something that has motivated countercultures for years. That’s what feminism has been interpreted as; a counterculture. A group of likeminded people with radical beliefs. And if there’s one thing at which the music industry excels it’s to popularize and monetize the counterculture. They’ll beat the ideals into the ground until they are skewed and warped and misinterpreted. Just as they are doing with the feminist movement today.

I don’t believe that feminism is a trend. I am ecstatic to see it so often explored in current popular media. But I stand to maintain that it is NOT a trend. Feminism isn’t going anywhere and (while some seek to superficially represent it to stay relevant) I am confident that the amount of woman and men working vigorously to dispel the gender barriers WILL reign successful.

I am honored to have a hand in this movement, and I will continue to eat, sleep, and breathe girl power so that we see the necessary change. Keep your dollar signs.

Halsey’s debut EP “Room 93” is out now on Astralwerks.