The world of magic is primarily dominated by male magicians. This list is to showcase those with a pioneering voice and are paving the way for all female magicians to come.
Female magicians are more common in pop culture than ever before. This year saw the release of Wonder Woman, with Gal Gadot proving that she is just as badass as her male predecessors. At the same time, Jerry Seinfeld and Netflix’s Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee both featured female comedians. And J.K Rowling announced on Twitter that Dumbledore will be gay – for a woman’s perspective!
This list has ten reasons why female magicians are awesome:
1) Women can be more relatable to females than men can.
It’s 2018, but still many of us have experienced the feeling of being the only female in a male-dominated environment. At school, working, in local gyms, there are always more males than females present. Therefore it can sometimes be pretty cool to see someone who is facing similar situations as you. A woman magician can offer that perspective for women and girls watching her perform. And we can finally get over saying ‘ohhh I should totally watch magic’ just because there aren’t many female magicians!
2) More role models
It’s not hard to find a role model for men; actors like Hugh Jackman and Johnny Depp have charmed generations of fans. But women are still on the lookout for female role models that they can look up to. Seeing a woman on stage performing magic can give a sense of empowerment, and allow women to see what is possible if they work hard. It also empowers females in the audience who can dream big and achieve their goals.
3) She’s not undermining her gender
Female magicians don’t have to prove that they are just as good as men at magic, because they are proving them wrong. When you’re performing magic, there is no need to compare yourself with a man; you’re there because you love it and it’s what you want to do.
4) She’s not the object of a male fetish.
It’s all too common for women to be singled out in public for being attractive. This can happen in person and on social media, where viewers of female magicians are quick to comment on something that seems ‘sexy’ about them, rather than saying ‘she’s doing a great job’ or ‘this is cool’. I think magic has always been a fantasy escape from the real world – and many people still treat it as such – so I find this concerning.
5) She’s not judged for being ‘average’
It’s easy to find a male magician who looks the stereotypical definition of ‘cool’. With those guys around, it’s pretty easy for women to have a similar image of themselves – and once this happens, it can be hard for women to imagine that they could also be seen as cool. But female magicians get judged purely on how hard they work and what they are doing; if they are truly prepared, committed and passionate, they should not be underestimated. This means that in order to be the best, they have to apply the same amount of effort as their male peers, without being judged for their confidence or attitude.
6) She doesn’t need to be ‘ladylike’
The majority of female magicians do not subscribe to ‘ladylike’ behavior. They are taking on a very male-driven industry, and are therefore stepping out of their gender roles by not having to dress and act a certain way. Female magicians are taking control over what they do, when they do it and how they do it – and that is awesome!
7) She’s got style
Female magicians definitely have a sense of style. Have you ever seen anyone do magic in heels? They don’t have to wear a suit and tie, and can wear whatever they like when performing. And certainly the most stylish magicians I have seen this year have been female.
8) She makes cool magic
Female magicians definitely have their own style of magic; whether it’s comedy, sleight of hand or something else. This is regardless of whether or not they are imitating a male magician’s style. So female magicians are able to bring something unique to the industry, and make it their own. Like their male counterparts, female magicians can draw from many different areas of magic, which means that we can expect to see many more creative approaches to magic in the future.
9) She’s not sexually objectified
The majority of women and girls who watch a magician are watching them for entertainment. As such, there is no need for them to sexualise a female performer or focus on her body rather than her craft. It’s cool to see some female magicians have fun on stage and experiment with the way they do magic, without being viewed as ‘sexy’ in any way.
10) She’s not blond
So out of all the female magicians that have ever existed, there are still very few that have blonde hair. Therefore a lot of female magicians don’t even think about this, since it’s not a thing that they need to think about.
Conclusion:
Hopefully you’ve been inspired by this list, and have found it inspiring as much as I did. I hope in the future to get lots more women into magic and create a world where anyone can achieve their goals no matter what gender they are. Creativity, passion and ambition needs to be celebrated for everyone!
