Someone Figured Out A Way To Make The “Women In Rock” Concept Even More Offensive

I’ve been trying to muster up a response to this bit of Tony Sclafani-penned nonsense written under the delusion that, since this year’s Best New Artist category in the Grammys is made up of female-fronted bands from tip to toe, it’s time to trot out the old “Women In Rock Rock!” trope that has brought so much lazy “trend” journalism to the world in recent years. My objections have, of course, been laid out in this space: the whole idea of creating women as Others in music only serves to further cement the old patriarchal ways, if someone like Feist whose persona possesses a lot of traditionally feminine traits succeeds is it really “progress,” etc., etc. But every time I try to read the damn thing, I can’t get past its first line, which should probably be in some Hall Of Fame for bad lede-writing because of its blend of bubbleheadeness, press-release-ready bland hyperbole, and, uh, schoolyard taunts:

When it comes to this year’s crop of Grammy Awards newbies, it looks like there may just be some truth to the playground taunt “Girls Rule, Boys Drool.”

I can’t even get through the rest of the piece because I’m terrified that Sclafani will whip out a “milk milk lemonade” joke. Anyone want to let me know if it’s safe for reading?

Invasion of the Grammy girls [MSNBC]