Heart lead singer Ann Wilson recently appeared as a guest on the Everything Fab Four podcast and discussed the Beatles’ influence on her. The singer revealed that the Beatles helped her look at her gender from a different perspective.
Many talk about the enormous musical impact that the Beatles had on history, but they also influenced the world on a cultural level. They had a considerable effect on the era’s youth, inspiring many cultural movements of the 1960s. Many young people were obsessed with the band and followed their every move, including their fashion style, hairstyle, and overall attitude.
The Beatles also had a cultural impact on gender. They condemned toxic masculinity with their androgynous appearance. They challenged the stereotypical images of what it meant to be a man and conventional displays of masculinity. Their attitude also had a tremendous impact on gender identity and women’s liberation at the time.
Ann Wilson reflected on the Beatles’ influence on music and gender roles during her recent appearance. The singer explained that she started listening to the band with their second album, ‘Meet the Beatles!’ released in 1964. It suddenly changed everything in her life. She began emulating their speaking and dressing. Wilson stated that being a boy or girl didn’t matter as she felt androgynous. The band challenged the conventional gender roles and gave the singer a new perspective to see her gender.
On the Beatles’ impact on gender roles, Ann Wilson said:
“In my heart, I felt androgynous. You could be one of the Beatles without a gender role. They opened up a whole world of intelligence and imagination. They gave you another periscope to see your gender from.”
You can listen to the full podcast below.
