Joan Jett thinks rock and roll had a problem with female sexuality.
The ‘Bad Reputation’ star has opened up about sexism surrounding glam rock – particularly in the United States – meant it was harder for women to get the respect they deserved by playing the same style of music as similar male-fronted acts.
Speaking to Metallica’s Lurs Ulrich for his ‘It’s Electric’ show on Apple Music’s Beats 1, she said: "People having trouble with guys wearing makeup and stuff, girls can’t play rock ‘n’ roll. No, girls can master the guitar, they can play rock ‘n’ roll.
"What you’re saying it society doesn’t allow women to access their sexuality in relationship to music. They have to be a certain thing, and that’s it’. Once they do that, they’re w****s, they’re sl**s, they’re d*kes."
The 60-year-old rock icon pointed to fellow pioneer Suzy Quatro as an example of a woman who deserved more respect and attention than they got in the US.
She added: "Women can play rock and roll, and be a success doing it. Suzy was over in England having hit singles, she couldn’t get anywhere in the states and I’m sure that was the old ‘women don’t play rock ‘n’ roll’ aesthetic."
Last year, The 1975 star Matty Healy admitted there is still "rampant misogyny" within rock music.
He had come under fire for recent comments in which he hit out at hip hop and "Soundcloud rap" while he was quoted as saying the same kind of sexism "doesn’t happen in rock and roll anymore".
However, he has now taking to Twitter and said: "Just to clarify I said that misogyny wasn’t ALLOWED in rock and roll now days in a way it is in hip hop – not that it doesn’t exist, that’s maybe a misquote as I’m aware of the misogyny in rocknroll.
"I would never deny the RAMPANT misogyny that exists in Rock n Roll. It’s everywhere and has been a weirdly accepted part of it since it’s inception.
"BUT now looking at what I said – I was simplifying a complex issue without the right amount of education on the subject. (sic)"
Joan Jett hits out at glam rock sexism
