Update: Bethany Cosentino’s full essay, titled “Burgers, Bitches, and Bullshit,” is now available in full online. Read it here.
Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino wrote an essay about sexism in the music industry in the wake of the Heathcliff Berru sexual assault allegations that arose last month. The piece was published in Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner’s email newsletter, Lenny Letter. The California Nights artist wrote about the scandal, dealing with Internet trolls, hecklers, and inappropriate journalists, among other issues.
“As much as it pains me to see these stories from so many women,” she wrote of the accusations leveled against Berru, “stories that go back as far as ten years and are as recent as only a few months ago, I am so glad that this situation was finally brought to light and that these victims now have a supportive bond and can provide strength to others who may want to come forward.” Elsewhere, she wrote about the double standard women in music face:
[articleembed id=”178264″ title=”Here's What's Happening With the Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Heathcliff Berru” image=”178282″ excerpt=”What began Sunday night as a simple series of tweets from one musician has quickly snowballed into a widespread web of allegations of sexual assault and harassment against one man: Heathcliff Berru, founder of the successful music PR firm Life or Death”]
People need to stop calling women “bitches” because they’re strong and empowered. People need to stop calling me a “slut” for my public support of Planned Parenthood, an organization that has saved my life as well as many other men’s and women’s lives. People need to stop calling me a “whiny baby” because I write songs about heartache and my feelings. Did anyone call The Beatles “whiny babies” for singing the lyrics “This boy wants you back again”? Did anyone call them “desperate” or “needy” for singing “Oh please say to me / You’ll let me be your man / And please say to me / You’ll let me hold your hand”?
You can read Cosentino’s full essay by subscribing to Lenny Letter.
