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Annie Mac, appearing before the Women and Equalities Select Committee in the House of Commons yesterday. Alamy Stock Photo

Annie Mac tells UK govt that women have to fight for their right to safety in music industry

The Dublin-born DJ, broadcaster and writer told of her experience in the music industry to the House of Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee.

IRISH DJ ANNIE Macmanus has said women have to “constantly fight” for their right to safety in the music industry.

The former BBC Radio 1 star, known by her stage name Annie Mac, was giving evidence at the Misogyny in Music inquiry at the House of Commons’ Women and Equalities Committee in London yesterday.

The Dublin-born DJ, broadcaster and writer, who bid farewell to the BBC after 17 years in July 2021, told of her experience in the industry, beginning with a disclaimer.

“I got into the music industry as a DJ for the BBC which afforded me a shield of protection because that role comes with an element of power to it, you’re able to make and break bands,” she said.

“And I think that, coupled with having a very tight and protective female management team for most of my career, has really meant that I haven’t gone through anything traumatic with regards to misogyny,” the 45-year-old said.

She continued: “[In the] early days when I was a DJ, and trying to start out, I would tour America on my own, you would come out into Philadelphia airport praying that the promoter would come out, getting paid bundles of cash, 10 dollar notes at the end of a night.

“I look back and think ‘that was so silly’, but you’re in a situation where you are not in a position to afford a tour manager.

“There is a huge surge of young DJs coming through, female DJs which is amazing … (but) it is really unregulated at the moment for young female DJs.

“They’re travelling about, they have no security, they have no tour managers, they’re not believed that they are the DJ a lot of the time, they have to persuade the security guard to be let into the club, there is no protection for them in the booth anyone can walk in, and most of all they work until 6am and the promoters are not prepared to pay for their travel.

“There is no understanding that it is not safe for a woman to travel home at that time of night – they have to constantly fight for their own rights when it comes to being safe.”

Later in the session, there was a committee question about whether there needed to be a #MeToo movement in the music industry in relation to whistleblowing sexual harassment allegations to spark industry-wide change.

Macmanus said: “I think there needs to be some sort of a shift in women feeling like they are able to speak out without their careers being compromised.

“I feel like there is a lot of revelations that have not been exposed, it is infuriating the amount of women who have stories of sexual assault who have buried them and carried them.

“It is unbelievable. If one person were to speak that had enough of a profile where it got media attention, I think there could be a kind of a tidal wave, definitely.”

She later added that she felt a lot of the time women had become “trapped” in various scenarios within the industry.

“So many of the stories that I’ve heard have been men who are unable to maintain a professional relationship … and then the woman suffers because she either loses her job for rebuffing the man or loses her job for being unprofessional doing anything with the man,” she said.

Macmanus appeared at the select committee on Tuesday alongside singer Rebecca Ferguson, 37, who found fame on The X Factor in 2010.

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47 Comments
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    Mute Aoife McCarrick
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:02 PM

    We had 6 horrible miscarriages before we were lucky enough to have our 4 and 5 year old – we have never forgotten them and they all counted to us.

    829
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    Mute hit shappens
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:31 PM

    touching story, makes me think how lucky some women are to get pregnant the first time and also how sad for those who run off to england to abort. funny old world

    164
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    Mute Paul Wallace
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:45 PM

    @hit not sure what abortion has to do with this story at all.

    426
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    Mute Thenaked Goose
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:55 PM

    Think link is that in both cases child / foetus (depending on point of view) both die in womb. One through natural causes, one via medical procedure.

    72
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    Mute West Cork Lad
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    Jul 31st 2015, 9:05 PM

    Poor pet is obsessed with the choices that women he doesn’t even know have to make ..

    145
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    Mute Orela Krawczyk
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:33 PM

    Don’t you DARE hijack this

    135
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    Mute Byyys
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:09 PM

    I know of a couple who really want a child. they are happily married have tired many times. it was so sad to hear their newborn passed away in their arms. she had a miscarriage and alot other compactions along the way…
    They never gave up. she is pregnant with twins now and i wish them the very best with everything. you have people out there who are selfish dont care about having kids or think its Ok to have an abortion for the sake of it… Crazy world we live in.

    124
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 1st 2015, 9:47 AM

    and you have people sitting around judging complete strangers and manipulating their story for their own benefit, it’s a crazy world Byyys, but you’re not making it any better.

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    Mute lunadoran
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:29 PM

    congratulations that’s gonna be one rich baby

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    Mute Enoch Burke IV
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:34 PM

    Why was my comment deleted? It doesn’t contravene the comments policy in the slightest. Censorship that’s all it is.

    45
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    Mute Stephen M
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    Jul 31st 2015, 7:53 PM

    Because someone is applying common sense for you. Just because you can say something doesn’t mean that you should say it.

    Have a bit of dignity and wait for a more appropriate article to discuss that subject on.

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    Mute Jack DaCosta
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:16 PM

    ” In our ultrasound, she even gave me a thumbs up “like” with her hand, so I’m already convinced she takes after me.”
    Even when discussing a child in the womb his main interest is in promoting his business.
    Disgusting attitude.

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    Mute Maggie
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:45 PM

    Lmao

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    Mute mayo chicken
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    Aug 1st 2015, 2:53 PM

    Having lost five pregnancies myself, I think it’s a very positive thing for people to speak about it. Pregnancy loss can be a very isolating experience. It’s a loss that many people feel should be buried and not grieved. I say fair play to them for being open and honest about their experiences.

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    Mute Aoife Ni Ici
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    Jul 31st 2015, 10:10 PM

    Ffs…is nothing sacred?…tellin aint sellin. Too Much Information. Sorry for their pain/losses/grief…but, really, a letter in the public domain?

    19
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    Mute Barney r
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    Aug 1st 2015, 9:22 AM

    Lovely irish attitute, you can celebrate the birth of your child, only after the 4th one, until then speak no more just in case.

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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 1st 2015, 9:50 AM

    ya, how dare they reach out and tell their story to give hope to others in a similar situation positive, how bloody dare they! As humans we’re here to keep each other going when it’s tough not to make it harder

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    Mute Maggie
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    Jul 31st 2015, 8:45 PM

    Like da like ha, shel might be called facebook!

    9
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