Comedy has not always been welcoming to female performers, but recent success and new mediums show a brighter future for women in the industry.
Laughter can be a great tool to help get through challenging times like these. If you're like us, you've probably watched some of your favorite comedies on Netflix already. But while we're on the subject, let's talk about women in comedy.
Women continue to face challenges in the "Boys' Club" of comedy
While female comics like Ali Wong, Aparna Nancherla, and Amy Schumer have gained greater recognition in recent years, women still face an uphill battle in the industry. A recent look at the Chicago comedy scene found that a majority of stand-up bookings in the city favor men over women or non-gender conforming comedians. And when women do earn a slot, they often are the only one, for fear of having a "women's comedy" show. Being propositioned by their fellow male performers is not an uncommon experience, either.
Even recent progress has been marred by newfound challenges. Male performers have suggested that Ali Wong is lucky to have the "Asian-American women" niche to occupy. The late-night talk show genre has seen success with Chelsea Handler and Samantha Bee, but the latter is still one of few women in a male-dominated club. And despite #MeToo's success in shining a light on the harassment women face in the entertainment industry, male comics, like Aziz Ansari and Louis C.K., who once at least questioned power structures and even publicly supported women, have reverted to complaining about "outrage culture" or attacking marginalized groups in their post-#MeToo sets.
Despite challenges, comedy is opening up to more female comics
Female performers are receiving more recognition than ever before, and they're finding new ways to make their jokes heard. Comedy Central's "Half-Hour Specials" have featured a growing roster of women each year, helping to narrow the gap, and Netflix has developed stand-up specials, TV series, and feature films with female comedian leads. Others have turned to podcasts, tapping into new audiences to showcase their humor.
Comedy is also being recognized for its ability to promote social change and improve the condition of women around the world. The UN hosted the "Comedy for Equality" event and showed how comedy can be used to empower women and battle against the recruitment of at-risk women to extremist groups. At the same time, more traditional comedy events are becoming outlets for women to speak out as part of #MeToo and confront the rampant harassment and discrimination women face in the entertainment industry.
While the comedy, and more broadly, entertainment industry, is far from gender equality, recent progress is moving in the right direction. It will take support from both male and female voices alike at all levels to create a culture that promotes female comedians and makes sure the world is not deprived of their funny jokes.
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