Charlotte Campbell: Part 3
Why Female Buskers Face More Difficulties
1. We compete with each other
Between the police, disgruntled shopkeepers, drunks and other street performers; buskers have their fair share of disruptions. But women face another hurdle, and that is ourselves.
Women are hard-wired to compete with one other and female buskers are more territorial than feral cats. I think part of this comes down to the manufactured competition created by the media for women to feel constantly dissatisfied with their bodies and achievements. Add in a sprinkle of oversubscribed busking terrain and you have got one frosty encounter when two female buskers come face to face.
My phone book is full of female buskers now, but I spent my first 3 months on the street gracefully ignoring another girl busker who I perceived to be the enemy. When I finally plucked up the courage to approach her we laughed at our shared animosity, we still laugh about it now. There is a totally unnecessary hostility between female buskers that I have learnt to eradicate with an extremely friendly ‘How Do You Do?’
2. We are vulnerable.
Women are more often victims of crime – viewed as the weaker sex we are targeted more frequently. Being a busker is a vulnerable thing; you are a lonely, faceless figure with potentially a lot of money or equipment about your person. A busker is an easy target for theft and a female busker is a mugger’s dream. The problem also resides in the fact that bystanders are reluctant to step in to aid a busker in a time of need; street performing is often viewed as an outlawed art, and therefore a busker is subconsciously regarded as a second-class citizen.
I have had my fair share of attacks while busking and I was shocked by how quickly previous audience members turned their backs. I once heard a man mutter ‘she brings it on herself standing there like that, of course someone will try and steal her money.’ When you are a busker in trouble, being a lady does not warrant any kind of protection; the attitude of most is ‘you made your bed, now lie in it.’
3. Sexuality.
Finally, we’re back to the crux of our humanity; sex. While being a pretty lady rakes in the pounds, it also attracts attention for all the wrong reasons. I think part of the trouble is perception of a busker; a lot of people presume that a busker is down on their luck and some men take this as an opportunity to request a dinner or coffee date with the attitude ‘beggars can’t be choosers.’ While the offer is sometimes flattering, there is something slightly insulting about it.
When I am busking, that is my place of work; I am trying to earn my living and enhance my career as a musician. This is not my very own version of Match.com. I am not advertising for a boyfriend or hoping for someone to sweep me off my feet. I love what I do and I’m proud of earning my own living my own way. To quote classic 90s band TLC, ‘No, I don’t want your number and no, I don’t want to give you mine.’
Wandering hands are also a problem. I often get asked to pose for a photo with someone. I can understand that they would like to remember this moment in London and I am happy to oblige. But there is a certain type of man who usually comes out of nowhere, having not listened to a note of my song, who wants to stand just a little to close with his hand on my hip or elsewhere. You can have a photo sir, but please keep your hands to yourself.
So I am a girl. And I’m pretty happy with my lot. I think being a busker of either gender has its difficulties. It is not an easy job and everyone likes to think they have it the hardest. I try to focus on the fact that I get to do what I love for a living and see the best in everyone, except the ones with their hands on my behind.
