Many of the participants have experienced being silenced or their ideas being discounted. This theme captured the fact that participants have experienced this, although an examination of these experiences in detail was beyond the scope of the present
research. Participants shared experiences of being silenced or marginalized, as well as experiences of carrying the extra burden of being expected to educate others. This theme indicated that music therapists who belong to minority groups often feel marginalized within the field of music therapy, and it points to the need for all music therapists to acknowledge the effects of power and privilege. As Alex noted, often people “don’t see how all these [issues about diversity] affect them,” but they do.
“It Is a Very Different Experience Being a Minority Person in AMTA.”
Francis and Quinn both spoke about times that their knowledge was dismissed. As a student, Francis tried to share their perspective as a minority with the classroom but felt silenced, remembering, “… there's that power dynamic and I didn't want to say anything. … I did everything I could do that felt comfortable and relevant.” Quinn was aware of a different dynamic as a supervisor; they became apologetic for their minority status when students questioned feedback. The students were “… saying like, I belong in this, I know
more about White culture. I know more about what’s happening with the client than this … minority supervisor is telling me.”
Bei and Alex both mentioned the extra burden that marginalized music therapists carry: in addition to doing their work as a music therapist, they are often asked to educate others about difference and to help others with their discomfort about difference. Alex said, “You are choosing the minority to do the … work.” Bei explained that this is “a burden because sometimes it re-traumatizes people … [They have] the burden of educating and then also comforting other people where it’s not their responsibility … they [then] have to take care of the people who are marginalizing them.” Further, according to Amari, often therapists who identify with minority groups:
…don't feel like they fully belong to the field of music therapy. … Because there are always things that kind of make them recognize that their status is different or outsider. … like some of them have had their music kind of dismissed, or not recognized as valid, or some of their cultural knowledge has been dismissed or invalidated.
Alex also shared their experience, explaining:
It is a very different experience being a minority person in AMTA than the majority. …You know the way it is for those of us who are minorities … very aware of your differences every day and throughout the day. … people in the majority cultures don’t have that experience. They just glide through life and don’t have to think about those things [such as discrimination and being marginalized].
“Usually it Is the Same People Talking About Culture.” Several participants
noted that more music therapists are talking about culture. Francis said: “I feel like it [culture] is on the radar more than it was before.” However, participants also noted that a small group of people seem to have taken on the responsibility for conversations about the intersections of culture and music therapy, a responsibility which they felt should be shared. Quinn stated that when “attending conference, the ones that are talking about culture issues are the same people [who were] talking about it [at the last conference].” Morgan suggested that “we need people … with various marginalized identities in the conversation and not just the same ones all the time.”
“I Can’t Teach the Music Without Talking About Privilege.” Several
participants mentioned the importance of acknowledging one’s own privilege and being aware of the ways in which privilege impacts music therapy. They expressed that conversations about privilege should be part of the music therapy curriculum so that experiences of others are honored, not silenced. Amari spoke of educators who said “they couldn't continue to teach just the music without talking about power and privilege,” explaining that power and privilege affects why the music was written, what it means, and how it has been used. Several participants discussed the importance of understanding music within the context of particular music cultures.
Alex and Francis both noted the importance of acknowledging their own unearned privilege and of recognizing how their own intersectional identities are composed of both marginalized and privileged groups. Francis shared an awareness that because some of their differences are not visible, it affects “what I'm able to do, because of my race and presentation.” Alex stated, “I’m willing to spend my privilege to help others, so we can
all work together to change these systems … We need to not let the patriarchy and other systems keep us apart in organizing, and making things happen.” However, Morgan often found that students or therapists are not willing to acknowledge their unearned privilege: “It becomes more difficult when people really hold on to their oppressive stances, and unfortunately there’s more of that than we think within our communities in music therapy.”