Wed Jan 14 16:17:35 UTC 2026: ### Guitar Gender Gap Noted at Kerala School Arts Festival
The Story:
The Kerala State School Arts Festival in January 2026 revealed a stark gender disparity in guitar performance, highlighting the underrepresentation of female students. Out of 15 participants at Mar Thimotheus High School, Kuriachira, only two were girls. The observation sparked discussion about the societal perception of guitar playing as a predominantly male activity, influencing instrument preferences among young students.
Key Points:
- At Mar Thimotheus High School, only 2 out of 15 guitar performance participants were girls.
- Nikhita S. Krishnan, a Plus Two student from Vimala Hridaya Girls HSS, Kollam, noted the consistent lack of female guitarists in previous years.
- Krishnan suggests that guitars are often associated with boys and band culture, while girls tend to gravitate towards instruments like violin and piano.
- Easwar M Madhu believes that mastering the guitar requires an “obsessive practice” that perhaps fewer girls are drawn to at the state level.
- Nived P admitted to not previously noticing the gender imbalance in the competition.
Key Takeaways:
- The Kerala State School Arts Festival reflects existing gender stereotypes within musical instrument choices.
- Societal expectations may play a role in limiting girls’ participation in guitar performance.
- The issue is not merely about participation but also about progression to higher levels of competition.
- There is a call for a shift in cultural perception to encourage more girls to explore and excel in guitar playing.
First Piper 