Emily Wheatcroft-Snape - What Does Suffrage 125 Mean to You?

October 17th 2018
As it has been 125 years since this milestone, I am able to look back at previous generations of women who have been able to make their own life choices and evaluate their successes and failures. Through this evaluation, I am able to shape my life choices so I can grow within a male-dominated industry while staying true to my identity.

What do you do in the industry?

I am an audio engineer currently working as the assistant engineer at Roundhead Studios.

What does Suffrage 125 mean to you and what advice would you offer other women pursuing their dreams and career goals?

The right to vote has allowed women to create change that positively affects them. As it has been 125 years since this milestone, I am able to look back at previous generations of women who have been able to make their own life choices and evaluate their successes and failures. Through this evaluation, I am able to shape my life choices so I can grow within a male-dominated industry while staying true to my identity.

My advice to other women is to do a job that makes you happy and make it work for you. If you are capable and have a good work ethic then there is no reason you can't do any job that you want. In saying this, we as a society still have a lot to work on. Evaluate the downsides of your dream job and make sure you're prepared to deal with them. If you're going into a male-dominated field, decide what your boundaries are in terms of work relationships and any special treatment you may receive. If you're going into a field with crazy work hours, figure out if you're okay with sacrificing your personal life, and what you're going to do if you want a family someday. If your field is generally low paying, then find out how you can innovate and develop your skills to get paid more, or what career paths lead to bigger paychecks. I have the belief that if you are good at what you do, are resourceful, innovative, and take advantage of opportunities, then you will find a way to do well in your field.

What does New Zealand being a world leader in social change mean to you?

As a world leader in social change, New Zealand women get the most benefits, but also have to deal with the most mistakes. Because New Zealand is a world leader, I am able to work in my industry without resistance. I have access to health care, have a degree, and live my life the way I want to live it. I always make an effort to remember that there are many women around the world and in New Zealand that struggle daily and don't have the luxuries that I have. I think it's important to remember that while there are a lot of good parts of New Zealand society, we still have a lot to work on and we can always improve what we already have.

I'm excited to see the positive change that is happening in both New Zealand society and in the New Zealand music industry. It is good to see organisations such as APRA AMCOS incorporate a 40% women rule into their events, it's good to see festivals increase the number of women in key roles within their line-ups, and it's great that there are support networks being created within recording studios to allow all musicians, producers, and engineers to feel safe and happy in such an isolated environment.

Back to Commission News