The central sociological focus on gender in the heavy metal subculture was in the interviews addressed by means of questions concerning the position of women metalheads and the masculinity of the culture. Yet, we were also able to rely on less direct ways to estimate the significance of gender by identifying and differentiating men and women among the respondents to see how their gender might affect certain otherwise non– gender-related answers. Additionally, separate attention was devoted to asking questions about moshing and flashing as two relatively common practices at (some) heavy metal shows that are forms of fan conduct with obvious gender connotations. How do metalheads perceive of these practices today as women are increasingly taking up more equal roles in the heavy metal culture? This chapter will show what role, according to metalheads themselves, the issue of gender in heavy metal plays today, and if women do, can, and/ or should mosh (as the men of metal do) and whether they do, can, and ought to flash (for the pleasure of men).

Being Woman in Heavy Metal

Two central themes emerged in the interviews with both men and women respondents with respect to the relevance of gender and the status of women in heavy metal: (1) there is a special need as a woman in heavy metal to prove oneself; and (2) women metalheads, more than men, have to rely on physical markers or symbols to emphasize that they too are fans of the genre and belong to the subculture.

Theme 3: Women in heavy metal face a special need to prove themselves. The theme of women metalheads having to prove themselves as members of the heavy metal community jumped out from the interviews as among the most prevalent findings of our study. This finding readily conforms to our perspective of heavy metal as a homosocial environment that is dominated by men. But it is additionally noteworthy to observe that the interview respondents, both the women and the men, are themselves also aware of this gender issue. Explicitly asked if the metal scene was dominated by men and hypermasculine in nature, almost all participants unequivocally answered in the affirmative.