Why We Need to Lift Up Women Artists

You are probably no stranger to the fact that William Shakespeare set the stage for the performing arts in Western culture during the Elizabethan period in England. During this time, the term “drag” came into play, which stands for “dressed as a girl.” Women were not even allowed onstage, as the art form was exclusively male. While we have come a long way from that in modern society, systemic issues persist in the arts, and it is crucial that women’s voices are heard and celebrated for a variety of reasons.   

Through empowering women artists in the entertainment industries, the industries themselves will benefit in multiple ways. Women bring a unique perspective and talents to the table that helps all artists grow and enable these industries to evolve. Here are some examples of just that. 

Gaining a Different Perspective  

Denying women an entry into the media does our culture a great disservice in that it limits our perspective on the world. Women’s unique experiences provide audiences with a female-oriented perspective on our world and help expand cultural avenues in the arts. Male authors are sometimes lauded as being able to “write women well.” While this is sometimes true, there are stories women tell that can only come from having lived as women and from experiencing the world through a female lens. Without women writers and directors, we lose meaningful insights into their stories, and the entertainment industry loses that diverse worldview that women can offer. Many authors and artists have been wiped from the annals of history, and it is vital to our culture to hear those stories so we can gain insights and add diversity to the arts.   

Role Models  

Girls and young women make up roughly 50% of viewers. Younger generations of women need to see themselves onstage and onscreen to better understand who they are and what they are capable of. When our protagonists are predominantly men, and the female roles serve only to advance the male characters’ story arcs, women lose the chance to see themselves as characters with fully developed stories of their own. Young women need role models they can see in stories. This inspires the new generation of women and helps foster personal growth in their own lives.   

Financial Gain  

When so much of our population is female, there is an entire economy focused on women. Creating art by women, aimed at women, leads to ticket sales. Playing to female viewership pays off. If summer blockbusters are strictly aimed at boys and men, producers stand to lose profits. Women artists can fill that void and bring in female audiences, not just for diversity and cultural enrichment, but also to play to female viewership and reap the rewards. There is a market demand for female viewership, and companies should aim to capitalize on this demographic for their own sake, if for no other reason than to make a profit.   

Making Safer Sets  

As the explosive “Me Too” movement proved, there are many problems with safety in the media industries. Having women directors and on-set supervisors helps reduce this problematic, unacceptable behavior that has often cropped up on sets and behind the scenes. Women stepping up and playing important roles in film and the performing arts help curb the tainted atmosphere that has pervaded the industry. By employing more women and giving them greater agency, safer measures can be put in place, so they feel comfortable and their dignity is upheld. The use of “intimacy coordinators” has also helped in this respect.   

Women have often been held back from positions of power in the media industries; we still do not see many female-led productions. There is still so much more room for improvement. In 2025, among the 100 highest-grossing films, only 9 of them were directed by women. We need to promote women artists not only on-screen but across all aspects as well. We can all benefit from seeing more female artists gain influential roles and further women’s representation in media.  

Women in the Arts and Media Coalition 

Given the benefits of having women work in the media, whether in film, television, theatre, or newscasts, it is crucial for these industries to diversify and create more opportunities for female artists. The Women in the Arts and Media Coalition serves to do just that. Bring women artists into the spotlight and have their voices be heard. They represent more than 80,000 women and male artists in these industries. Through advocacy, information sharing, panels, events, and mentorship, the Women in the Arts and Media Coalition reaches out to female artists, helping them feel more emboldened in their careers and, in turn, bolstering the media industries they work in.  

Membership through the Women in the Arts and Media Coalition can help you on your journey to becoming the artist you were meant to be and bring your unique talents to the forefront. Consider joining today to reap the benefits of the WAM Coalition and discover what they can do for you. Discover what the WAM Coalition is working on now through their blog. To learn more about the art by WAM Coalition women members, click here. 

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Jackson, A. (2025, December 31). Women Directors Make Up 8% of This Year’s 100 Top-Grossing Filmmakers in a Steep Drop From 2024, Study Shows. Variety. https://variety.com/2025/film/news/women-directors-top-grossing-films-usc-annenberg-study-1236620995/ 

Mukhopadhyay, U. (2025, November 24). The Marketing Is the Movie. Wharton Women. https://www.whartonwomen-penn.com/walnutstreetjournal/marketingmovie 

Wickins, L. B. (2023, January 29). The Role of the Intimacy Coordinator. New York Film Academy. https://www.nyfa.edu/student-resources/role-of-intimacy-coordinator/