Women Celebrated in Comedy Festival

Sexism isn’t funny, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t the butt of many jokes at the annual Boston based Women in Comedy Festival. The event, which ran from April 18 to 22, brings in talented comics from all over the country. Although the event’s stated aim is to create a space where women make up a majority of the performers, some men performed as well. Despite entrenched sexism in the industry, the festival intended to both subvert expectations about gender and provide a platform for the empowerment of women. The festival celebrated the humor and accomplishments of women comics, while providing an opportunity for reflection on the challenges they faced.

Women are almost always outnumbered by men at comedy events. Only 10 percent of comedians are women, according to a 2014 Huffington Post article. Gina Yashere, who headlined the festival April 22 at the Rockwell in Somerville, says she is usually the only women comic at her performances.

“Every comedy show I’ve ever done, unless it’s a really important show, 90% of the shows I’ve done it’s white guy, white guy, white guy, white guy, me, white guy, white guy,” she says. “It’s always been that way.”

Julie Goldman, who performed on April 22 at Club Café, also says there are a limited amount of comedy shows dedicated to just women.

“I think it’s great that they’re doing a women in comedy festival because I don’t think there are that many,” Goldman says.

Julie Goldman By Courtesy of Women in Comedy Festival

This festival provides a rare opportunity—for performers and audience members alike—to experience comedy in a space with greater gender and sexual diversity. Yashere emphasizes that the audience should have the opportunity to hear more than just white male voices.

Even though the narrative surrounding gender representation will pervade the festival, many of the comics instead prefer to look at the positives in the situation. Emma Willmann, who performed April 20 at the Brattle Theatre, looks to embrace the challenge of sexism in the industry.

“Whatever makes it harder for you in the beginning makes you stand out more in the end,” she says. The struggles faced by many of these comics help define their comedy and make events like the WICF more accessible and relatable to some audience members.

Emma Willman By Mandee Johnson

Some of the comics even believe their relegation by the industry has pushed their comedy in a positive direction. “I have to make sure I destroy every single time just to be considered as funny as the male comics,” Yashere says.

Through promoting women in comedy, the festival also opens additional opportunities and types of diversity for performers. With this atmosphere, the festival creates a more welcoming and open space for comics. The diversity could also encourage performers to employ different techniques and breach diverse content. Goldman looks forward to the diversity, likening the festival to a sort of rejuvenating bath. She enjoys her other sets, but there’s something refreshing about the energy generated by WICF. Additionally, according to Yashere, this was an opportunity to meet other women comics. “It’s about camaraderie, to get to see other female comics I’d never really get to see because they only book us one at a time,” she says.

These comics hope to leave the audience feeling changed in some way. Willmann says she hopes to entertain the audience so thoroughly that they walk away wanting to be friends with her. Goldman likens the venue to a classroom, hoping that she can provide a unique perspective to the audience, perhaps teaching them something significant in the process. Even though these artists create laidback spaces, the audience members still must be mindful to avoid offending. These types of events are about empowerment, not comparison. These shows are about breaking stereotypes, not reinforcing them.