Lesley Gore "You Don't Own Me" Sheet Music

Day 4: Gender, Sexuality, & Power in Music

YWCA Racial Justice Challenge

FIGHTING FOR EQUALITY

Lesley Gore “You Don’t Own Me” Record Sleeve and Sheet Music. Gift of Aurelia Campbell. Surprisingly anti-patriarchal for its time in 1963, “You Don’t Own Me” continues to be utilized in popular culture as a symbol for female empowerment – in First Wives Club, 1996; in a celebrity PSA in 2012 addressing Mitt Romney’s stance regarding abortion; in Suicide Squad, 2016; and in The Handmaid’s Tale twice, in 2017 and 2021.

Lesley Gore Dress, 1969. Design by Cosmo Sirchio. Gift of Lesley Gore. One of Gore’s signature songs was the feminist anthem “You Don’t Own Me.” A lesbian who didn’t publicly come out until later in life, Gore said, “I just never found it was necessary because I really never kept my life private. Those who knew me, those who worked with me were well aware.”

Watch this video where panelists discuss what it means to be a woman in the music business.

Women In The Music Industry: Gatekeeping and Access

Girl Groups' Impact & Influence on Rock & Roll

Read this article about the importance and impact of 1960s girl groups, who influenced everyone from the Spice Girls to Adele

Watch Janelle Monáe discuss Janet Jackson as a powerful woman with agency in the music industry and the importance of representation as she Inducts her into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Janelle Monae on Janet Jackson

FREE TO BE ME

Los Angeles Times, February 11, 1975. “Stations Refuse to Play ‘The Pill’” article. Gift of Rolling Stone, LLC. Banned by radio stations due to its lyrical content, Loretta Lynn’s controversial hit “The Pill” tells the story of a woman’s frustration with her husband’s gallivanting, and the sexual freedom she is subsequently granted after discovering contraceptives.

k.d. lang Rainsong Acoustic Guitar, c. 1997. Gift of Rainsong Graphite Guitars. Gay artist and activist k.d. lang played this guitar on the historic “The Puppy Episode” (1997) of Ellen, in which Ellen DeGeneres’ character comes out as a lesbian. The landmark episode, which coincided with DeGeneres’ coming out in real life, won several awards but also faced backlash from conservative groups and some sponsors.

ADVISORY: These assets contain language and/or themes that may not be appropriate for all students. Please preview all materials in their entirety before using in a classroom setting.

More Resources

"It's Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope & Empowerment

Explore more resources on the topic of racial and social justice in music inside our virtual exhibit, Rock Hall EDU collection, and Library & Archives.