How it started

Femetalism started life back in 2010 as a project for my Foundation Degree in eCommunications, researching the male gaze theory and how it shapes the media we consume. I loved it so much I just kept going. Craig was there from the very beginning too, sorting the tech side of the site, taking photographs, and eventually running a weekly "Extreme Thursday" feature.

What we built

Over those first few years, Femetalism grew into something bigger than either of us expected. We built up a genuinely engaged following on Facebook and Twitter, collaborated on live events and shows in Sheffield and beyond with both local and international bands, and released a double compilation album featuring some of our favourite unsigned artists. Best of all, we made an enormous number of friends from all over the world - people who shared our love for the scene and became part of the Femetalism story along the way.

Why we stopped

In 2016, life got in the way - a house move, full-time jobs, family - so we stepped away, always thinking we'd come back once things settled. That took longer than planned; I was diagnosed with ME/CFS along the way, which made gigs and everyday life a lot harder for a while. By 2022 though, I was determined to get back to gigs and back to the blog.

What we lost

Coming back hasn't been as simple as picking up where we left off. We lost the femetalism.co.uk domain which has caused significant issues including losing contacts and access to our Bandcamp account. The original site was built on Blogger (which shows our age!) and although we have managed to download an archive, it isn't published anywhere yet and needs a fair bit of work before it's fit to share again.

The social media landscape has shifted hugely too: Twitter isn't somewhere we can meaningfully be anymore, and Facebook's algorithm means our old following just doesn't see us the way they used to. We never even had a presence on Instagram — so in a lot of ways, we're starting from scratch and building considerably from the ground up.

Where we are now

We're not doing this alone. Paul has joined Team Femetalism, and we've finally got ourselves on Instagram, where we're working hard to build things back up. I'm back at gigs and festivals now too, though it looks a little different these days. I lean on Team Femetalism a lot - I'm often on a stool at the back while the rest of the team are up front taking photos, grabbing merch, and yes, bringing me pints. It's not quite the same as being in the thick of it, but being there beats not being there at all.

In person, becoming ill knocked my confidence quite a bit, and I've become incredibly shy as a result. I'm working hard on getting myself as well as I can and on being the one who comes over and says hello, rather than hoping someone else does it first! Luckily, Craig and Paul more than make up for it. I really do love connecting with people, so please, if you spot us at a gig or event, come and say hello!

What we're about

Femetalism is, and always will be, a hobby project. None of us are professionals, just fans who love this scene and want to give something back. We're also all getting a bit older these days (aren't we all? 🤣), but our love for this scene hasn't aged a day.

Our mission has always been about challenging not just who gets seen and heard, but how. Today, we want to champion women, LGBTQ+, disabled and chronically ill artists across underground and alternative music and entertainment and just as much, accessible venues, safer gigs, and room for everyone to get involved, however they can.

And we're not about gatekeeping. We believe this scene is richer when it reflects everyone in it. So while we'll always centre on the underrepresented, our door is open to anyone involved in the underground and alternative.

I'm still the main voice you'll hear from on social media and in our writing plus Paul lends a hand with words and networking. Craig is still behind the camera as well as tech support too.

If you would like us to feature you or come to an event please get in touch: femetalism@gmail.com

Emma xx