Honoring Women's History Month with Our Spotlight on Ten Female Artist Whistleblowers
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to blowing the whistle. It depends on content and context and the particular path the whistleblower has chosen to sound the alarm. This is especially true when it comes to artists and pop culture figures using their power and popularity as a platform to shine a light on wrongdoing and injustice.
We’re honoring Women’s History Month by sharing ten of our favorite female artists who used their celebrity to take a stand against bad behavior. From taking back what was rightfully theirs (we’re looking at you, T-Swift), further broadening the zeitgeist of female empowerment. To calling out abuse and industry exploitation. To standing up for the oppressed and downtrodden. To shouting down inequality and mistreatment. There has been an ever-growing cadre of female artist whistleblowers stepping beyond their craft to make the world just a little bit better and more just for all of us.
Here are ten of them we want to highlight.
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan used her Best New Artist Grammy win to raise awareness of the rampant inequities and lack of healthcare offered to young artists in the music industry.
In her speech, Roan shared the reality she faced as a young artist getting signed to a label as a teenager, then getting dropped in 2020, and confronting challenges like finding a real-world job during the pandemic while being unable to afford insurance.
Despite being widely applauded by other artists and industry supporters, Roan faced some criticism for her stance. After the speech, a former major label executive and current Chair Emeritus of the Clive Davis Institute at NYU, Jeff Rabhan, published a piece in The Hollywood Reporter titled “Chappell Groan: The Misguided Rhetoric of an Instant Industry Insider (Guest Column).” He took critical jabs at Roan and claimed that she is too “uninformed” and new in the industry to make any such claims or reform demands.
Of course, Roan responded to Rabhan’s article and shared an update via Instagram Stories, explaining that she had given $25,000 to struggling artists who were dropped from their labels and asked him to match her donation. Several artists, including Charli XCX, Noah Kahan, and Sabrina Carpenter, matched Roan’s generosity.
Shortly thereafter, the label Universal Music launched a Mental Health Fund for music industry workers. We look forward to hearing how Roan’s decision to blow the whistle could create additional changes in the industry.
Paris Hilton
Reality TV pioneer, DJ, philanthropist, and multi-hyphenate entrepreneur Paris Hilton took a stand against the troubled teen treatment industry based on her personal childhood experiences. Upon the release of her 2020 documentary, This is Paris, her memoir, and media forums, she described the traumatic experiences endured at the now-closed residential treatment center in Utah, Provo Canyon School. Hilton continued to share her story, attended demonstrations and rallies, and spoke on her podcasts, “This is Paris” and “Trapped in Treatment.”
Hilton launched the Breaking Code Silence campaign and did advocacy work pushing for legislative change. In 2021, she demanded reforms when she testified before the Utah Senate judiciary committee. In 2024, Hilton testified before Congress calling for reforms in child welfare programs, contributing to Congress’ subsequent passage of the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act. Likewise, in California, Governor Newsom signed legislation to protect children and youth against the improper use of restraints and isolation in residential treatment facilities.
Through her activism and outspokenness, Hilton has empowered survivors of these facilities and drawn attention to pervasive issues like physical, emotional, and psychological abuse lurking under the pretense of treatment.
Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan, and many more.
Harvey Weinstein, a once mighty Hollywood mogul, was called out for decades of sexual abuse and harassment in October 2017, following investigative reporting from The New York Times and The New Yorker. Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan, and many other women impacted by Weinstein’s misconduct shared their experiences with these reporters, leading to further revelations of Weinstein’s long history of inappropriate behavior. The exposé kickstarted the #MeToo movement and created a butterfly effect in the entertainment world of women speaking out against sexual harassment.
Weinstein was fired from his company and his career crumbled. In 2020, he was convicted of rape and sexual assault in New York and sentenced to 23 years in prison.
The brave whistleblowers who came forward to expose Weinstein’s wrongdoing empowered countless other women to share their experiences of abuse and misconduct in the entertainment industry. This cultural turning point caused a reckoning within an industry that until then had turned a blind eye to misconduct and abuses of power.
Cassie Ventura
Since the 90s, many people have accused the rapper/producer/record executive Sean “Diddy” Combs of misconduct and abuse. In 2023, singer Cassie Ventura filed a $30 million lawsuit against Diddy, alleging he raped her in 2018 and she suffered in the abusive relationship that took complete personal and professional control of her life.
Ventura’s legal action encouraged many others to come forward, share their stories, and file lawsuits. This contributed to a vast movement of accountability for powerful figures in Hollywood and the music industry.
In addition to other accusations and assault lawsuits that continue to unfold, Diddy is currently awaiting trial for federal sex trafficking charges.
Taylor Swift
In 2019, entrepreneur and former talent manager, Scooter Braun, purchased the rights to Taylor Swift’s six albums under the Big Machine record label. As Swift rose into the mainstream pop world, her country label decided to move on too. Instead of offering Swift the opportunity to buy the masters of her songs, they were sold to Braun. Swift, in her own way of whistleblowing, decided to deem the old recordings worthless by sharing this info with the world and re-recording her back catalog. Quite fittingly, the first re-recording was released in 2021: Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Swift continued to re-record and release her older albums. Her fans understood the assignment and shifted their listening to the newer recordings. Swift showed the world how to think outside the box and outsmart businessmen with deep pockets.
Jennette McCurdy
Jennette McCurdy spoke out against Nickelodeon and her experiences in the entertainment industry, namely the toxic work environment she experienced while working on the hit show, iCarly.
In 2022, the former child star released her memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died. In her book, McCurdy discussed several uncomfortable instances including underage drinking at work and other details that compromised her boundaries.
She discussed the manipulative sets she faced, criticized Nickelodeon for its lack of support, examined the emotional toll of acting, and the dark side of being a young actor in Hollywood.
McCurdy claimed the inappropriate behavior originated from a high-level executive she referred to as “The Creator.” While she did not name Dan Schneider, the producer behind iCarly, and other shows like All That, his identity was widely speculated, especially in light of what 2024’s Quiet on Set shared. Several other former child stars and network insiders appeared in the documentary with more bombshell allegations and horror stories from their time on the network. In 2018, Schneider left Nickelodeon.
Her memoir was a bold and deeply personal account, sparking conversations about the treatment of young people in the entertainment industry and the need for more responsibility in considering the mental health and rights of child actors.
Britney Spears
Britney Spears blew the whistle about exploitation in the entertainment industry, her conservatorship, and eventually regained her autonomy. The #FreeBritney movement started as a grassroots campaign to draw attention to the legal conservatorship Spears was placed under in 2008. This granted her no legal control over her life and finances for over a decade.
The movement, ignited online and in person by her fans, helped Spears expose her experiences under the conservatorship and raise more awareness of such situations. Celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Cher, Mariah Carey, and Demi Lovato jumped aboard the #FreeBritney movement to publicly voice their support.
In June 2021, Spears spoke in court and revealed how she felt manipulated, controlled, and silenced by the conservatorship. Her testimony was a turning point, and she explained that she wanted full control over her life. In September 2021, Spears’s father, Jamie Spears, was removed from his role as conservator, and by November 2021, a judge ruled to terminate the conservatorship entirely. In her 2023 memoir, The Woman in Me, Spears shared how her life has changed since the conservatorship ended.
#FreeBritney inspired the Freedom and Right to Emancipate from Exploitation Act (or the FREE Act), introduced in 2021. This bill would enable individuals to request if their judge-appointed conservator or guardian could be replaced with a public guardian from the state or private agent, in efforts to reduce abuse or fraud in guardianships/conservatorships.
Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga uses her platform and celebrity status to advocate for various social issues, particularly around mental health, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial equity. Her activism goes beyond the anthem “Born This Way,” her performances, and social media messaging as she has shown support through charity work.
Gaga emphasizes the importance of love and acceptance. Founded with her mother, their non-profit Born This Way Foundation focuses on youth empowerment, mental health resources, anti-bullying initiatives, and more.
In addition to the number of causes Gaga advocates for and has donated money to, she has also been vocal about healthcare reform and has supported organizations that assist with HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
P***y Riot
Through their music, performance art, and activism, the Russian punk rock feminist group takes frequent stands against the political oppression, gender inequality, and authoritarian regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin. They have become internationally known for their protests and controversial actions, which often challenge political and social norms.
One of the group’s most recognized demonstrations was in 2012 when they performed a “Punk Prayer” in Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral, protesting Putin’s politics and close ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the government. This event criticized Putin’s rule, the church that supported him, and the suppression of political dissent. The group’s members were charged with “hooliganism.”
The band has continued to use provocative performances and statements globally, as they have participated in movements such as supporting LGBTQ+ rights and the #MeToo movement. Their work has made them symbols of resistance, inspiring people to advocate for political freedom, human rights, and social justice.
Sinead O’Connor
When Sinead O’Connor ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II during a performance of Bob Marley’s 1976 song, “War,” on Saturday Night Live on October 3, 1992, it created a massive controversy and negatively impacted her career. In the final moments of her performance, she held up a photo of the pope and shredded it saying, “Fight the real enemy.” This was a protest against how the Catholic Church handled sexual abuse scandals and its stance on issues like women’s rights. While she suffered professionally from her bold primetime stand, it brought much-needed attention to a serious issue that escaped the attention it deserved because of the religious implications of the subject. It also paved the way for other brave performers to use their art as a platform to speak out against misbehavior.
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