Delta Rae is a powerful folk rock band who do not shy from inserting political themes in their music. On October 19th of this year, they released an anthem against gender inequality called “Hands Dirty” as a call to arms in preparation for the 2018 midterm elections. The songwriters, siblings Brittany and Ian Holljes, utilize two different forms of feminist argumentation styles as identified by the editors of the anthology Theorizing Feminisms, Elizabeth Hackett and Sally Haslanger . The majority of the lyrics follow a “sameness” argument, or a feminist approach which criticizes the unequal treatment given to women despite the similarities which they share with men (Hackett and Haslanger 95). However, throughout the song there is a subtext which invokes a “dominance” argument, an approach which diagnoses the cause of gender inequality as a deep rooted system in which women are made subordinate to men (Hackett and Haslanger 96).

Much of “Hands Dirty” centers on the idea that the lead vocalist and co-writer Brittany Holljes is not receiving comparable rights or treatment in the workplace despite her skills and hard work. The song begins “I could raise the crops from the earth/ I could raise my children from birth/ But when I’m looking for work/ They say that job ain’t for her” (Holljes and Holljes). These lyrics criticize the limited types of work that women are seen fit to do, and the social barriers that keep women out of traditionally men’s work, referred to here simply as “work.” The chorus utilizes a similar tactic as Sojourner Truth’s famous 1851 equal rights speech “Ar’n’t I a Woman?” In Truth’s speech, she points out that “I […] can do as much work as any man…” as a justification for demanding equal rights (113).  Holljes insists that “I get my hands dirty/ I show up so early,” and she “could lead impossible missions” and “occupy the highest position.” Holljes comes to work early, and “gets [her] hands dirty”, meaning that she works hard, and has the abilities needed for difficult tasks and positions (Holljes and Holljes). Yet when she “fight[s] for [her] rights/ They say no woman, no cry.” This reference to a Bob Marley song, in which Marley implores a woman not to cry despite the hardships she has suffered, illustrates that Holljes’ concerns over unequal treatment for comparable ability are being dismissed (Marley). In this way, the song invokes a “sameness” feminist argument. Hackett and Haslanger explain that a sameness approach argues that oppression of women results “from women not being treated as men are treated” (94).  Feminists “stress similarities between women and men” to argue why women should receive the same treatment as men (94).  This argumentation style is very popular among feminist activists because is is often effective in a court of law to secure legal protections for women. In this instance, Holljes uses this argument to demand equal access to employment and other rights.

Below the surface, there is a more radical critique of women’s subordination. The song begins with the rhythmic slamming of chains, which immediately call to mind the image of a person in shackles, and another person standing over them. A piece of property and an owner, a woman and a man. The piano and bass accompaniment is repetitive and incessant, evoking the relentless system in which this subordination occurs. This theme is hinted at lyrically as well. When Holljes muses “Am I so unworthy?/ Or are their hands just dirty,” she seems to be pointing to a deeper, more sinister explanation for her experiences than a prevalent belief in women’s inferior abilities. In this line she uses an alternative definition of the idiom “hands dirty” to mean “to become involved in something unfair or dishonest” (Cambridge Dictionary). This suggests that Holljes suspects that the “glass ceilings” that women encounter are purposefully erected by men who continue to invest in the unjustified subordination of women, regardless of whether or not women “deserve” similar treatment to men. Theorists of the dominance approach such as Catherine McKinnon argue that supposed differences between men and women are not the cause of women’s oppression, but have been demarcated to justify the subordination of women (249). The climax of the song occurs when Holljes declares “darling, me too,” a clear reference to the Me Too movement which has called attention to the prevalent and systemic sexual abuse of primarily women. McKinnon argues that the sexual violence is a primary tactic used in the systemic subordination of women (249).

When I saw Delta Rae perform live this summer at a music festival, they played “Hands Dirty” to a riveted crowd. The communal feeling between the women audience members was palpable, and cheers erupted from the crowd in response to Hollje’s “me too” disclosure. This painful, anguished wail which felt as though it were coming from all of us made me feel part of this movement in the way that the the Facebook posts and think pieces could not. Regardless of  the “theory” behind the work, “Hands Dirty” exemplifies the both disruptive and healing potential of art: one voice making visible the voices of many.

Works Cited:

“Definition of ‘dirty your hands’ – English Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary. dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/dirty-your-hands#translations. Accessed 3 November 2018.

Hackett, Elizabeth and Sally Haslanger. “Introduction.” Theorizing Feminisms. Edited by Elizabeth Hackett and Sally Haslanger, Oxford University Press, 2006, pp. 94-96.

Holljes, Brittany and Ian Holljes. “Hands Dirty.” 19 October 2018. Youtube. /www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLP3-6C_Egw. Accessed 3 November 2018.

Mackinnon, Catherine. “Difference and Dominance: On Sex Discrimination.” Theorizing Feminisms. Edited by Elizabeth Hackett and Sally Haslanger, Oxford University Press, 2006, pp. 244-255.

Marley, Bob. “No Woman No Cry.” Natty Dread, written by Vincent Ford, Island, 1974, genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-no-woman-no-cry-lyrics.

Truth, Sojourner. “Ar’n’t I a Woman?” Theorizing Feminisms. Edited by Elizabeth Hackett and Sally Haslanger, Oxford University Press, 2006, pp. 113.

The featured image “Delta Rae – Raleigh NC, Mar 31 2018” was taken by Ben Miller and is licensed under CC BY-NC-S A 2.0