In recognition of Women’s History Month, Atwood Magazine has called upon artists to contribute essays reflecting on themes of identity, music, culture, inclusion, and more.
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Today, Madame Reaper (also known as Kira Leadholm), a gothic synth-pop artist from Chicago, presents her essay titled ‘Not Your Mother’s Women’s History Month.' In it, she discusses how artists, music enthusiasts, and everyone else should take action in this moment as part of Atwood Magazine’s Women’s History Month series.
With a fictional narrative of a murderous strip club owner, Madame Reaper distinguishes herself through a distinctive fusion of gothic synth pop, glam rock, and electronic indie. She has rapidly gained a growing audience thanks to her powerful yet mysterious performances both in recordings and live. She has been awarded two music grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and was the first runner-up for best pop artist in the Chicago Reader’s “Best of 2024” list.
Madame Reaper & the Gentlemen’s Club will release their second album, ‘This is an album because the industry says it’s not,’ on April 11, 2025!
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how artists, music enthusiasts, and everyone else should step up in this moment
by Madame Reaper
This is not your mother’s Women’s History Month.
Millions of married women and transgender individuals may encounter obstacles to voting due to pending national legislation. Men, who likely lack basic knowledge about female anatomy, are attempting to control women's bodily autonomy. I made a last-minute appointment to replace my IUD because I’m uncertain about how much longer that option will be available. Your mother was probably covered under Roe v. Wade.
If I had written this essay a year ago, I would have discussed how the majority of negative comments I receive online are from men. I might have used the treatment of Chappell Roan online to critique the music industry's double standards. I could have even expressed my admiration for inspiring female musicians.
However, while those points matter, they seem trivial in light of our current challenges. Focusing on Women’s History Month in relation to music without recognizing the larger context seems futile. Instead, I will focus on actions we can take right now to make an impact, beginning with intersectionality.
Madame Reaper © Nina Negrón
America is undergoing a fascist, Nazi coup, affecting everyone, regardless of gender.
To illustrate this, I'll borrow a point my state representative made at a recent community meeting: women's rights, trans rights, immigrant rights, and human rights are all interconnected. Presently, the Tr*mp administration is heavily targeting immigrants and transgender individuals—arguably our most vulnerable populations. This behavior is textbook fascism, setting the stage for identity politics to be manipulated for control. The administration is unlikely to halt here—they will use identity politics to disenfranchise anyone categorized as opposition, including people of color, Democrats, progressives, low-income individuals, and, of course, women; the list continues. Even far-right commentators in these categories are not safe. Unless you are a wealthy, white male willing to side with Tr*mp, you are at risk. And even then, you may still face repercussions.
While discussing intersectionality, it's essential to recognize that pre-Tr*mp America didn't serve most people. It was plagued with issues stemming from its foundation on slavery, genocide, oppression, and colonialism. Our troubled past has led us to this point. Instead of striving to return to “normal,” we should prioritize addressing Tr*mp’s most harmful actions (or better yet, we need to remove him from office and hold him accountable), and then use this moment to reflect on how we arrived here and seek to address the root causes.
But how do we achieve that? First, we must appreciate the value of unity. We need to protect those who are suffering, as soon we may find ourselves in need of protection. As Martin Niemöller, a former Nazi sympathizer turned anti-Nazi activist, once stated:
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.”
Madame Reaper © Nina Negrón
We need to practice empathy with one another. If you haven't realized yet, I lean heavily left. But I understand that progressives must collaborate with centrists and even others in between, as internal conflict will only hinder our collective resistance. This may be controversial, but we must embrace former Republicans and even ex-Tr*mp supporters who are becoming disillusioned with the administration. I wouldn’t have said this a year ago, or even
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Chicago-based artist Madame Reaper presents her essay, ‘Not Your Mother’s Women’s History Month,’ discussing how artists, music enthusiasts, and the broader community should take action during this time, as part of Atwood Magazine's Women's History Month series!