Well, I was not really trying to stir up any grief, but I am surprised that so few problems have been brought up. I must assume from this that:
1) Women are not demeaned or ghettoized in the folk/blues world;
2) Women get paid equally with men for equal work;
3) Women have equivalent power in producing, getting studio jobs, festival venues, etc.
4) Women can take up any instrument or kinds of music without it seeming strange or a "novelty" act;
5) Women get equal billing.

This strikes me as completely different from the rock music world and in country music (about which I know nothing more than what I read in the papers). Is it because everyone is so poor in folk music? Or is it really part of the ethos?

yours, Peter T.