Dear men of the Chicago comedy scene,
Our comedy institutions aren’t helping by segregating women into separate shows. Second City is currently running a “mimosa-and-madness-fueled” all-women sketch show entitled She the People: Girlfriends’ Guide to Sisters Doing it For Themselves. The iO Theater hosts the excellent improv group Virgin Daiquiri but bills it as an “all-women ensemble.” When will female comedians be known simply as “comedians?”
So the next time you improvise, introduce your female scene partner as an architect or a senator. Make zero comments about her appearance and display zero romantic intentions. Or, when booking a lineup, include many different voices—men, women, LGBTQ performers, and people of color. Have the host introduce a female stand-up comic as a stand-up comic and replace the qualifier “lovely and talented” with “talented.” Take those extra two seconds to be mindful of the obstacles women face in our community. And I know you feel pressure to be “on” all the time, but maybe shut up and listen to stories about lecherous producers or the time a male comic whipped out his dong backstage.
